Derrin Lamker Moves From Osseo To Edina Football
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Osseo High School did the unthinkable two years ago: they won a state football title with head coach Derrin Lamker.
But he moved on to Edina High School as an assistant last year, and then became head coach this year.
"That's a tough thing to do, especially from where we were at. That was a school that was over 40 percent free or reduced [fee] lunch," Lamker said. "Nobody's been to the state tournament in 6A football with [those] numbers, let alone win it. So it's a big deal."
Lemker says he was ready for a change.
"It was a family decision. It's tough. My daughters are going to go to Maple Grove and I was at Osseo, and that was a tough place to be when your daughters are going to play sports for the rival high school," Lemker said. "And I just want my daughters to have a great experience. And they were fine with it, but it was more me for them than anything."
It is a different part of the suburbs, but is it a different kind of kid on the football field?
"Kids are kids, you know what I mean?" Lemker said. "They just come from different backgrounds, you know. When it comes down to it, you want them to have passion and play and have fun, and if they do both those two things, whether they're from Osseo or Edina, they're all going to be successful on the field."
And when it's football season and he's on Edina's field, that's what is important to this football coach.
"My wife and kids always say, 'Well, Dad's home but he's not home [laughs]! His mind is not where it should be!'" he said. "It is where it is, you know, and that's the hard part because you're always saying, 'Hey, what can I do better?'"
