Dedicated. Energetic. Tough. These are the words Jackson Liberty assistant football Coach Frank Giannetti uses to describe Coach and Athletic Coordinator Tim Osborn, who died after a sudden collapse on a treadmill at a fitness center in Brick on Saturday.

Tim Osborn
Tim Osborn (All Shore Media)
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A retired NJ State Trooper, Osborn began working at Jackson Liberty in 2006. He assisted coaching at his alma mater, Brick, as well as Toms River North before making the move in 2006 to Jackson Liberty to serve as the Athletic Director when the school opened. In addition, he is the first and only head football coach in the school’s history, taking the young squad to their first-ever state playoff appearance last season.

“He was a tough coach to play for because he pushed you very hard, but he pushed you hard because he wanted you to be able to react to any situation and be successful,” said Giannetti. “He had a real handle on developing kids not only as football players but as young men.”

Any true coach is a coach both on and off the field, and it is in the vein that Giannetti describes Osborn - as a true, and truly dedicated, coach, even helping to point a student in the right direction if they wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement.

“He really went over and above being a coach for these kids,” said Giannetti. “Whatever they needed - he helped kids that were interested in becoming [a part of] law enforcement because of his State Police background. He was always willing to talk to kids about anything. Football, careers, problems, whatever it was, he always made time for kids. He would get phone calls from kids he coached 5, 10 years ago that needed advice on something or needed help with something. He always had time for them...he always had time for anything.”

"Old School Throwback"

Tim Osborn
Tim Osborn on the field (Ocean County SIgnal)
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Kevin Williams, director of the Shore Sports Network, had much of the same to say about Osborn, describing him as “sort of an old school throwback." Williams attributes this character trait to Osborne's days playing for Warren Wolf. "

 

Wolf himself told the Asbury Park Press, “I would classify Tim as a dependable reliable player, someone who didn’t worry about his assignment. You know he was going to go out and give 100 percent effort all the time,” Wolf said. “He was a leader on the field, a coach’s delight.”

Along with Giannetti, Williams also recalled Osborn's amazing gift for finding time.

"What struck me about Tim was, for 25 years he was a NJ State Trooper but managed to find the time to be an assistant football coach at both his Alma Mater, Brick, and then later Toms River North."

“He is really going to be missed around the Shore Conference,” reflected Williams, “he was a terrific guy, father, and husband; it’s a real loss for Shore Conference football.”

“He had five families"

Giannetti also shed light on the giving nature of Osborn, recalling Tim as the point man for charity events and fundraisers for teachers who were experiencing illnesses.

“He had so many things going on in his life, but he always took on another challenge, another act of kindness…he always had time for everybody. He really did.”

Funeral arrangements for Osborn have not yet been released. Giannetti is certain there are going to be a great deal of people mourning the loss of this seemingly steadfast Superman.

“He had five families,” Gianetti quips, “He had his own family, obviously, he had his Jackson Liberty family, he had the Toms River North and Brick Families where he coached for so long, and he had his State Police family, which is huge. Toms River better have some extra security wherever we go, because it is going to be crowded wherever it is.”

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