Gallia's Osborne 2009 Paul Walker award winner

[jottings]

Veteran Gallipolis Gallia Academy High School basketball coach Jim Osborne will be honored next spring as the 2009 Paul Walker award winner during the 87th annual Ohio Boys Basketball Tournament at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on the campus of The Ohio State University, Columbus.

The award is presented annually by the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association to an active member of the association in honor of the late Paul Walker, longtime coach of Middletown.

The recipient must be an active coach, have been a varsity coach five years in the state of Ohio, have been in high school coaching for a total of 15 years in Ohio, be a current member of the OHSBCA, have been active in both the local and state level of the OHSBCA, and be considered based on a career coaching performance.

Osborne, who came to Gallipolis as a graduate of Wittenburg University in 1969-70, began his 40th season as head basketball coach at Gallia Academy this winter. His Blue Devil teams have won 517 games, lost 330 for a 60.2 percentage (at a football school) won 11 SEOAL titles with a 307-175 mark (63.6 percent) and finished second in league play nine times.

Osborne’s Blue Devil cagers have finished in the SEOAL’s second division only six times during the past 39 years. Under Osborne, GAHS has won 14 sectionals, two district tournament crowns, and appeared in the regionals twice. The Blue Devils have been district runner-up four times and a district semifinalist 21 times. He has been named SEOAL and district basketball coach of the year 12 times.

Besides coaching basketball, Osborne has spent 22 years as a tennis coach (with three SEOAL crowns), 11 years as a baseball coach, recording more than 100 wins with a district runner-up effort in 1971, and coached a Blue Devil golf match in the state golf tournament in the early 2000s. He was an assistant coach of the track and field team when GAHS won the 1970 SEOAL title.

During his teaching career at GAHS, Osborne has taught physical education, health, and general science and driver’s education.

Known around southern Ohio as “Coach Oz” or “The Wizard” Osborne has coached in the Ohio North-South All-Star game, Ohio-Kentucky and Ohio-West Virginia All-Star games.

Osborne has been a highly sought-after speaker on both basketball and his philosophy of life.

A two-sport MVP (basketball and baseball) and an athletic hall of fame member of Geneva High School and Wittenberg University, he led his American Legion team (Ashtabula Rubber) to a state championship as a pitcher and Wittenberg to a Division II regional title.

It will be Osborne's second state award. In 2003, he was recipient of the OHSAA's Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity (SEI) Award.

Observe has served as president of the District 13 Basketball Coaches Association, which started with 13 members and now has more than 300 in a district that has the smallest number of schools in the state. Osborne is also a charter member of the GAHS Athletic Hall of Fame committee. Both committees are active in generating scholarship money for worthy student athletes.

The 2009 ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, before the Division II state finals contest.

Osborne and his wife Jennifer reside in Gallipolis. They have two grown children, and two grandchildren.

[pfloyd]

... Coach Oz is more than deserving of the award ... looking forward to seeing the award presented to one of our own from/in SEO ... congratulations to Coach Osborne from those of us who have followed his coaching career (myself the last 27 years LOL) from the cheap seats ...

[marklduckworth]

Congrats to Coach OZ !!!! I know that coach Oz won't remember this, but back in 1989 when I was a second year J.V. coach with Coach Paxton in Marietta we were playing a J.V. game at Galia. We won a close game which was about 36-34. Typical Galia game. Afterward, while the varsity was warming up, Coach Osborne came over to me and told me that Galia had a better team, but our players played harder and wanted to win it more. He told me that I had done a good job with the kids, especially on the defensive end. Coach Oz probably had 300 wins at the time, and he took the time to come talk to a 20 year old trying to learn. I have never forgot that conversation. It helped me realize that maybe I had something to offer to kids and the game of basketball. Like hundreds of other coaches we have all enjoyed being around Coach Oz and learning from him. He always has time to speak and he always has time to help. The people of Galia should be very proud of him and what he has done for GAHS and the basketball program. In this crazy world of "what have you done for me lately" and "the grass is greener on the other side" nonsense it is a great tribute to a man that could have left dozens of times, but chose to stay at home in Galipolis. These type of people are extremely rare in todays world. Congrats to Coach Osborne and I will see you this winter!!!

[PIGSKIN]

Congratulations Coach Osborne, you are receiving a well deserved honor. I've watched you coach throughout the years and have since moved from the Gallia County Community. You coached my peers in high school, my nephew since then and my sons were fortunate enough to have participated in a free basketball clinic that you held at The Rio Grande University. The school that my children are currently attending has had 5+ different high school basketball coaches in the last 10 years. I hope the Gallia Academy community is appreciative of the dedication and commitment that you have placed in them. It is very hard to get behind a program that changes as often as the one my children currently attend does. I find myself seeking the sports sections and to continue cheering for "The Blue Devils". Congratulations sir and thank you for your representation of the Gallipolis community and the athletes at GAHS. You are truly a class act in this disposable society that we live in today, and yes, your lessons, care and concern for the students have carried many individuals farther than any game. I hope many come to see you accept this award.

[jottings]

Outstanding tributes to an outstanding man.

I might add that Oz said many times over the years that he has been blessed with good assistant oaches to keep the program moving forward.

[oldschoolblue]

Coach Oz teaches you more about responsibility and being accountable than playing ball. He has great knowledge of the game and continues to strive for excellence. I remember several half time speeches and playing basketball for Gallipolis remains one of my greatest acheivments and memories to this day even though I got very little playing time. He gave a talk once before a big game and told us dont say "if only" after the game. "If only I dove for the loose ball than we would have won or "if only" I would have played help defense, or "If only" I would have boxed out. The list went on and on, he then said this also applied to our lives dont say "if only". I dont know why that is the speach I remember but it was. I know that I learned a lot about basketball from him but more importantly about life. I have often wondered how many former playeres of his have went on to coach basketball on one level or another and how many of them take some of his philosophy with them. Coach Oz is very deserving of this award.

[sportfolio]

Congratulations to Oz -- it is well deserved.

[Yossarian]

I always had the utmost respect for Coach Oz on and off the court. I cannot think of a more deserving coach to be so honored. A tremendous competitor and teacher and example of how to do it right. Congratulations !

[JJ Hale]

A terrific honor for a great person and coach!