By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City’s new head girls’ basketball coach needs no formal introduction.
Mason Storey, a well-known and respected assistant for the Lady Tornadoes the past four seasons, has been named to succeed Antawn Coby as the program’s 11th head coach since 1978 when the current 5-on-5 era began.
A life-long Obion County resident, the 34-year-old Storey was chosen from a handful of candidates by UCHS Principal/Athletic Director Jacob Cross, who said his new head coach “checks a lot of boxes in what we were looking for as a girls’ basketball coach.”
“Coach Storey is a good combination of someone energetic, who can relate to our girls, and has an outstanding reputation of knowing the game,” Cross said. “He has some great ideas of how to improve our program and is excited to institute some new things – both at the high school level and with our younger kids.
“He’s a family man who plans to be in this area and with our program for a long, long time. We’re excited for him to have this opportunity.”
The head coaching gig will be the first on the high school level for Storey, who does have extensive head coaching experience in the middle school ranks at Hillcrest. He also was a high school assistant with the Obion Central boys for eight years after beginning his coaching journey as a high school junior at OCCHS when a hip injury robbed him of his last two years of eligibility.
“I’m humbled for this opportunity, and I want to bring long-term stability to the program and create a tradition-rich program that Union City Schools and the community can be proud of,” Storey said.
“My primary focus will be on the success of the high school program, but I will also be actively involved with the fundamental development of our youth and middle school players too. Their skill set development will be necessary for us to build a highly competitive level and attain continuous success.
“I’m also excited about the kids we’ll have returning for next year’s team. They’re going to be ambassadors for our program and their work ethic is going to be important in the standards that we set.”
Storey and his wife Darcy have two boys, Cooper and Carter.
The new coach, who met with his team just after noon today, will follow Coby, who compiled a 38-43 record in three seasons at the UC girls’ helm.