T.J. Goodwin is the lone senior on Caldwell County’s first girls’ wrestling team and she is playing the part to everyone’s expectations.
Goodwin, who also played volleyball for the Lady Tigers, had a brother who wrestled and felt like the sport was the best way to help pay for her college.
“Girls wrestling is really starting to get huge in Kentucky and I just thought it would be a good opportunity to go and get some money for college,” she said. Goodwin has her sights on majoring in exercise science to become an athletic trainer.
Goodwin put together a pair of top-five finishes in the past week at invitational tournaments at Fort Campbell and Apollo.
At Fort Campbell, she finished in third place, rallying for a late takedown to send the match to overtime where she got the win.
“The only thing on my mind during those final seconds was my coach, Coach Clay, screaming ankle-pick, ankle-pick, ankle-pick and I just saw it. I was like a little light just shining on her ankle and I just grabbed it,” she said.
WATCH GOODWIN WIN THE THIRD PLACE MATCH AT FORT CAMPBELL
With wrestling already in her family, the learning curve has been quick for T.J.
“Well, my brother has wrestled since he was like a toddler so I grew up around it and I knew what some things were but I feel like I picked up on everything really quick,” she said.
Her ability to learn quickly and be a leader among a team of underclassmen hasn’t been lost on her coach Clay Overby.
“It’s extremely important to have somebody to step into that leadership role — somebody that’s got to keep everybody grounded. Somebody that’s got to pump everybody up and make sure they stay in that constant up-rising position that we have to keep going forward,” Overby said. “She’s got sophomores, freshmen, seventh and eighth-grade girls that look up to her and her position as being THE senior on the team. And she takes that with great pride and she takes it with great stride as well ensuring that everybody on the team is taken care of and that we all have that same common goal of continuing to get better and better and better.”
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has sanctioned girls’ wrestling after several years of lobbying by the state’s wrestling coaches. Girls’ wrestling has been one of the fastest-growing sports for participation over the past decade with several western Kentucky teams starting teams this year.
The girls’ state tournament will be held in Lexington during a three-day weekend with the boys. That comes after the region meet.
“I want to make it to state this year. As a first-time wrestler, I think making it to state would make a huge statement,” Goodwin said.
Overby feels it goes farther than that.
“She is hoping to leave that good legacy behind for herself and along with the rest of the program. She’s really excited about paving the way for the program and giving the younger girls something to shoot for,” he said.
In the meantime, Goodwin brings a huge perk to the team as a senior.
“Well, if anyone needs a ride home I’m the only one who can drive, so I do have to make two trips. sometimes, but if anyone needs a ride home, they’re more than welcome to get one from me,” she said.
T.J. discusses her goals in this YSE interview.
