New football coach Pat Elder is a ‘grand slam’ hire for Bureau Valley

Bureau Valley last reached the state football playoffs in 2016.

Its new coaching hire has the playoffs experience to help get them back there.

Pat Elder, who has made 18 playoff appearances in 23 years as head coach at four separate schools, has been named as the new Storm’s head football coach.

He comes to Bureau Valley from Ridgewood, the Cambridge-AlWood co-op, where he led the Spartans to three playoff appearances in three seasons in the 8-man game.

Elder had a highly successful, 11-year run at Richmond-Burton from 2006-16, reaching the playoffs in all but his first season, going 5-4 in 2006. His Rockets reached the 4A state finals in 2011 with two semifinals appearances and a quarterfinal leading up to it.

He also coached at Sherrard from 1999-2005, going 44-26, leading the Tigers to five playoff appearances in seven years, four in Class 3A, one in 4A, with a 2-3 record.

Elder’s first head coaching job was at Winchester where he had two 2-7 seasons.

Elder, the ninth head football coach in school history at BV, succeeds Mat Pistole, who resigned last month after six seasons.

BV superintendent Jason Stabler called it a “grand slam” hire.

Elder has a strong coaching pedigree. His father, John, is a legendary fixture in the state football ranks from his 33-year coaching stint at Alexis, 27 as head coach, and leadership with the Illinois Coaching Association. John Elder came out of retirement to assist his son at Sherrard.

Elder is the fourth new football coach named in the Illinois Valley following Jim Eustice (Mendota), Jack Brady (St. Bede), Ken Carlson (Marquette) and JJ Raffelson (L-P). Hall is expected to name its next coach at Monday’s board meeting.