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Cavaliers' new coach nostranger to game

December 5, 2009 12:36 am

BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

Adrienne Goodson didn't see herself coaching high school basketball.

Her life could've taken a number of different turns after winning an NCAA women's basketball title and playing professionally for 14 years.

"All my life a lot of things have fell into my lap because of basketball," Goodson said. "So I could've been doing anything."

Goodson was hired to replace Ken Wakefield as the head coach at Caroline High School six months ago.

The Cavaliers (9-14, 1-11 Battlefield District in 2008-09) hope they can eventually become relevant in their district behind the ex-WNBA player known as "Goody."

"I'm really excited because I think this is exactly what Caroline needs to improve our basketball program," Cavaliers' junior forward Emily Ashcraft said.

Goodson, 43, knows plenty about hoops.

The Bayonne, N.J., native played seven years in the WNBA for Utah, San Antonio, Houston and Charlotte. She was a WNBA All-Star in 2002. She also played overseas and in the now defunct American Basketball League, where she was named to its all-league team twice.

Goodson spent her college days as a star forward for Old Dominion University, which she helped lead to the 1985 national championship.

So what brings her to Caroline?

Goodson was informed of the coaching vacancy by friend and Caroline County Parks and Recreation Director Donnell Howard, who has booked her several times for speaking engagements and basketball clinics in the county.

Now as a special education teacher and basketball coach, she has created a stir.

More girls attempted to make the team than normal, and a recent scrimmage was heavily attended.

"I think it's a lot of excitement," Ashcraft said. "Even from our home scrimmage, we had a lot more people than we've normally had. Everybody's kind of curious to see what happens this season."

Goodson is curious, too.

She said she's running a simple, but up-tempo offense similar to the one she played in, in high school.

"She knows her stuff. She's got tremendous knowledge of the game," Caroline athletic director Dan Dickey said. "She really motivates the kids. They really listen to her because she knows what she's talking about."

Goodson acknowledges the Cavaliers have a long way to go. They have just three seniors on the team. Most of the team is made up of the junior varsity squad that went undefeated before losing in the district title game to Eastern View last season.

That includes standout freshman point guard Shannon Mosby, who was an eighth-grader on that JV team.

"That's my super frosh," Goodson said of Mosby. "She's going to be a go-girl all season just because of her mentality and her toughness. I wish I had five more of her with that mentality to go after it and not be afraid."

Like the rest of her teammates Mosby said she was shocked an ex-WNBA player was coming to coach her.

"I was like 'Wow, this is amazing. This is going to be a good experience,'" Mosby said.

The Cavaliers are hoping it turns out that way. They had a rough beginning with an 86-28 loss to Millbrook on Wednesday in which they committed 30 turnovers. But Millbrook is expected to be one of the top teams in all of Group AA this season. The Cavaliers will get a more realistic test on Monday, when King William visits.

"We got spanked," Goodson said of the Millbrook game. "But I think it was a valuable lesson for us. They had so much experience across the board. It was great for our younger players."

Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com