As Elida’s Carson Harmon made his final trek up the 18th green at the Division I state tournament, Bulldog head coach Denny Thompson must have experienced a large range of emotions. As a coach, there was pride and I’m sure a tad of empathy for Harmon who struggled on day two.
As Thompson watched Harmon play his final round in his final hurrah as a senior it was also the Bulldog head coach’s final hurrah as he steps away from being the Elida head coach after 39 years at the helm.
“The memories are never-ending,” said Thompson prior to going to state. “It is kind of neat finishing up with Carson here at state. The only better way to go out would be as a team I suppose. On top of that having Mike (Carson’s father) being one of my players back in 1999. It has been a nice little run with Carson and it has been special.”
Most remember Thompson as a successful basketball coach, but when he first came back to Elida he was offered the job to coach golf. While never overseeing a golf team before, he took on the challenge and it last for almost four decades.
Thompson, who was let go as the Elida basketball coach last April, made a promise to Mike Harmon that he would see Carson Harmon through his career.
In that time, Elida won seven WBL titles and he took three Bulldog teams to state (1996, 2003 and 2019) as well as a number of individuals.
“All of sudden we became a very good golf team and the importance of winning the league and the novelty of winning sectionals and districts became a big part of what your goals are and you have to learn to motivate those guys to go for those goals because it is different in golf.”
Thompson admits that the first several years of coaching that he was ‘green’ in terms of understanding the magnitude of things at times but as the team entered the late 80s the Bulldogs began to make waves in the league and set the foundation and standard for future teams.
Elida won back-to-back WBL titles in 1989-90 and in 1992. The Bulldogs garnered league crowns in 1997 and 1999
Thompson understood coaching and whether it is basketball or golf, it’s always about providing the players with the right kind of encouragement, guidance and often times a shoulder to lean or cry on when called upon.
“Like a lot of other guys that are in the golf coaching field it is a matter of trying to figure out how to help them,” Thompson said. “With limited knowledge about the structure of the game I worked on that and that is the one thing that I have developed over all those years is being able to look at a kid and know the little things I have to do to help him.
“When players get as good as Carson and I have had a lot of good players, it is the little things I see that I can help them and course management I developed over the years.”
One of the things Thompson is most proud of that taught a number of students to become lifelong golfers.
“I am teaching them a lifelong sport which is another thing I like,” Thompson said. “A lot of players over the years play with me now. When you go back 39 years there is a lot of memories.”
Thompson said taking three teams to state standout as one of his most fond memories.
“I think the first state team was a big highlight for me,” Thompson said. “It was the first time we went and some of the individual players I have had. I started with the Cashells, and the Mauk brothers were very good to me. When we went to state the second time Ryan Stockey and Ryan McGraw led that time.”
Thompson’s third trip was led by the Harmon brothers.
“The (Harmon) twins’ senior year was the best year we had at Elida,” Thompson said. “We didn’t lose to anybody until we got to the state tournament. We won every invitational and every dual meet. That is hard to match. That was the best season a team has had Elida.”
When he reviews all the accolades, the one thing Thompson thoroughly enjoyed was watching an eager linkster blossom into a competitive golfer in four years.
“Sometimes they might not even develop into a top five players on your team but their development led them to a lifelong hobby for them and I feel like I had a hand in that,” Thompson said.
Thompson points out that when he began coaching golf he didn’t know how long he was going to do it and he never dreamed of it lasting for 39 years but was really glad he did.
Without golf next fall, Thompson said he doesn’t know what he is going to do with himself but knows he will be making up to his wife all those lost weekends on golf tournaments and long nights at dual meets.
“I have always coached something in the fall even prior to Elida,” Thompson said. “I owe the Mrs. a couple of vacations. Could I could continue to do this for year. I’m sure. But in fairness to my wife and my family, I have grandkids, I need to be doing stuff with them.”
