JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Many parents dream of their kids becoming collegiate athletes or professionals in whatever field they strive for. Some parents also have the opportunity to coach their kids in their early playing days. For The University of North Florida Director of Golf Scott Schroeder, his dream of coaching his daughter, Kaitlyn, at the collegiate level has finally become a reality after things quickly fell into place this summer.
"It's twofold, right? I've only coached guys, so she wasn't going to play male college golf. I tried to convince her to play boys high school golf, but she didn't like that idea. But obviously, it's going to be really fun and cool on a daily basis," Scott Schroeder said.
Kaitlyn Schroeder was the top recruit in the nation for the Class of 2023. After spending her freshman year at the University of Alabama, she realized that being comfortable would really help elevate her game.
"Obviously, he holds me to a high standard of work ethic, but he also tries to make sure you're having fun. Whether it's me or other players, he tries to make sure we're having fun, which I think in our sport is really important because it's easy to get down on yourself quickly," Kaitlyn Schroeder, a sophomore golfer, said.
Scott has spent plenty of time coaching Kaitlyn growing up, but now that they are joining forces at a more official level, the duo is going to have to make some adjustments.
"The father-daughter dynamic can get feisty at times. I've caddied for her, and she'll get feisty, but my job when I'm her coach is not to be her dad. I get to enjoy this in a totally different way than I normally would. Occasionally, I'll have to bite my tongue, and occasionally, she'll need to bite her tongue because it's a two-way street," Scott Schroeder said.
With Kaitlyn being a redshirt sophomore, the father-daughter duo is excited for what the next three years have in store as they go through this journey together as Ospreys.