The Summit High School boys basketball team is beginning a new era. 

After one season of having Paul Lopez serve as the interim head coach, the Summit High School athletic and activities department have hired a coach that they feel will lead the program to success on and off the court. 

Ahead of the winter sports season, Summit High School athletic and activities director Bob Bodor hired Luke Paffrath as the new boys basketball coach. If the name sounds familiar it is because Paffrath was born and raised in Summit County, graduating from the high school as a member of the class of 1997.

During his time at Summit, Paffrath contributed to several athletic programs at the school. While Paffrath was the member of both the boys basketball and soccer teams throughout his high school years, it was the latter that truly set his heart on fire. 

After graduating from Summit, Paffrath went on to attend Colorado Christian University, where he played soccer and studied business management. Shortly after attaining his degree, Paffrath began working for his family’s business, Paffrath and Thomas Real Estate, in 2002. 

Even since then, Paffrath has steadily become a fixture of the community, selling homes and making an impact in the community in which he lives. In 2005, Paffrath even got the opportunity to marry his high school sweetheart, Josie Myres. The couple has since then had two kids named Lowell and Boden — both of whom will be part of the boys basketball program this winter. 

Throughout his kids’ adolescent years, Paffrath consistently served as coach. Paffrath most notably served as the eighth grade boys basketball head coach at Summit Middle School for five years, setting a foundation for himself as a coach and numerous future high school players. 

Recognizing that the years go by fast, Paffrath felt invigorated to apply for the high school vacancy because of the opportunity to coach his two kids at the high-school level. 

“It is huge to have this opportunity,” Paffrath said. “Time goes by so fast. It is an honor to be part of the program. I coach off of positivity and confidence. That is what I love to see in the kids. I don’t like to see the negativity. I like to see them progress and have fun.”

Over the last several weeks, Paffrath has worked to establish a good rapport with returners on the team, hosting open gyms in order to get the kids back in the gym before the official start of the season. The optional training sessions have seen over 40 kids on a consistent basis, giving Paffrath a glimpse of what is to come later this winter.

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<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Summit sophomore guard Cesar Lozano rises up for a 3-point shot during the Tigers’ game against Evergreen High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.</figcaption><figcaption>Cody Jones/Summit Daily News</figcaption>

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“They are excited,” Paffrath said. “Lots of enthusiasm. I think we are going to have a good year. We are young. We have some seniors returning, we have some good sophomores coming back that played last year.”

Unfortunately, his own son, Lowell, tore his ACL while playing in a summer basketball tournament, sidelining him for the entirety of his senior season. Although the injury hit both father and son hard, Paffrath has been blown away by the attitude Lowell has taken on as the season approaches.

“It has been a tough one, lots of tears,” Paffrath said. “He is doing good. His attitude has been good. He is going to kind of help me coach with the team and be there to support them. We are going to build on his attitude and enthusiasm. Keep looking forward.”

Paffrath takes over a program that went 4-18 overall and 2-4 in league play last season. Entering its second season in the difficult,talented 5A classification, the program will look to improve upon last season’s record this winter. 

Paffrath will not be alone in his first year at the helm of the high school program. Two fellow Summit High School alumni will join Pathrath courtside, with Kyle Kimball serving as the junior-varsity coach and Louis Gutierrez taking on the c-team coaching job. 

The trio of coaches will all work to develop a group of players that are described by Paffrath as being “dedicated hoopers”.

“We are still getting the multi-sport athletes,” Paffrath said. “We have some soccer players, we have some football players, but we have a lot of hoopers. Dedicated hoopers, which is encouraging. Lots of kids playing summer ball. Lots of kids in the gym at the rec center. We have a lot of hoopers.”. 

With many of Summit’s games being overnight trips or multi-hour bus trips, Paffrath recognizes that it will be critical for him to establish the proper balance between student and athlete early on into the season.

“Being a student athlete, you have to manage that,” Paffrath said. “I am there to help them manage it. If they need help they can always come to me. We have a tournament in Meeker, we have a tournament in Alamosa — both overnighters. It is a lot, but these kids are committed. They are all about basketball, which is a little bit different from last year’s dynamic.”

Paffrath and the program will host tryouts for the team on Monday, Nov. 17, allowing the coach to get a feel for who will make each level of the team. Once tryouts have been completed, Paffrath will begin prepping the team for its first game of the season against Windsor Charter Academy on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Summit High School. 

Paffrath said it is his job over the next several weeks to get the team ready for that game.

“I will be nervous, the kids will be nervous, but we will be ready,” Paffrath said. “From Monday to the first game we have a lot of time to prepare. Preparation builds confidence. If you are confident you are going to do well.”