Here's the story of Jamon Osby, currently a varsity assistant at Bellarmine College Prep (BCP), his high school alma mater. He also coaches the top squad for Top Flight Elite Basketball (TFE), a spring and summer AAU travel team.
Osby graduated from Morehouse College in 2008 having earned a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in finance and a minor in economics. He returned to San Jose but wasn't necessarily looking to head a basketball program.
"Growing up, I had no intention of ever coaching basketball. I loved playing it in middle school and high school but that was it," Osby recalled. "In seventh grade, I started playing organized basketball. Coach Will, who was my first basketball coach, brought so much passion and love to the game, he made it fun. He was the reason why I have the passion for the game still today."
Then it was on to BCP. Osby graduated in 2004 after being a two-time All West Catholic Athletic League honoree as well as a member of back-to-back CCS D1 championship teams.
College loomed
"I knew in college that basketball wasn't my end. I wanted to go to a school first and not just for basketball." He selected Morehouse College in Atlanta.
"I didn’t have any desire to play at Morehouse. However we did have a successful intramural traveling team that I decided to play for. The intramural program had a select team that traveled to national tournaments. It was great experience and we reached the national intramural championships which were being held in North Carolina."
Post Morehouse
"I was 22 and back here for about a year. I had a friend coaching girls basketball at Mt. Pleasant and there was a coaching opening on the boys side that he told me to interview for. I thought about it for a few days and finally said 'why not?' I understood and loved the game so I jumped right in but I had no idea what challenges were ahead. I had to do a lot of research and fine-tuning to figure out what my coaching philosophy would be."
However, a lack of administrative support made the job difficult. Osby stayed at Mt. Pleasant for three years before departing.
Coincidence or cosmic pixie dust?
Away from coaching, Osby was working at Bellarmine. He was approached by Patrick Schneider, the Bells boys varsity basketball coach, later in the very same week that he left Mt. Pleasant. "He told me that an assistant job was open [at Bellarmine] and wanted to know if I was interested. I said yes."
That was five years ago. He has been a varsity assistant for four years and JV head coach for one.
Osby's other coaching venture began during the same time as him starting coaching at BCP. "Chris McSwain, the founder and president of Top Flight Elite asked me about coaching his seventh grade team and I said sure."
"Where we were then compared to where we are now is amazing," Osby added. "We have top level coaches at every grade level now as well as multiple teams at each age level."
Unlike other schools and programs, Osby sees very few transfers and defections both at Bellarmine and with Top Flight Elite. "Kids come to Bellarmine primarily for the education. They stay because of the school. With TFE, the guys on the team have known each other since sixth or seventh grade and they are great friends with one another. They're traveling and playing basketball with their best buddies. We have the interests of the players at heart and have a great time on road trips. The guys are extremely talented and we know that we are one of the best teams in Nor Cal."
He also noted, "I am fortunate to have a great assistant coach in Alex Sarrett and administrative support with TFE."
So where does Osby see himself down the road?
"I would be interested in a high school head coaching job if the right situation came along. However, right now, I am enjoying my time with AAU and helping the guys on the team get to their dream of playing at the next level. It is all about enjoying the moment."
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