Goodwin impressed by commitment at RHS

By Staff
Mike Self
Franklin County Times
RUSSELLVILLE – Doug Goodwin has had plenty of opportunities to leave Demopolis-just never one quite as enticing as this.
"I've turned down eight jobs in the last six years," said Goodwin, who was officially hired as the new head football coach at Russellville High School on Thursday. "None of them really seemed to offer everything I was looking for. This opportunity was just too good to pass up."
Goodwin replaces Perry Swindall, who resigned six weeks ago after guiding the Golden Tigers to a 99-21 record in nine seasons as head coach. Goodwin's mark of 81-18 in eight years at Demopolis was remarkably similar, with one glaring distinction-the Tigers won the Class 4A state championship in 2004.
Following Thursday's board meeting, Russellville's new coach spoke highly of the level of commitment he has already observed within the football program.
"The commitment that Dr. [Wayne] Ray and the other members of the search committee expressed to us was very impressive, as far as what this program means to the city and to the youth of Russellville," said Goodwin, who played football at Auburn in the early 1980s and has been a head coach for 18 years. "That commitment is evident in the great facilities and in the winning tradition here. None of that happens by accident. It happens because those things are important to the administration and the people involved."
Goodwin knows a thing or two about winning traditions. Before taking over at Demopolis he was the head coach at Lineville, guiding the Aggies to a pair of appearances in the Class 3A state finals.
With that type of success under his belt, Goodwin is not one to shy away from high expectations-expectations like the ones he will inherit at Russellville, where late-round playoff games are as much a part of Thanksgiving tradition as turkey and dressing.
"I'm used to being part of a program where anything less than 11 wins is considered a bad season," Goodwin said. "That's the way it is here, and that's the way it was at Demopolis, too."