Best of Both Worlds

Osseo - Derrin Lamker walked into an empty classroom flipped the light switch and asked “Will this be okay?” It is just the way Osseo’s head football coach is. Always making sure that anyone entering the halls at Osseo high school or his football program are comfortable and has what they need. It is the same way that in six years he has built his program from just a team into a family.

“My first year, I had every possible kid I could in the program,” said Lamker. “I had a few kids that weren’t high character. Those kids have moved to the side and we have more high character kids, which is more fun to coach.”

Lamker, starred for Augsburg college in the 90’s as the teams quarterback. He set several school passing records during his time as an Augie.

“I knew where everybody was on the field at all times, I knew where the weak spots were in the defense and what we could and couldn’t take,” said Lamker lamenting on his days under center. “It certainly wasn’t my speed or arm strength, I was average there.”

After playing his high school football at Armstrong, the transition to college came easy. The college game is where Lamker truly learned the game.

“My high school experience, I just played. I didn’t learn football. I didn’t know the cover two, cover three. When I got to college I learned that.”

Lamker took to then Augsburg head coach Jack Osberg, the same man he credits to helping him become the coach he is today.

“He was a people person and we had a great relationship,” said Lamker. “He wasn’t an x’s and o’s type of guy, but he was a people person. He knew my grandma’s name. I learned a lot from him in how to treat people. The players are first, its all about them.”

That mentality is a common thread with those involved in his program or the game itself. As a coach entering his sixth season as head coach at Osseo, Lamker is content with where is at.

“When I first came, I didn’t know what it was going to lead to. Was I going to stay for ten years, two years, and there have been other opportunities, but that’s just not what I want to do right now. My kids are young and they love orange and black and I love orange and black. I want to stay. I love the kids we have here.”

The Orioles bring back several key skill position players from a season ago. The prospects for a program that dominated the 80’s making six state appearances, but not seeing a state tournament birth since 1993 have never been higher. Lamker smiles sheepishly knowing from a talent perspective the pieces are in place.

“You’ve got one chance,” said Lamker when asked what message he gives his players. “A lot of people have the loser factor in their life. A player will say, I didn’t lift as many weights as I could have and when they graduate they will say, if I would have lifted more, I would have been better. It’s because they are afraid to fail.”

The message is solid in the example Lamker sites. It is simple yet applies to everything in life.

“Don’t be afraid to fail.”

The teamwork doesn’t stop away from the football field. Lamker credits his wife Amy and daughters with understanding that coaching has no off season.

“It’s a full time job and a family has to understand that. My wife is fabulous. She understands that phone calls come in at ten o’clock at night sometimes.”
Even though the seasons blur together, and there is always the weight room, camps and passing leagues, Lamker is quick to point out once the season is done, his daughters Jordyn and Shea become his primary targets and the window he is throwing to is wide open.

“I take a lot of time in the summer; we do daddy day care when I am off. I just got into radio Disney and listen with my daughters. The other day, it was on in the car and the girls weren’t with and I just left it,” said Lamker with a chuckle. “Hannah Montana, that’s the thing.”

To play off a Miley Cirus hit song, indeed Lamker has the best of both worlds.