MORGANTOWN — On Tuesday, Morgantown High announced Doug Goodwin would be the next head coach of the Mohigans girls’ basketball team after serving as Jason White’s assistant up until this year after White resigned following the season.
Goodwin, a Morgantown local and MHS graduate, said he’s been involved in local sports for over 20 years. He first began coaching at Westwood Middle where he assisted the varsity boys’ team for two years before becoming the head coach of the girls’ team for one season.
Scheduling issues with his job forced Goodwin to pause coaching for a brief period but it wasn’t long until he found himself with another opportunity locally.
“Once I got back to full-time within the school system, I moved to Cheat Lake Middle to coach and stayed there for five years,” Goodwin said.
He finally returned to his alma mater to coach first as the freshman/JV girls’ coach. White also entered MHS at that time at the freshman level but on the boys’ side. It wouldn’t be long after, the two shared the sidelines as Goodwin and White moved to the varsity girls’ team together in 2013 — White being the head coach and Goodwin his right-hand-man. White said he couldn’t be more excited for Goodwin and the program.
“I am really excited for Doug to get this opportunity,” White said. “He is a terrific coach who excels at the skill development of his players. He is a great communicator who has been loyal and cares deeply about the MHS girls’ basketball program. I may not be in Morgantown next winter, but my heart will forever be a part of this program and I am excited to pass the torch on to a guy like Doug.”
Although he has been coaching at MHS for over a decade now, Goodwin will hold the head coaching position for the first time and it’s a job he knows has had some great coaches fill.
“I have had the pleasure of being an assistant to Allan Collins, Adam Henkins and Jason White. All of these coaches have had an influence on what my philosophy has become in coaching young ladies at this school,” Goodwin said. “This is my alma mater and the only place I have ever wanted to coach at the high school level.”
Another huge positive for Goodwin will be the team returning for next season, as the Mohigans only had one senior on a team that finished as runner-up in the state for Class AAAA.
“With the team we have returning, I am very excited to see these young ladies continue to grow and push themselves,” Goodwin said. “I know they want to represent this high school to the best of their abilities and build upon the success of last season. I have no doubt that they will continue the tradition of excellence for the upcoming season.”
Current junior Revaya Sweeney will be a senior on the team next season and said she is glad the new head coach is someone her and her teammates are familiar with and trust.
“Having a coach who we already play for as our head coach now will help because we are already really close and have a strong bond,” Sweeney said. “This can only help our program and hopefully we can earn a ring next season.”
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