The search is over. Gardendale High School made it official on Tuesday morning as the Jefferson County Board of Education met in Birmingham.

Trent Hosmer, an assistant basketball coach at Hoover from 2013-18, was approved for the head basketball position at Gardendale on Tuesday. Hosmer succeeds Ryan Griffin, who resigned in February after seven seasons with the Rockets.

“I feel like Gardendale is a place where there’s been good basketball in the past and I think it’s a place that can compete,” said Hosmer, who knows Gardendale’s new head football coach and athletics director Chad Eads from his time at Hoover.

While at Hoover, Hosmer coached the Buccaneers to consecutive ninth-grade Big Orange Classic championships in 2013 and 2014. The Auburn graduate led his 2014-15 freshman to a perfect 20-0 season while securing a Spain Park Jaguar Classic JV championship.

This will be his first experience as a head varsity basketball coach but, at 27 years old, Hosmer has gained a wealth of knowledge from Hoover head coach Charles Burkett and former Walker head coach Scott Ware.

“I’ve seen some things that have worked in those programs that I think have helped prepare me, but there are things that I would like to do a little bit different,” said Hosmer, a former player at Hoover, where he graduated in 2009.

He was hired as an assistant for the Buccaneers following his graduation from Auburn University. His first five years on the bench have been spent with the Bucs.

When it comes to schematics, Hosmer prefers an up-tempo brand of basketball.

“We’re going to be discipline and take good shots but I always tell my teams, ‘why would we want to run an offensive set if we can get an easy one by just pushing the ball up the floor?,’” he said. “I want to play a fun brand of basketball that people enjoy watching and the community will want to come watch.”

Gardendale Principal Mary Beth Blankenship provided a press release:

“Gardendale High School is excited to announce Trent Hosmer as our new head boy’s basketball coach. Coach Hosmer has spent the last five years as an assistant at Hoover High School serving as the varsity assistant coach, the junior varsity head coach, and the director of basketball operations for the Bucs. Coach Hosmer has been part of a program that has experienced a high level of success in the playoffs and with his junior varsity team.”

“Coach Hosmer brings youth, energy, enthusiasm, and excitement to the Rocket Basketball program. Coach Hosmer will also coach our boy’s cross country team. He met not only our athletic needs, but also our academic as an outstanding social studies teacher. We are confident our Rockets will experience success on the court and in the classroom.”

Erik Harris is the Sports Editor of The North Jefferson News. Email him at njnsports@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeharris2.