With his extended “family” surrounding him for a post game team meeting, South Tama County head football coach, Jay Hoskey, recaps the Trojans win over Williamsburg. Hoskey led the Trojans to a State qualifying 11-1 finish along with earning the Class 2A District 6 Championship Title. File Photo/Allison Graham

It was a nice surprise for South Tama County Head Football Coach, Jay Hoskey, when he opened up an envelope last week to find a letter that informed him he was selected as the IHSAA Class 2A Coach of the Year. Almost immediately his thoughts were that he wished it could be a coaching staff award rather than an award just for him.

“There were probably other guys that are as deserving,” said Hoskey, “I hope that all the other (STC) coaches and players took that as a compliment.”

For Hoskey, coaching football is not a one man job. It takes a lot of others who are very competent in the game to make a team work.

“You can’t do it all by yourself,” said Hoskey. Football is a complex game and the human nature is complex. Being able to motivate people is one of, if not the most important parts of the job for Hoskey.

Hoskey has been motivating athletes at South Tama for 30 years. He began his coaching career in 1987, his first year at South Tama. Hoskey served as the head wrestling coach for South Tama until 2010. He retired as the head wrestling coach and has been the head football coach for the past six years.

“It may seem cliche but it’s the relationships you have with your fellow coaches and players, you extend your family out,” said Hoskey.

Hoskey has been fortunate over the past 30 years to have not just talented kids but kids who want to get something out of the sport they are involved in.

Something Hoskey has preached to his teams throughout his years coaching is the idea that the team is a family and that athletes should treat their teammates with the same level of pride and respect they would give to a family member.

“No one person is more important than the whole group,” said Hoskey.

With any team sport there are games when one player might shine brighter than another. There are players who may get more attention than others just simply due to the position they play.

“Envy can be a really bad thing but I think when you come with an attitude that we are doing this together and you win on a Friday night the whole team wins,” said Hoskey.

There have been many memorable moments for Hoskey throughout the past 30 years. Some that have stuck out to him include the State Championship wrestling team in 2002. “We had kids who were really sacrificing on that team, they were talented and they were bonded together,” said Hoskey.

He also remembers his first football game coaching the Trojans. STC was on the road against the Saydel Eagles. The Trojans won pretty easily but Hoskey felt that the kids really appreciated all of his efforts in that game.

His breakout season in football was with the 2012 team. They made it to the playoffs and Hoskey remembers that team as a great bunch to work with.

Of course this past season will also be one that will remain special for Hoskey. “We overcame so much adversity,” said Hoskey of the District 6 Champs.

One lesson he will hold tight is that you need other people. “When you do it all together you have a common bond,” said Hoskey. It’s a lesson that took him a long time to learn but it’s the most valuable.

Hoskey hasn’t made a final decision as to whether he will be back for another season. But even if he doesn’t return as head coach don’t expect him to disappear. He fully plans on being involved with the football program as much as he can.