Dave Paul has been a valuable assistant coach for three different sports at Orono High School during the last six years.

Next winter, he will get a chance to share some of that knowledge as the Red Riots’ varsity boys basketball coach.

The 31-year-old Paul was approved for that position during Monday night’s meeting of the Orono School Committee. He replaces Willie Gavett, who stepped down last winter after directing Orono to a 47-31 four-year record and the 1991 Eastern Maine Class B title.

Paul hopes to build on what Gavett accomplished, maintaining Orono as a tournament contender.

“Willie worked very hard the last four years in building Orono back up to a tournament-type team,” Paul said. “He’s left it in very good shape and, hopefully, I can step in and do some of the things he was successful doing and maybe implement some other things as well.”

Paul has been the JV coach at Orono for six seasons, having worked under four head coaches. He is excited about the chance to coach at Orono.

“Any time you have a chance to get a varsity coaching job at a school you went to, it’s pretty special,” Paul said. “I’m obviously looking forward to it.”

Paul’s roots are in Orono. He graduated from Orono High in 1978 after playing football, basketball and baseball. He went on to pitch for four years at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., and graduated with a degree in social science.

Paul, who has been an assistant football coach at Orono for six years, is the head baseball coach at Old Town High School and also coaches the Old Town-Orono American Legion baseball team. He is employed by the Orono School Department.