Stephanie Young, who was named head coach of the BGSU women’s golf team earlier this month, is certainly long on experience.

She has, in fact, been playing golf almost her entire life.

Young began playing with her father at age 4, and it only took one year before the future golf instructor and coach played in her first competitive tournament.

“I’ve had a passion for the game ever since,” Young said.

Young graduated from the University of Toledo in 2002 and earned a Masters degree from the same school in 2003. During her playing career at UT, she earned four letters and was named team captain. In 2000, she was the individual champion at the Bowling Green Invitational.

Not long after BG’s former coach Kurt Thomas stepped down from the position, Young was offered the job.

Young undoubtedly knows much about the Mid-American Conference and BG, but she also knows a great deal about the surrounding area. Since graduating from UT, she has been multitasking.

For the past two years, Young has been both the assistant coach at St. Ursula Academy, a private high school in Toledo, in addition to teaching golf at the Sylvania Country Club. While at St. Ursula, Young’s teams finished 12th and 13th at the state tournament.

Due to her new head coaching duties, Young resigned at St. Ursula but will remain at the country club.

“I think it is a tremendous opportunity,” she said. “It gives me the ability to teach and coach golf.”

Teaching the game is something Young loves to do, as she has had “exposure to everyone. I’ve taught men, women and juniors.”

After coaching at the high school level for almost three years, the question comes up on whether there is a difference in coaching at the prep and college levels. For Young, the answer is a resounding yes.

“There is a difference in the desire and commitment level of the golfers,” Young said. “The standards of practicing and playing are higher. The drive and commitment to excellence is greater. Not everyone gets to do this [play golf in college]. I’ve tried to stress that it’s an honor and a privilege to play for this team.”

Young’s message seems to be resonating with her golfers, as she already has gained plenty of support.

Carley Hrusovsky, a sophomore on the team, is looking forward to the opportunity of working with Young.

“I’m very excited to have coach Young here at Bowling Green,” Hrusovsky said. “From what we’ve seen in the three or so weeks that she’s been here, she seems enthusiastic and dedicated to making us the best student-athletes and golfers we can be.”

Senior Amanda Schroeder also sees the current coaching transition in a positive light.

“This is going to be a great experience for her,” Schroeder said. “We hope the new ideas she implements in practice will benefit each one individually as well as the team. All in all, this may be a big transition, but we believe to see it as the best interest for our team.”

With the team behind her and years of experience helping to back her up, Young definitely has goals in mind.

“I want to help the players reach their full potential,” she said. “I want them to gain experience and contend [for the MAC championship].”

And experience, of course, is Young’s biggest attribute.