Hope this biographical info is sufficient for now.
Brian Ostermann enters his fifth season as head coach of the Colby Community College basketball program. He has established Colby as one of the upper echelon contenders in the Kansas Jayhawk West Community College Conference. Over the course of his first four seasons as the Trojan mentor, Ostermann has coached Colby to heights never seen in the history of the program.
During the highly successful season last year, Ostermann guided the Trojans to a 4-1 record against Top 10 national-ranked teams, including two victories coming on the road. Those road victories over Top 10 opponents were a first for Colby basketball in its 38-year history. Colby also finished second in the Jayhawk West Conference and reached the final four of the Region VI Tournament. The second place finish in conference play was the highest ever for a Colby basketball team. The 26 wins achieved by the 02-03 team were the second most wins in school history.
A native of Good Thunder, Minnesota, Brian Ostermann was hired in April 1999 as the eleventh head basketball coach at Colby Community College. With his wealth of experience, Ostermann has continued to improve the Colby Community College basketball program in each of his four seasons on the court as well as off the court. On the court, the Trojans have surpassed numerous records including most wins in the Jayhawk Conference, most wins overall during the conference era and most players sent to NCAA Division I schools in one season. Off the court, Ostermann has raised the interest in the program by averaging over 1,000 fans per home game and implementing a corporate sponsorship program which currently has seven business partners and three family partners. Colby basketball has never seen the future look as bright as it does now.
In Colby’s first season under Ostermann during the 1999-2000 campaign, he began to establish the concepts and requirements for being a member of the Trojan basketball team. The Trojans defeated Butler County for the first time in school history and made the Region VI playoffs despite having limited time to recruit a team in his first season. Colby also defeated eventual Region champion Independence, in the annual Jayhawk Shootout.
After a full recruiting class, Colby made strides and climbed the ladder in the Jayhawk West Conference. Ostermann guided Colby to their first ever victory over Hutchinson in his second season as head coach. They qualified for the Region VI playoffs for the second consecutive season and had five players on that team sign at NCAA Division I schools following graduation..
Growing expectations continued in Ostermann’s third year during the 2001-2002 season. Colby began the season with nine newcomers and finished with another berth in the Region VI playoffs. Colby defeated two ranked opponents as they defeated Seward County and Barton County at home.
Colby’s fourth year under Ostermann was special. They finished with a 26-7 record and a berth in the Region VI Final Four. The Trojans hosted their first ever home playoff game and defeated four of five Top 10 ranked teams they played in 2002-2003. For his efforts as mentor of Colby, Ostermann was named Jayhawk West Conference Coach of the Year.
At Colby Ostermann has coached five All-Conference players, three All-Region players and a Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year, during his four seasons as the Trojans coach. In addition, Ostermann has sent nine players to the Division I level, not counting the four players on this year’s team who will sign with NCAA Division I schools in November of 2003. Four additional players have gone on to NCAA Division II schools, while there has been one Trojan continue his playing career at an NAIA school.
Prior to being named head coach at Colby, Ostermann spent three seasons at NCAA Division I University of Missouri-Kansas City. The highlight of Ostermann’s UMKC coaching career came during fall 1998 when he helped recruit the 47th best recruiting class in the country. Ostermann was the top assistant at UMKC under Bob Sundvold. Sundvold is currently an assistant coach for the 2000 and 2001 Big XII Champion Iowa State Cyclones.
Coach Ostermann spent four seasons at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, Missouri from 1992-96. During his tenure at Missouri Western, he served as the school’s recruiting coordinator, academic advisor, and co-director of the Griffon Basketball Camps. The Griffons posted a record of 84-31 in those four seasons, including a mark of 26-5 in 1994-95, when Missouri Western won the MIAA Championship, MIAA post-season Championship, set a school record for most wins in a season, and produced a final ranking of number seven in the final NCAA Division II poll. The Griffons also hosted the NCAA South Central Regional for the first time in school history that season. In 1992-93, the Griffons posted a 21-7 record and a #3 ranking nationally. During the 1993-94 season, Missouri Western posted another 20-win campaign going 20-9.
In addition to bringing tremendous excitement and enthusiasm to the Colby Community College Trojan basketball program, Ostermann has established a new style for the Trojans. Ostermann’s teams are exciting and fun to watch with the implementation of the “No-Offense Offense” and pressure defense. Ostermann also established into the Trojan program his three simple rules: do what’s right, do the best that you can, and treat everyone with respect. He is dedicated not only to building the Trojan program into a perennial Jayhawk West contender, but making each and every player a better person. Known as a player’s coach, Ostermann will help each player reach his goals and dreams in life as well as basketball during their days as a Colby Trojan and after graduation.
THE ACADEMIC PHILOSOPHY
A commitment to academics is the first requirement for being on the Trojan team. Each player is required to go to class and do their best. He has implemented the Trojan “Academic Success Program” and is seeing positive results. The “Academic Success Program” requires each student-athlete attend all classes as well as regularly-scheduled team study tables. Each player also has the opportunity to take advantage of the Learning Center. The Comprehensive Learning Center provides students with tutors, computers, and other miscellaneous help with academics. The coaching staff also does routine academic checks four times each semester.
THE NO-OFFENSE OFFENSE
The Trojans run a unique style of offense. The style known as “No-Offense” is a great way to use players’ strengths and stay away from their weaknesses. This allows players to play multiple positions. The offense is based on passing the ball and taking advantage of player match-ups. This unique style is very exciting and gives players freedom to do many things and show their entire arsenal of abilities.
COLBY’S DEFENSE
Ostermann’s entire program is based around their intense style of defense. The Trojans play mostly a pressure man-to-man defense, but will incorporate a zone and full-court press. The Trojan defense will take advantage of the strengths of the players. Ostermann will look for his defenses to create many offensive fast break opportunities for the Trojans.
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT
All players participate in off-season skill improvement sessions that focus on shooting and ball handling. The benefits of the additional one-on-one contact with members of the coaching staff are very evident. Every player who has participated in the Colby Individual Improvement Program has noticed the differences.
OFF THE COURT
Ostermann is known as a player’s coach. He frequently has the players over to his house for dinner. He and his entire staff have an open door policy for all players. The entire Trojan basketball “Family” participates in community service activities throughout the year in the Colby area. One of the annual highlights for the players is to serve as coaches in the annual area youth fall clinics held in surrounding communities and again in the winter for the Little Cagers program at the Colby Grade School.
