The bond formed between father and son in the sports world is unlike any other.
Rarely does a son get the chance to say that he played for his father; especially on a team with the father being the head coach.

Wayne State quarterback Zach Osborn was blessed with a father who cared more about his son’s success than his own.

Zach’s success wasn’t his only concern, but all three of his sons, Joel, Kevin, and Zach.

Mitch Osborn, Zach’s father, coached his three sons from the third grade until they graduated high school.

He instilled good morals, work ethic and accountability into the three boys at an early age.

Mitch was nothing but successful in coaching his boys, as Joel, 29, played quarterback on a powerhouse Northwest Missouri State football team from 2004-2008; he played in four national championships and has one ring.

Kevin, 27, played basketball at Buena Vista University from 2006-2010.

As the baby in the family and only a sophomore, Zach is excelling on the field at the quarterback position.

Not only is Mitch Osborn a good father in a great family; the man is a legend.

Osborn is the head basketball coach and athletic director for Harlan Community High School, in Harlan, Iowa.

Just completing his 30th year as a head boys basketball coach, Osborn’s current career record sits at 617-125.

He has an average record of 20.6 wins and 4.1 losses a year.

He’s guided teams to three state titles and five runner-ups, and also led one of the state’s top athletic departments.

The 52-year-old Osborn can make a claim of being the most successful boys basketball coach in Iowa history.

In a 30-year career, Osborn has led teams at Harlan, Pomeroy-Palmer and Elk Horn-Kimballton to 18 state appearances, two more than any other coach in state history.

He is being nominated for national high school coach of the year. Osborn will be inducted into Iowa High School Coaches Hall of Fame in March 2014.

As you cross the eastern border of Nebraska into Iowa, good luck finding someone who knows sports that doesn’t know about the legacy Mitch Osborn.

“The key to our success was elementary programs, getting the kids started early,” said Osborn, who was in control of the elementary programs. “We plant the seeds young and reap the harvest in high school. That’s what builds tradition.”

Mitch began dating his wife in eighth grade, and they have been married for 31 years.

This September, at the age of 52, Mitch was diagnosed with Mantle Cell Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, the rarest and toughest case of lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma is one of the non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, a group of cancers that develop in the body’s lymphatic system. It is only seen within 5 percent of mantle cell lymphoma.

Each round of treatments occurs on a Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a four-week break in between. This will continue for 6 months.

Upon completion of chemo, Mitch will undergo a stem cell transplant in March.
Osborn said he is determined to fight the disease.

“I’m not going to let this cancer control me,’’ he said. “I’m going to control it.’’

Osborn will not relinquish any of his duties at Harlan High. He plans to continue coaching, like usual, only with some added adversity.

“The best thing about having my dad as my coach growing up was he was very hard on me and held me accountable. He never took it easy on me and at the time growing up, it could get frustrating,” youngest son, Zach said.

“Once I got to college I realized how much it helped me having my dad coach me growing up. He made me work harder then everyone else-from all the early morning shooting sessions to staying late after practice and working on everything from shooting drills to ball handling.”

This year, as only a sophomore, Osborn has played lights out football.

He leads the NSIC conference in total yards, total passing yards and yards per game.

Zach is fifth in the nation in passing yards. The Wildcats are eighth in the nation in passing offense.

In his last four games, Osborn has averaged 392 pass yards per game.

Playing for his family, teammates, and his dad, Osborn is improving every day and each game.

Mitch Osborn hasn’t missed one of Zach’s football games since he has been a starter at Wayne State. He plans to attend every game remainder of his career.