Levi Elder figured he'd get to be a high school head golf coach at some point.
He just didn't figure it would be so soon as Elder will take over as head coach for the Jefferson City Jays and Lady Jays golf teams starting next school year.
"This is a dream job and to be doing it at my age, it's something I never thought could happen," Elder said after accepting the positions last week.
Elder, who turned 24 in March, has been an assistant coach under Randy Bickel for the past two seasons. After accepting a teaching position with the Jefferson City Public Schools teaching mathematics at Simonsen in the 2016-17 school year, Elder emailed Bickel about working with him during the girls season in the fall and the boys season in the spring.
"He was amazing enough to allow me to become an assistant," Elder said. "He offered me the job and I owe it all to him."
After deciding to retire, Bickel touted Elder as his obvious replacement.
"I think they made a wise decision, he's been a great asset the past couple of years and he's done a great job with these young men and women," Bickel said.
Elder is a graduate of Blair Oaks and Columbia College, playing golf at both schools. He had planned to be a graduate assistant at Columbia College after graduation before accepting the teaching position at Jefferson City.
Elder believes his knowledge about golf has improved tremendously since becoming a coach.
"When you grow up being a player, you see the course one way," Elder said. "But as a coach, you have a different perspective about it.
"I've heard Randy tell our players the same things my college coach told me when I was a player and back then I just thought, 'That's not going to work, you don't play it that way.' But now on this end, I realize my college coach and Randy are both absolutely right.
"I have a new view and it's made me a better player and I hope it will make me a better coach for the players."
Elder believes his age can be a plus when it comes to relating to the players.
"I remember being the high school kid and the college kid who thought he knew it all," he said. "But I think my youth will be a big strength, I brought that up in my interview. I get where the players are coming from and I think I have the ability to make them understand what I'm trying to say."
Elder is still playing competitive golf. He plans to attempt to qualify for the Missouri Amateur and Missouri Stroke Play events this summer.
He knows he also has to begin to think about the fall girls season.
"It's starting to hit when I have to make schedules for the summer to get the girls ready and interested," Elder said. "I'm really looking forward to getting started."