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After enjoying a successful playing career in a Tiger uniform, Jacob Osborne’s soccer career at Carthage High School has come full circle.
Osborne, who finished his prep career among the school’s all-time leaders in career assists and assists in a season, has been named the sixth head coach in CHS soccer history.
“I was ecstatic to find out the news,” Osborne said. “I'm excited about the opportunity and have already enjoyed laying out some plans and doing some research to prepare myself. It's been kind of surreal, though. It still doesn't feel real to me and I don't think that it will be real to me until next August.”
It was an easy choice for Osborne, who played under longtime coach Matt Huntley and assisted former head coach Chris Rogers, who turned in his resignation in December of last year.
“Ever since I made the decision to become a teacher, this is where I wanted to be,” Osborne said. “Coach Huntley and Rogers are both very loyal people that I greatly respect. The atmosphere that they created is something that all of the players that have gone through the program don't forget. Players always felt like there was somebody that believed in them and everybody felt like there was something they could contribute to the team whether it was on the field or off.
“Everybody felt like they belonged.”
Osborne, who was officially offered the position during the first week of February, becomes yet another former CHS player to become a head coach, joining Huntley and Rogers.
“With how much Huntley and Rogers invested it created a great sense of loyalty from the players,” Osborne explained. “When my playing career ended, I had a desire to be a part of the program again so I could try and pass on some of the memories and feelings that I received when I was a player here.
“When I was presented an opportunity to come back to the program I was thrilled. My ideal dream scenario was to be a teacher here coaching soccer and it came true. Honestly, I don't know if my loyalties would've allowed me to pursue a coaching job at any other school in Southwest Missouri.”
Rogers, who guided the Tigers to their first district championship since 2004 last season, said it was a lot easier for him to move on knowing someone with Osborne’s passion would be leading the program in the right direction.
“Jacob has heard all the old stories from Coach Huntley and I,” Rogers said. “He has played on and coached successful teams in the program’s history, and he knows the work that hundreds of players from our program have put in to get it where it is today. Having players come back to coach is something that makes us unique, but also keeps us competitive year in and year out.”
After enjoying a successful playing career in a Tiger uniform, Jacob Osborne’s soccer career at Carthage High School has come full circle.
Osborne, who finished his prep career among the school’s all-time leaders in career assists and assists in a season, has been named the sixth head coach in CHS soccer history.
“I was ecstatic to find out the news,” Osborne said. “I'm excited about the opportunity and have already enjoyed laying out some plans and doing some research to prepare myself. It's been kind of surreal, though. It still doesn't feel real to me and I don't think that it will be real to me until next August.”
It was an easy choice for Osborne, who played under longtime coach Matt Huntley and assisted former head coach Chris Rogers, who turned in his resignation in December of last year.
“Ever since I made the decision to become a teacher, this is where I wanted to be,” Osborne said. “Coach Huntley and Rogers are both very loyal people that I greatly respect. The atmosphere that they created is something that all of the players that have gone through the program don't forget. Players always felt like there was somebody that believed in them and everybody felt like there was something they could contribute to the team whether it was on the field or off.
“Everybody felt like they belonged.”
Osborne, who was officially offered the position during the first week of February, becomes yet another former CHS player to become a head coach, joining Huntley and Rogers.
“With how much Huntley and Rogers invested it created a great sense of loyalty from the players,” Osborne explained. “When my playing career ended, I had a desire to be a part of the program again so I could try and pass on some of the memories and feelings that I received when I was a player here.
“When I was presented an opportunity to come back to the program I was thrilled. My ideal dream scenario was to be a teacher here coaching soccer and it came true. Honestly, I don't know if my loyalties would've allowed me to pursue a coaching job at any other school in Southwest Missouri.”
Rogers, who guided the Tigers to their first district championship since 2004 last season, said it was a lot easier for him to move on knowing someone with Osborne’s passion would be leading the program in the right direction.
“Jacob has heard all the old stories from Coach Huntley and I,” Rogers said. “He has played on and coached successful teams in the program’s history, and he knows the work that hundreds of players from our program have put in to get it where it is today. Having players come back to coach is something that makes us unique, but also keeps us competitive year in and year out.”
