What's The Secret To Osseo's Sports Success?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If Bill Quan was running a college athletic department, he'd be in line for a hefty raise right about now.

As the activities coordinator at Osseo, the success his two highest-profile teams are having is quite impressive.

The boys basketball team is undefeated at 22-0. The football team just won the state title.

So what's going on in Osseo?

"It's all about the kids," Quan said. "That's what it's all about, the kids on the floor, on the field. The coaches putting in positions to succeed. The players buying into systems, buying into roles. It's a pretty special place right now. Especially look at the basketball team, it's a different guy leading the scoring every night.

"Same thing with the football team. We had two guys sign D-II this year and that's about it. And we still won a state title with no D-I players."

That's also despite being one of the smallest schools in Class 6A. Osseo is 34th statewide in enrollment size, which means it wouldn't even be in 6A if not for the fact it co-ops with Maranatha. It makes it even more impressive when you consider that Osseo isn't exactly an affluent area. Forty percent of the school qualifies for free or reduced lunch. But all these barriers haven't kept them from succeeding.

Quan says it's largely the same core of kids pulling it off.

"Ten guys on the varsity (basketball team) are getting minutes right now," Quan said. "And of those 10 guys, I think six of them were on the football team in different roles, some bigger than others."

Quan also points out, his isn't the only school in his district seeing success. Park Center and Maple Grove are too.

"It's fun seeing all the schools in our district having great success," he said. "That rivalry between schools, making each other strive to be the best that each can be."

At his own school, Quan now has a big job to fill to keep that happening, after football coach Derrin Lamker left following the season.

"It's a high profile job, and a team that's coming off a state title," Quan said.

But altogether, not bad considering he's been on the job just six months now. He knows nothing but resounding success.

"In my tenure, we have not lost a boys basketball game," he said, knocking his knuckles on the desk in front of him. "I'm very superstitious at this point in time.

"We'll see what happens. They're playing well now. It's been a fun ride."