By Jon Gulliver
Staff writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A former Houlton High School basketball standout and a long-time coach in the Houlton area is now a Wildcat.
Terry Cummings has taken the reins from Tim Prescott, who guided the Presque Isle High School boys varsity basketball program for the past quarter of century before stepping down last spring.
Cummings, the 1987 graduate of Houlton High School, was a prolific high school scorer, and the points kept piling up when he continued his playing career at UMPI. After college Cummings worked his way through the coaching ranks from middle school to junior high to JV and then varsity coach at Greater Houlton Christian Academy. For the past three years he was head coach for the men’s basketball team at UMPI.
“What it came down to was there was so much travel and coaching more than one sport, there was a lot of time on the road,” said Cummings. “I have a son that is a junior and a son that is in first grade and I really wanted to spend more time with them.”
But it’s not just family concerns that attracted Cummings to the PIHS job.
“They have had a strong tradition here for many, many years with coach Prescott being here for the past 25 years,” said the new coach. “I am just hoping to continue the success they have had here.”
Cummings is a self described intense coach, but also wants his kids to have fun. He is also a fan of pick and roll basketball and maximizing a player’s talents, whether it’s on offensive or defense.
Tryouts and practice began this week for winter sports, but this isn’t the first opportunity Cummings has had to size up his players. He was hired early enough this year to run the summer basketball program, plus he was also employed as a full-time substitute teacher, so he has gotten to know some of the players in class. This week will be however the first chance all the players are together for formal workouts.