For nearly four decades, Hal Rossow oversaw the Panorama Panthers boys golf program. His final three seasons as head coach produced back-to-back Class 2A state golf championships in 2015 and 2016 and a third place finish last spring. Rossow retired after the end of last year’s golf season and one of his voluntary assistants has been tabbed to replace him. David Van Ahn has been working with Panorama junior varsity student-athletes for the past three seasons and got the intuition to apply for the job once Rossow decided to retire.

Van Ahn tapped an interview Friday morning with Raccoon Valley Radio, discussing his biography and other preseason storylines ahead of the upcoming season. He says he’s humbled to be succeeding an icon in high school golf in Guthrie County and appreciated his hands-off approach while working as an assistant. “Being that I had so much coaching background, when I stepped on as a volunteer coach, he let me, coach.” Van Ahn said, “Somebody who has that many years in coaching, that really says something that he would step back and let me coach the JV kids.”

Van Ahn brings 20 years of coaching and teaching experience with him to Panorama with his final 11 years being with Valley High School in West Des Moines. He adds his family’s been living out on Lake Panorama the last six years. The first official practice for the Panorama Panthers boys golf team will be this coming Monday.