Ferry grad Nate Alexander to have basketball court named in his honor at Osceola High School in Florida

By Jeff Harrison

  Nate Alexander – a 2002 graduate of Martins Ferry High School – will receive the ultimate form of respect in athletics by having a basketball court named in his honor.

  Alexander’s name will be etched on the court at Osceola (Florida) High School where he was the most successful team sport coach in that county’s history on Tuesday, November 18^th prior to the Kowboys’ game against Harmony High School.

  Alexander spent 13 season coaching boys’ basketball at Osceola (located in Kissimmee, not far from Orlando), including nine as the head coach (2011-2020). As the Kowboys’ head coach, he amassed 198 victories including two state championships (2016-17 and 2018-19), a runner-up finish (2014-15) and five total state playoff appearances (the others were in 2013-14 and 2019-20).

  “I’m truly humbled and taken aback by this incredible honor,” said Alexander. “My years coaching basketball at Osceola High School were some of the most meaningful in my life, and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity.”

  Alexander, a multi-sport athlete at Martins Ferry, attended a Florida Teachers Job Fair shortly after graduating from college. Although he was offered several opportunities, he said something just felt “right” about Osceola. Although he first sought a position on the football coaching staff, there were no openings, but he did land a job on the basketball staff, and the rest is history.

  At Ferry High, Alexander was a quarterback/safety for Coach Dave Bruney’s Purple Riders and a starter on Coach Jeff Sabatino’s hoop squad.

  As a senior, he helped lead Ferry’s football team to a 7-3 record while earning honorable mention All-Eastern District Division IV and All-OVAC Class 3A honors. In basketball, he was part of a 17-6 record team that won the OVAC Class 3A and OHSAA Division III Sectional championships.

  He also played basketball for one year at Ohio University Eastern.

  While it will be his name on display in the gymnasium at Osceola, “Coach Nate” was quick to spread the credit to the “village” of people who shaped him – starting with his with his Purple Rider roots – for playing a major role in his development, both athletically and personally.

  “Coach Dave (Bruney) and the entire football staff, Coach Sab (Jeff Sabatino), Bob Hill, Ron Hill, Justin Kropka, Babe Sidon, Jeff Oberdick and so many more coaches and teachers…please know your impact runs deep. You weren’t just coaches; you were life-changers.”

  Alexander’s brother, Ryan – who enjoyed a tremendous 17-year run coaching baseball at Grove City High School in suburban Columbus – helped spark the desire to be the best he could be as a coach.

  “I've always looked up to how much he put into his kids and the community,” said the younger Alexander. “He could run for mayor there and it would be a landslide. He built people, shaped communities, and showed me what true leadership and character look like.

  “My entire family’s love and support definitely fueled me through every season,” he added.

  He also credited the administrators and fellow coaches at Osceola for welcoming him to the community and for sharing their knowledge on and off the court.

  “Our outstanding administrators, athletic directors and of course the coaches that came before me – Coach Larry Brown and the late great hall of famer Coach Ed Kershner, and Steve Mason – really showed me the ropes as a young coach, and I thank them for believing in our kids and our mission.

  “I was blessed to have the staff I had over the years; players who bought into our culture wholeheartedly and, in my opinion, outworked the entire state,” he added. “We never got caught up in the scoreboard — if we learned, we won. That was always our mentality, and it’s what made those teams so special.”

  Alexander, who is now a real estate sales agent, is married to former Wheeling Park basketball/soccer standout Julie Gompers and they have three children – Ivy (6), Davis (4) and Elle (2).

  He left the door open for a return to coaching in the future.

  “Life has taken me in new directions as I’m now coaching clients through real estate deals while enjoying time with my amazing family,” Alexander offered. “Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll return to the sidelines, especially if it means coaching my own kids. For now, I’ll cherish the memories and the relationships that shaped me, both on and off the court.”