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20 Seasons of Memories: Nikki Garzon
August 30, 2015 12:14 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nikki (Garzon) Goodenow has spent many years with the West Virginia University women’s soccer program.
A transfer in 1997, the Penfield, New York, native played defense for the Mountaineers during the program’s second and third seasons, was a team captain in 1998 and helped WVU earn its first bid to the Big East Soccer Tournament.
Goodenow proceeded to spend nine total seasons (2000-05, 2007-09) coaching alongside 20-year Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, helping WVU win four Big East regular-season titles, as well as its first conference tournament title in 2007. She also helped guide the squad to 10 straight NCAA Tournament bids and the program’s Elite Eight run in 2007.
Now a U-18 girls coach for the Mountaineer United Soccer Club, Goodenow has won four West Virginia state titles with the MUSC Shox. A Morgantown resident, Goodenow tracks the WVU women’s soccer program closely and continues to cheer for the Mountaineers from the stands.
In conjunction with the celebration surrounding the Mountaineers’ 20th season, Goodenow took a moment to reflect on her time as a player, coach and fan of WVU women’s soccer.
On transferring from South Carolina to an infant WVU program for her final two seasons…
I was friends with Rena Lippa, who was a part of the 1996 team, and I came to Morgantown to spend some time with her. I crossed paths with Nikki briefly, and I could see how all the girls really loved playing for her. The team chemistry seemed so great.
I started at South Carolina for two years, but I felt like WVU would be a better fit. I also played with Duper [first WVU assistant coach Jenn (DePrez) Spiker] previously. I just felt like I belonged in Morgantown.
On why she thinks the 1996 team was enjoying its first season, despite being a start-up program…
Nikki, in and of herself, is polarizing. Once you’re around her, you just want to play for her. She gets that work ethic and drags pride out of all her athletes. You want to perform for Nikki because you respect her so much.
As I connect with my old teammates 20 years later, they always want me to tell Nikki what they’re doing. They still want Nikki to know they’re succeeding and doing well because she was such a large influence on their lives. I think as we get older and get more removed from our playing days, it’s easy to look back and realize what a great impact she had on all our lives. When you’re in it, you don’t realize it as much until you can remove yourself from the situation and realize that everything Nikki did not only made us great soccer players, but also helped set up our lives to be successful.
Goodenow helped the Mountaineers qualify for their first Big East Tournament in 1998.
On the Mountaineers qualifying for the 1998 Big East Soccer Tournament in their third season…
(laughs) It was a great accomplishment to qualify for that championship, but I’m an athlete, and just getting somewhere isn’t where I want to be.
It’s funny. A former strength coach once said that he knew the top was about to blow off this program. That’s what that season was. It’s great that I was here to put down some of the foundation for the success the program is having now. I’m also fortunate to have then witnessed the progress as an assistant coach, too.
On being so close in age to her young coaches at WVU…
I’ve seen Nikki develop as a coach over the years, and I know that’s come with the development of the program, too. My teams were pains in the neck – let’s be real! Not everyone on those first few teams was here to win championships; they wanted to attend WVU and play soccer. Now, the athletes Nikki has – they want to win championships. They come to WVU to play soccer.
Nikki had to be tighter with our teams. The focus is different with the teams she has now. The athletes here today have initiative - they want to get better and they want to win.
I think Nikki is so great at relating with all kinds of athletes. She’s also been awesome relating with all types of personalities. She will stand by you and do anything you need for her. She gives each of her athletes the same amount of respect, and she gets the most out of each of her athletes.
On her favorite time as an athlete at WVU…
It’s funny to think back on your time as a student-athlete. We won games during my seasons at WVU, but we didn’t defeat a No. 1 Stanford or win a championship. My time at WVU was more about being with my teammates and not necessarily about my time on the field. I accomplished so many things I never thought I’d be able to, but I did so because I had Nikki and my teammates behind me, pushing me toward those goals. That’s something I think about a lot.
On the program’s first NCAA bid in 2000….
I was an assistant coach at the time. The team was all crammed into a small video room, which I believe was used by the women’s basketball team, while Nikki, Duper and I were in an administrator’s office listening in to the NCAA Selection Show on the phone. We weren’t 100 percent sure we were going to receive a bid. When we did, Nikki and Jenn were so excited. It was an awesome moment to witness, because that accomplishment was in large part due to their hard work.
On coaching traits she’s taken from WVU and utilized with her teams…
It’s like being a parent. I’ll say something at training and then think, “Oh, that was such an Izzo-ism.” I just think I learned that a hard-work mentality and pushing athletes to their limits, and beyond, is a great way to get the most out of them. I tell everyone to just work hard. If you work hard, you will be OK. Nikki’s mentality has always been to outwork everyone, and that’s a training tip I use with my teams today.
Back in my playing days, Nikki used to remind us that it doesn’t take talent to hustle. That quote essentially says that it doesn’t matter who you are, you can work hard.
On what the program has accomplished in 20 seasons and the team’s future potential…
This program has accomplished more than I think (former WVU Director of Athletics) Ed Pastilong thought it would when he hired Nikki in 1995. He certainly didn’t know what he was getting with that hire. It’s so exciting to see things continue to progress and develop.
There are high-caliber athletes coming in to WVU now. I heard a lot of grumbling about WVU on the recruiting trail back in the day. Our big gets were Chrissie Abbott and Lisa Stoia. Then, we started to grab some Virginia kids, and a few outsiders could not believe these athletes were choosing to go to WVU. Now, athletes are looking at WVU and hoping to play for Nikki. I don’t think the coaches have to hope for recruits to take a phone call or return an email. I think the respect for this program is there now.
At the end of the day, the program doesn’t just want to get to the College Cup – everyone wants to win an NCAA title. I have every confidence in the world that this program is going to keep going up. I know WVU is going to be at the College Cup soon. They’re getting close, and it’s going to happen. I can’t wait for it to happen. It’s never been easy, and it’s not going to be easy. You do need luck in soccer. You have to work for your luck, but you do need it, and I think we had luck on our side during our Elite Eight run in 2007. Hopefully, the team can get over some of its NCAA Tournament hurdles.
Nikki’s entire life has been put into WVU women’s soccer. Everyone would love to see that pay off. The program is as successful as it is because Nikki has worked so hard throughout the years. She knows that no one is going to hand her anything – she’s worked for everything the program has earned. That’s the burning desire that she’s always going to have, and I believe that’s what she instills in everyone who comes in contact with the program. You can’t walk away from a conversation with Nikki and not be fired up.
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