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Jay Osborne has watched over Nixa basketball practices for a long time.
Now in year 30 with the Eagles, he says coaching today is not the same as when he started in the early 90s.
“I can’t say coaching is harder. It’s just different. It’s just different,” Osborne said. “It seems like it takes a lot more effort to get kids to buy into playing unselfish and playing for each other.”
That means an old-school coach like Osborne has needed to adjust, but he still gets his message across.
“He’s always respectful about it but it’s always obvious when we need to get it going,” said senior Colten Berry.
That’s because Osborne is direct and to the point. That’s especially true when it comes to what he wants in his program.
“We want them to play for Nixa,” he said. “The letters on the chest mean something to us and I’m hoping it does to [the players].”
It sure does to Berry.
“I want to win. I mean that’s really it. I want to win, I want to play [well], I want to represent my school and just have a great year,” Berry said.
A great year wouldn’t be a first for an Osborne-led team.
He’s won nearly 650 games, 12 district titles, and a state championship in his time as a head coach.
But like every good run, there comes an end.
“30 years here at Nixa. I think 30 is plenty,” Osborne said.
With that mindset, Osborne recently announced that he’ll retire at the end of this season. However, ending a 30-year career is never simple.
“It’ll be a challenge, it’ll be different, it’s kind of scary,” he said.
Scary because this veteran coach says he doesn’t know yet what’s in store when that final horn sounds.
“We’ll see what happens. I might be in coaching, I might mow yards. I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” he said.
Before long, it’ll be time to make that decision.
Until then, the Eagles will try to find the right mix of talent and team chemistry to win a state title.
“Boy, that’s hard to do. You better have some luck. You better have some good players and some luck,” Osborne said.
Long-time assistant coach, Brock Blansit, will take over as head coach of the program next season.
