In the midst of its annual Georgia Raczniak Tournament, Colusa High School paid homage to its basketball history with a ceremony dedicating its court to legendary former coach Jim Vossler and his family.
Vossler began teaching and coaching in Colusa in 1968, eventually taking over the varsity basketball program in 1979, where he remained at the helm until 1996.
During his tenure, Vossler accrued an overall record of 311-124, which also included 12 Butte View and Westside League championships, four Northern Section crowns, two Northern California basketball titles, and the 1990 California Division V State Championship.
With a new gym floor going in this year, an opportunity to recognize Vossler for his extraordinary contribution to Colusa basketball naturally presented itself, as Athletic Director Eric Lay explained.
“When we found out that we were going to begin the process of renovating our gym, the district administration saw this as the perfect opportunity to recognize the accomplishments and commitment to excellence of Coach ‘Voss’ and the Vossler Family,” said Lay. “Although long overdue, it was worth the wait.”
Throughout Vossler’s time in Colusa, his biggest fan was his wife, Jane, who spent 30 years as an elementary school teacher, and cheered on Colusa teams from the stands, providing an integral support system for not only her husband and his players, but for her own children as well.
In the Vossler family, basketball is in the blood, as evidenced by the fact that children Jimmy, Joddie, and Jayson, who after starring for Colusa, excelled at the college level, then followed their father’s footsteps into coaching, where they too have been immensely successful.
As testament to the influence Vossler had a crowd that included family, former players, colleagues, and Colusa basketball fans gathered on Dec. 16 to witness the poignant affair.
Don Bransford, who served as the coach of the freshman team during the Vossler era, and whose name the gymnasium bears, was one of the speakers in the pregame ceremony.
Bransford praised his longtime friend not just for his success on the court, but perhaps, more importantly, for being an exceptional individual.
“Jim was a leader and a presence as the head of the basketball program,” Bransford said. “But he was, and still is, just a very kind person. He was committed to fostering relationships and that is clear given the number of people who were in attendance. I was ecstatic to be a part of this because this is truly Jim’s house.” ■
