RUSSELLVILLE – Doug Goodwin knows what it takes to win a state championship. And he wants to teach his Russellville Golden Tigers what he knows.
The former coach at Demopolis, which won the Class 4A state crown in 2004 under Goodwin’s direction, took his Golden Tigers to the Class 5A state title game in 2008 before falling to Vigor at Birmingham’s Legion Field.
Russellville football coach Doug Goodwin.
This year’s squad opens the season Friday night against Class 4A power Deshler at Howard Chappell Stadium in Tuscumbia. Goodwin took time out of his preseason preparation to visit with CoachesAid.com for a little Coachspeak:
Q: How much of your “playbook” do usually use in a jamboree as opposed to Week 1?
A: About 25 percent.
Q: Do you use different strategies to motivate athletes?
A: Every player is a little different, so nothing works for everyone. I try to build a relationship with every player. I try to let them know that I care about them as people and that I want to see them succeed in everything they do. If they have a need, then we try to find some way to meet it. I think that once they know you genuinely care, they will do pretty much anything for you.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: I love the relationship aspect of it. I love to be around the players and other coaches. I'm a very competitive person, so I guess that I feed off of the competitive part of it as well. I love the game and appreciate the levels of growth a player and a team go through during the season. When we win, I love to see the joy on everyone's face.
Q: Do you talk about big goals with your team or try to keep them focused on the short term? Why?
A: We generally just talk about what we need to do today. I think that if you begin to focus on the big picture, it tends to overwhelm a lot of people. So we try to focus on the next play.
Q: What is your favorite part about Friday nights?
A: The first would be the five to 10 minutes in the locker room just prior to kickoff of a really big game. Everyone is wound up tight and ready to go. Everyone is wondering somewhere in their mind if we are really good enough to get it done and can't wait to get out there to answer the question. The second would be the time in the game when we get to empty the bench. I love it when guys who don't get to play a lot get their opportunity. The look in their eyes is priceless to me.
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