PHS taps Osofsky as AD, assistant principal

 

PHOENIX – Sam Osofsky is a strong believer in the power of collaboration that takes place on fields, courts, tracks and inside gyms.

“I think that athletics has the opportunity to be transformational in young people’s lives,” he said. “But in order for it to be transformational, it takes daily intentional acts.”

Osofsky aims to lead an athletics department that taps into that power as Phoenix High School’s next athletics director.  He replaces James Joy as the Pirates’ AD and one of the school’s two assistant principals, and will also serve as the head varsity boys basketball coach.

“Thrilled, excited, happy,” Osofsky said, when asked to describe how he felt when he landed the job. “It’s hard to put into words how excited I was to learn that I was the person that they felt was the right fit. …I view Phoenix, the district, and this high school as the type of place that’s a forever home, so to have the opportunity to be an assistant principal and athletics director in this building is a real honor.”

Osofsky joins the Pirates following a two-year stint as the assistant principal and athletics director at Hidden Valley High School in Grants Pass. Before that, Osofsky was the assistant athletics director at Ashland High School from 2019 to 2023. There, he also coached the boys basketball team (2015-2024) and taught physical education (2015-2023).

“I’ve had the privilege of watching Phoenix from afar, but not too far, from my time in Ashland,” Osofsky said. “I have always thought that Phoenix was a great place, and a school that we loved to compete against. It’s a small valley, and everything I heard coming out of Phoenix-Talent was really exciting – their vision and direction, and how all the people here are moving in that direction together.”

Osofsky, who also coached the girls basketball team at North Valley High School, graduated from Southern Oregon University with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 2012 and has since earned two master's degrees — in teaching in 2015 and in health and physical education in 2023.

After a few weeks of bouncing back and forth between his former job and PHS, Osofsky became a full-time resident of the Pirate ship last week. Now, he can’t wait to see what comes next.

"I go by the John Wooden school of thought that success is the self-satisfaction in knowing that you've done everything you can do to be the best you can be,” he said. “With a servant-leader mindset, I'm excited to dive into this community and find out about all the exciting things happening and support the vision of the community, of teachers, staff and coaches.”