Published: June 04, 2009 10:33 pm      

Helping the Hornets in a big way

Huntsville High School athletic programs, local youth sports have received more than $120,000 in donations during first five years of tournament

Huntsville athletic director Mitchell Coey says a quiet little thank-you every time he opens the Hornets’ checkbook and orders some more shorts and shoes.

Baseball coach Jeff Brumbelow does the same when he needs a few new bats.

Coey, Brumbelow and all of their coaching companions say they are grateful to the folks who continue organizing the Ryan Osborn Memorial Golf Tournament, a communitywide event that has raised more than $120,000 in the past five years and donated it to Huntsville High School athletic programs, as well as youth sports organizations such as the Huntsville Boys Baseball Association and Huntsville Youth Football League.

“They generously give us about $25,000 each year for our programs. We use that money to buy equipment, then put some of it in our activity account,” Coey said. “That helps all of our programs, not just football and baseball.”

A three-sport athlete at Huntsville High School, Ryan Osborn was killed in a car accident in the summer following his freshman year. His family organized a fund-raising golf tournament in 2004 to preserve Ryan’s memory and also support the athletic programs in which the young Hornet played and excelled.

The majority of the money raised during the annual golf tournament is donated to the baseball, football and track and field programs at Huntsville High School. Coey said that money helps the Hornets stay competitive with their opponents in District 18-4A: Brenham, Montgomery, Willis, Magnolia and three others.

“School starts in August and they bring us a whole bunch of checks,” Coey said of Sharla Osborn, Ryan’s mother, and her family. “It’s been a tremendous help. That money helps us subsidize our limited budget. We can also buy better quality uniforms, shorts and shoes. You get what you pay for, and thanks to the Osborn golf tournament we can buy stuff that lasts longer.

“We also use the money for our travel budget. It can be used for anything.”

Since 2006, the year Ryan Osborn would have graduated from HHS, organizers have also awarded three scholarships to graduating seniors. Two $5,000 scholarships and another worth $2,500 have been awarded to Huntsville students selected by Osborn’s family.

Ryan Osborn’s uncle, Kerry Murray, does much of the legwork leading up to the tournament, which is scheduled June 13 at Elkins Lake Golf Course. He says the tournament’s intent has not changed since its inception in 2004.

“Sharla always said she didn’t want anybody to forget Ryan,” Murray said. “This tournament helps keep his spirit alive. We wanted to turn a tragic event into something good for our community. This also makes us feel good because we feel like we’re helping the programs that meant so much to Ryan. It’s also nice to feel the support from the community and see everyone helping out.”

Murray said that while Hornet baseball, football and track receive the “biggest chunks” of money raised, every athletic program at HHS, including the Grenadier Guard and cheerleading, are given part of the money raised by the tournament. The Huntsville Girls Softball Association also receives a donation.

“I’ve always thought that Ryan is looking down and is pleased that he has been able to help so many people,” Coey said. “He was such a great kid. I was directly involved with Ryan in track. He’d show up at 6 o’clock in the morning to run track, then he’d go to baseball practice in the afternoon. He loved all sports and was such a competitor.

“We had a close bond, him and I. We sat and talked about problems — girl problems sometimes. It really hurt me when that accident happened. You always question why when something like that happens to somebody so young.

“But I think his family made a wise choice to find some way to remember Ryan. Those scholarships they’re giving out, those are big-time scholarships. Those help young athletes at the next level. Something positive is coming out of a bad situation and there have been some blessings.”

Format for the tournament is a four-person scramble. A barbecue dinner and live auction at Murski’s Icehouse wraps up the day’s event.

Cost is $125 per player and includes green fee, cart, range balls and lunch. Hole sponsorships are being sold for $100.

A $500 gold sponsorship includes one hole sign, two complimentary players and four tickets for dinner, while a $1,000 platinum sponsorship nets one hole sign, four complimentary players and 10 dinner tickets.

For more information, call Murray at (936) 293-1600, or (936) 291-9609 and leave a message. There are still plenty of spots for teams and individual players in the tournament.

“We always get some last-minute teams, but the tournament is less than 10 days away now,” Murray stressed.



Sixth Annual Ryan Osborn Memorial Golf Tournament



When: June 13



Where: Elkins Lake



Format: 4-player scramble



Fee: $125 per player; $500 gold, $1,000 platinum sponsorships



Sign up: Call Kerry at (936) 293-1600