SLIPPERY ROCK — Having already led the Slippery Rock girls during two separate stints, former high school basketball coach John Tabisz was through with coaching.

Or so he thought.

In the spring of 2013, he was persuaded to take the reins of the program for a third time, on one condition.

“I wanted to choose my assistant,” Tabisz explained.

And he knew exactly who to ask.

Former Grove City High School and Slippery Rock University star point guard Amber (McFeely) Osborn was familiar with Tabisz, had taken part in his basketball camps at George Junior Republic for years.

“I immediately thought of Amber, then ran into her days later and asked her if she would be my assistant at Slippery Rock,” Tabisz said.

Osborn agreed to take the position. Tabisz then inquired if she wanted to be a head coach someday.

“She said yes and I told her I was going to treat her a bit differently, give her more responsibility.”

Osborn served under Tabisz for three seasons before taking over Slippery Rock’s girls herself prior to the 2016-17 season.

The Rockets have since had a major string of success, playing in the District 10 title game five straight years and winning a D10 championship in 2018.

With a victory over Hickory last Saturday, Osborn reached 100 wins as Slippery Rock’s head coach. Her career record now stands at 101-35.

“I’ve been blessed with really good players,” Osborn said. “But it’s also important that they believe in me and I believe in them. When you have that mutual respect, you can accomplish a lot.

“You have to have strong team chemistry and as little drama as possible. All my teams have bought into that.”

While he was leading the Rockets, Tabisz observed how Osborn responded to duties he placed upon her.

“Her first year as my assistant, I let her run a practice before the season,” he said. “I just sat up in the stands and watched her teach ... teaching, that’s what coaching is. She dealt with the players so well.

“I watched her break down film and I knew she was going to be a successful head coach. She’s been tremendous.”

Osborn relishes the multiple aspects of coaching.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing where a kid starts when they come in and where they end up a few years later, both in their skill-level and their character,” she said. “But the Xs and Os, scouting an opponent and watching film, I love that challenge, too.”

She credits three people with shaping her coaching methods and philosophy — her high school coach Roger Flynn, former SRU women’s coach Laurel Heilman and Tabisz.

“I’d be foolish to say they haven’t influenced me because I learned a lot from all of them,” said Osborn. “Roger was very calm and Laurel and John were both very hands-on. I was playing at SRU and Laurel had me calling the offense at times, even helped with the scouting report when I was a volunteer assistant coach there.

“I took mental notes of what worked in certain situations and what didn’t.”

The Rockets (9-6, 7-1) do not have a true point guard this season, leading to struggles on offense, but Monday’s defeat of Grove City has them alone atop the region standings.

“Our first region game (a 31-25 win over Franklin Jan. 3) was very close and I told the team then that we’d have to grind it out every game,” Osborn said. “Having (seniors) Bronwyn (McCoy) and Ella (McDermott) helps because they know what it takes.”

Amber and her husband, Doug Osborn, are the parents of five children.

“If it weren’t for my mother (Sally McFeely), I wouldn’t be able to coach,” said Osborn. “She does all the running around for the kids.

“I take it (coaching) year by year, but I hope to always be involved in it in some way.”