Former HC QB Osborn Named to IHSAA Football Hall of Fame

Former HC QB Osborn Named to IHSAA Football Hall of Fame -

(11-14-23) – It’s an individual honor but built because of a team.

Former Harlan Community quarterback Joel Osborn believes being inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Football Hall of Fame was a team accomplishment. An honor he couldn’t have received without the help of his Cyclone teammates.

“I think football is the ultimate team sport and I played on some great teams and with some great individual players. We had really good offensive lines, really good defenses, really good skill guys to throw to. It was just a complete team effort and this this honor is not possible without them.”

While he’s being inducted for football, Osborn was part of the successful run known as the “The Cyclone Slam,” where Harlan Community held state titles in football, basketball, and baseball at the same time, the only team ever to accomplish such a feat. Osborn believes him and his teammates being involved in multiple sports helped create a camaraderie that helped lead to their success.

“We were involved in pretty much all of those sports. There's just those type of guys. Pretty selfless. Maybe we weren't the star in one of the sports but we played a role in the other sport and if you look at the unselfishness that each guy had to play the sport that he wasn't the key guy in, meaning he wasn't an all-state guy, he did play a key role for that team to win the state championship.”

Now, as head football coach for Benedictine College in Kansas, Osborn says he uses the lessons he’s learned from all the sports he’s played and all the coaches he’s played for, including his father, Harlan Community basketball coach Mitch Osborn.

“I think the big thing is learning how to work with other people to accomplish a bigger goal. That's one of the strengths of my father. He has great relationships with people across the school, across the community, across different sports. He doesn't try to steal from other sports. He tries to embrace working together.”

For high school players who look to achieve the same accolades as Osborn, he recommends having a plan of all you want accomplish.

“I think you have to set goals. You have to put yourself out there a little bit. You can't be afraid of going after high goals.”

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