In the basement of Tappan Gym, a man dynamically talks to a wrestler, pointing at his phone screen as he breaks down a match. Assistant wrestling coach Steven Goode has translated his decades of wrestling experience into individualized and personally tailored coaching methods.
Goode, who previously coached at Catholic Memorial and Boston University, joined the high school’s wrestling program this year. He brought with him decades of wrestling experience, from being deemed East Carolina University’s ‘can’t miss’ athlete in college to competing internationally and winning the Rocuzzi World Cup in Hungary in 1990. After his many wrestling endeavors, Goode coached at Boston University for almost 20 years under the renowned Carl Adams, a three-time All-American wrestler and coach.
Goode said his experience has impacted his coaching methods at the high school, particularly in how he balances individual strengths within the team.
“Wrestling is a lot like chain wrestling. One move leads to another. As for coaching, you’ll have multiple kids with multiple talents, and each one is different,” Goode said. “You have to balance and find the strength of each kid and have them cater to that strength. Certain kids have one move that works really well for them, but it’s not the move that’s a great move for someone else. So you have to have many tools in your toolbox.”
Junior and first-year wrestler Frances Mathews said Goode’s impact on first-year students was especially profound for him.
“The individualized coaching that he was able to give to me as a first-year wrestler really helped me gain confidence and get a lot better at the sport,” Mathews said.
Senior and captain Alyssa Sukharenko said Goode will record her while she’s drilling so they can analyze it after.
“He’ll show me something that I’m doing wrong and how to fix it,” Sukharenko said. “I think that’s really helpful because it’s not often, especially in a team where we have around 40 kids, that you get a personalized lesson.”
Goode said that while there is a wrestling team, since matches are individual, personalized training is essential.
“One-on-one, it’s very easy to see what the kids’ strengths and weaknesses are,” Goode said. “To see what you’re unfamiliar with then you know where you need to work.”
According to Sukharenko, Goode focuses his coaching on the individual.
“He’s very patient and precise, always trying to teach us new techniques, even if we’re just on the bus, trying to help each wrestler with their own fixes,” Sukharenko said. “He always knows exactly who he’s talking to. For me, he knows exactly what I need to work on and how he’ll help me.”
Goode’s goals for the team extend beyond technical coaching; he said he wants each individual to walk away from the experience with more than wrestling moves.
“Being able to listen, develop their skills and be a good person, because character matters,” Goode said. “Wrestling is more than just about wrestling. It’s about life.”
