In an emergency team meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21, Guilford’s women’s volleyball coach, Kelsey Goodman, informed the team of her upcoming departure after her first season. Team members agree that Goodman’s decision to leave is influenced by salary cuts due to Guilford’s current financial struggle.
Team captain Zoe Whisnant said that despite the team’s frustration with the financial situation of the college impacting their coach, they fully understand Goodman’s decision.
“At the end of the day, it’s a business,” Whisnant said, “So she had to make the best decision for her and her life.”
The announcement came as a shock to many members of the team, who said goodbye to long-time coach Emily Gann before welcoming Goodman last season, according to first-year Guilford volleyball player Vivian Cavataio.
“The whole atmosphere just changed,” Cavataio said, “because for some of these girls, it was like deja vu. They’ve gone through this twice now.”
Goodman’s passion for the sport and connection to the players has allowed her to make a big impact on the team in just five months. Cavataio said that the incredible season with Goodman as a coach is making the announcement emotional for many players.
“Knowing how good those five months were was a little excruciating and just kind of heartbreaking,” Cavataio said. “A lot of us were crying.”
Team members say that Goodman has been very supportive while adjusting to the news of her leave and that her office door has been open for support up to her official last day, Jan. 31.
“The day after, she was like ‘please come talk to me if you need to’,” Cavataio said, “so people have been in and out of her office.”
Goodman’s upcoming move is backed by support from the team, and the understanding that a coach’s move is not uncommon in collegiate athletics.
“With the offer that Randolph-Macon made her, it was too good to not accept,” said Cavataio.
Athletic Director Bill Foti said that while the search for a new women’s volleyball coach is still in its early stages, the shift in leadership should not have an impact on the team’s preparation or engagement with the upcoming season.
Whisnant said that the process of finding a new coach for the team will likely mirror the process of selecting Goodman, and include vital team feedback.
“We will get to be on Zoom with the final two candidates through the interview process,” said Whisnant.
While the timing of welcoming a new coach is uncertain, a pillar in the experience of many team members will be the togetherness that is integral to Guilford Quaker athletics. Like the college itself, the community of the women’s volleyball team will have to persevere through uncertainty to maintain unity and teamwork.
“Our culture didn’t change when Emily left,” Whisnant said, “and our culture is not going to change when Kelsey leaves.”
During the upcoming transition in leadership, players will also be looking to assistant coach Julia Mainwaring for guidance and support, said Cavataio.
“She coaches club, so usually in spring she’s not here,” she said, “but she’s going to try to be here for us as much as she can.”
As integral parts of the Quaker athletics spirit, unity and determination will be at the center of the team’s perseverance, along with the passion influenced by Goodman. During the anticipation of finding a new coach, Cavataio believes that patience will be a virtue in the search.
“I think we’re willing to wait,” she said, “because we have such a good, motivated group of girls, we can push ourselves for spring and still wait to get that perfect coach for us.”
Although Goodman will no longer be in the coaching position, her influence will continue to be present on the court of Guilford’s Kagan-Brown Field House and in the determination of the players.