If you’ve ever been to a sporting event, you should be able to spot coaches on the sideline energetically calling a play and encouraging player performance. This year, Josh Balhorn has taken this responsibility for the freshman boys’ basketball team. Balhorn is not only one of the high school’s newest coaches, but he is also one of the newest members of the high school’s campus security team.
Balhorn grew up and attended Montabella High School in Blanchard, Michigan. After graduating, he decided to attend Grand Valley State University to pursue a degree in marketing and advertising, which he attained in 2020. During these years, he began to coach basketball for Ridge Park Charter Academy.
Balhorn was a full-time sales representative for PepsiCo until 2021 when he left to pursue a job in medical device sales with Stryker. Balhorn decided to leave that job in 2023 and transfer into substitute teaching so he could work with kids and focus on training and coaching full-time. Balhorn was hired as the freshman basketball coach for the high school this year and also helped out on the bench during junior varsity and varsity games. This was his first year as a coach for a high school program.
Balhorn was set up for success in a head coaching position at Northview with his love for the game of basketball and his ability to connect with other people, but he is always looking to improve on his leadership skills. In order to do so, Balhorn took specific classes while getting his degree to better himself as a person and as a coach.
“I took basketball coaching theory with JR Wallace, who was the assistant coach at Grand Valley, and I took his class six times,” Balhorn said.
Balhorn learned how to become a successful coach and work with kids from the basketball theory class, and fellow peers have noticed. Assistant Coach Derek Brooks connected personally with Balhorn before he even arrived at the high school.
“I was super excited when he started subbing for us last year. I got a chance to have a conversation with him, and found out his basketball knowledge. Not just basketball but his personality and working with kids,” Brooks said. “We kind of have that same routine of working with kids and wanting to help better kids, and once I knew that, I knew he would be a perfect fit here.”
Assistant basketball coach Jeff Anama acknowledges Balhorn’s attitude as well as his ability to work with students.
“Balhorn is very confident. He loves the game, and he loves the players that he works with,” Anama said. “He is open to learning new things– he is the whole package you want a young coach to be.”
Balhorn also showcases an optimistic attitude within the school as well and carries a love for seeing kids reach success.
“Nothing beats the fulfillment [you feel] when a kid runs to you and thanks you for helping them reach their dreams because they are proud of themselves,” Balhorn said.
Balhorn strives to be the best coach he can be to help athletes be the best versions of themselves within the weight room and the classroom.
“I’m excited to see the athletes reach their dreams, we have high expectations for them and they bust their butt every single day. High expectations equals high results,” Balhorn said.
His advice for students is very powerful and he believes if you follow this you will succeed in life.
“Be true to who you are. If you are comfortable with who you are, life is easier,” Balhorn said. “There are so many outside influences that affect people and give people the opportunity to portray themselves in different ways and it just creates a lost sense of hope and that you’re going to be let down. If you can be true to yourself and true to who you are and what you want tobe, life is a little bit easier.”
For Balhorn, one of the hardest things is watching kids tear themselves up being a “failure.” Instead, he aims to redefine failure as a necessary stepping stone for success.
“For athletes, I would say fail, you cannot get better unless you fail, you have to know what works and what doesn’t and the mental part of failing is the hardest part,” Balhorn said. “If you can mentally be ok with failing and understand how and why you’re failing that’s a great emotional connection.”
His first season as the Northview freshman basketball coach ended with a really successful 17-4 record, as he gets ready to start preparing for the next season he hopes to start where his team left off last season, and also build on mistakes and learn to make them better to have another successful year.
