The moment Drake Houdashelt grabbed a sudden-victory takedown and sealed his spot as Missouri’s seventh national champion at the end of last season, he knew his time with the Tigers was not over.

This time around, he is taking a different position, serving as the team’s volunteer assistant coach, while pursuing his master’s degree in Positive Coaching.

“You basically learn how to (coach) the right way, like how to approach guys and what to talk to them about and how to motivate them,” Houdashelt said. “It’s cool seeing what I’m learning actually being applied to the guys in the wrestling room.”

One of the most decorated wrestlers to go through the “Tiger Style” program, Houdashelt was an NCAA All-American three times and conference champion four times in addition to his national title.

Houdashelt’s day-to-day contributions to the team are simple on the surface. Leading by example, he said he works out with the team and is on hand whenever the wrestlers need anything, along with helping individual athletes on specific drills.

Following his championship at the 149-pound weight class in his hometown of St. Louis, Houdashelt ran off the mat and into the arms of coach Brian Smith. The two have a close relationship, and Smith said he’s pleased with the way one of the best wrestlers to come through the Hearnes Center doors is progressing as a coach.

The transition from competitor to coach has been an engaging experience for Houdashelt, according to Smith.

“We’ll be sitting and talking after a practice and he’ll say ‘I never noticed all the little side things going on and kids having trouble and dealing with bad days,’” Smith said. “You don’t notice that really as an athlete — you’re so focused on yourself. Now he’s worrying about 40 guys on the team and he sees that coaching is more than just on the mat.”

In his four years as a Tiger wrestler, Houdashelt put together a 134-23 record and finished 37-1 in his senior season.

Smith said the typically quiet Houdashelt has always been determined, and his passion to succeed has transitioned nicely from the center of the mat to the corner.

“(He’s) very passionate about a couple of things in life and when he is passionate about something, like when he wanted to be a national champ, he would do everything and nothing would get in his way,” Smith said. “And now that’s the approach he’s taken to coaching.”

To the mostly young 2015-16 Tigers, having a former wrestler like Houdashelt lead by example and help them improve is an advantage.

It’s not uncommon for Smith to hear his wrestlers say they “want to be the next Drake Houdashelt,” and he said having the national champion’s intensity back at practices has been an asset for the team.

Houdashelt hopes to help athletes on the team reach their goals just as he reached his last year.

“I can give them a lot of insight that maybe someone else couldn’t and help them in that aspect, just because I know what it takes to get there,” Houdashelt said. “I just want to help someone, somehow, every day.”

Sophomore Barlow McGhee has flourished under Houdashelt’s leadership. Wrestling in the 125-pound weight class, McGhee’s looked to the new coach as a role model in his first year as a starter for the Tigers.

“(Houdashelt) has had a really big impact on me,” McGhee said. “Every day in practice he’s always giving me a goal, and every day I’m just trying … destroy that goal and go further because I know his work ethic made him a national champion. He knows if he goes as hard as possible, he will have the confidence that he’ll get to where he wants to be, so I’m just trying to do that this year.”

McGhee already tasted success in his first four meets at Mizzou. He won the Joe Parisi Open last month en route to an 8-3 record to start the season.

Houdashelt’s youthfulness is key to his leadership, McGhee said, and he has helped the young wrestler improve his control of the match.

“I can relate more to Drake,” McGhee said. “He’s been there, not even been there, but he was just there last year at the national championship. I just have a real strong connection with Drake and he’s helping me out a lot.”