To achieve desired results down the road, tough choices must be made sometimes. 

That’s the decision Cottonwood boys head football coach Tui Satuala and his staff arrived at after an assessment of areas in which they needed to improve as a program. 

“The decision to combine the Murray and Cottonwood Little Leagues a few years ago was driven by declining enrollment, and it’s been a fantastic way to keep football alive and thriving in our community,” said Satuala. 

However, Satuala and his staff realized that a painful move needed to be made and so they began separating the two programs by creating a separate Cottonwood Little League program in a Utah County league. 

It was a move that caused a lot of public outcry and criticism, but according to Satuala, it was the right one that paid dividends in year one. 

“This past year, we fielded a fourth-grade team, and they performed exceptionally well, making it to the second round of the playoffs before falling to a strong Skyridge team,” Satuala told the  City Journals about a Colts’ Little League team that was helmed by two of Cottonwood High’s assistant coaches. 

Satuala pointed out that the decision to retool Cottonwood’s Little League program was primarily driven by a decline in enrollment at Cottonwood High, within its football program. 

“This year we had 58 varsity players on our roster. Fifty-eight percent started in high school (34 players, 18 of those are first year players), 20% played in Murray Little League (12 players: two seniors, seven sophomores, three freshmen) and 20% played in other little leagues (12 players),” Satuala said. “So we recognized the need to establish a Little League that could directly feed into Cottonwood High School’s football program.” 

That said, Cottonwood High’s football program continued its commitment to the Murray-Cottonwood Little League this past summer, said Satuala. 

“I am so grateful for the combined Murray-Cottonwood Little League in the Ute Conference. Over the past summer, we worked hard to support them through youth camps, participating in the Murray Parade, and staying connected through meetings,” Satuala said. “I have tremendous respect for the Little League presidents and coaches, they dedicate so much to the kids and have a lasting impact on countless young lives.” 

In an era where youth tackle football participation is down ages 5-8, the good news is that as children reach age 14 they are participating 5% more often in the sport, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. 

For Satuala, the aim is to reestablish Little League football participation levels to pre-COVID numbers inside the Murray-Cottonwood fingerprint—a goal that was targeted for a period of five or more years. 

“This step was aimed at fostering growth and sustainability for our program in the long term,” Satuala said. “Looking ahead, this new Little League is planning to expand and [we] are currently working to add more Cottonwood teams next season. It’s a great opportunity to continue building pride and providing kids in our area with meaningful opportunities to develop both on and off the field. That said, I understand that this decision has ruffled some feathers.” 

To that end, Cottonwood’s new head football coach—who has a significant background as not only a history teacher but also as an assistant football coach at four different high schools—realizes that he may have made a series of missteps in setting up Cottonwood’s program this past year. 

“I also acknowledge that I could have done a better job communicating our plans to the Ute Conference. I told them at the beginning of our season; I take full responsibility for that,” he said. “We still support Murray-Cottonwood in the Ute Conference and players from Cottonwood boundaries that are participating in it. I don’t know what the future holds but I strongly believe in the direction we’re heading and am looking forward to the future of Cottonwood football.” λ