Former Absegami boys and girls basketball coach Greg Goodwin passes away at 63
Former Absegami boys and girls basketball Greg Goodwin has passed at 63.
Goodwin was on an annual golf outing in June of 2023 with other Cape Atlantic League coaches and friends.
The morning the group was set to leave, Goodwin texted Ocean City boys basketball coach John Bruno that he wasn't feeling well.
Shortly after that trip, Goodwin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The South Jersey basketball community is a very tight knit circle, many people will remember Goodwin as a coach for both the Absegami girls and boys basketball team, he also coached the Braves lacrosse team.
"As a coach, he was a competitor," said longtime Ocean City boys basketball coach John Bruno. "His teams always played hard, were well coached but more importantly the players always came first. Our team always battled each other on the court but when the game was over, we both knew what was most important wasn’t whether who won or lost but that both teams competed to the best of their ability. He mentored so many young players who I am sure benefitted a great deal from the life lessons he taught to them as they grew into adulthood."
While Goodwin made his mark with every team he coaches, his most memorable stint came while leading the Absegami Girls program.
His time with the Absegami girls was one of the best eras in South Jersey history, going 227-54 with five South Jersey titles and two state titles. He stepped down in 2008 with 227 wins, 11th most in South Jersey history.
His team were led by players like Krissy Rosario, Connie James, Alysha Taylor, Tara Booker, and Sara Mostafa, helping to lead the Braves to the best era of Braves girls basketball.
"Greg was a basketball lifer," said Joe Fussner, who like Goodwin coached both the boys and girls programs at Atlantic City and was also the head women's coach at Stockton.
"He served as my assistant coach at Stockton University 2010-11 season. We crossed paths as opponents as well. I coached against him when I was at Atlantic City Boys. He stepped away briefly so he could watch his son play. He just could not step away from coaching. He returned to the bench as an assistant for several teams. Greg was a mentor for young coaches as well as an asset to any team he assisted."
Fussner was right, coaching was in Goodwin's blood. After leading the Braves girls program, he returned to coach the Braves boys basketball team for a third time back in 2015.
"I am so saddened to hear this news, said former Shawnee boys basketball coach Joe Kessler. "Goody was a great man and a wonderful friend to many of us. I truly enjoyed every minute I've spent with him."
He also was a boys basketball coach at St James of Carneys Point and Millville and Absegami.
He taught social studies at Absegami, lived in Galloway Township, was a standout basketball player Millville high in the late 1970's and also played basketball and tennis at Lebanon Valley.
Goodwin made an impact in the community, the classroom, and both on and off the court to those who knew him.
“Goody” was always a gentle giant," Bruno added. "A big man who was soft spoken but also had the biggest heart. We shared times on and off the basketball court, especially taking vacations together where his sense of humor always made an appearance. The one thing that everyone will remember about Goody was his laugh. He could be heard from any distance and just the sound of it made you smile."
Overall he was 406-252 in 28 seasons as a basketball coach in South Jersey and is a member of NJ Coaches and SJ Hall of Fame.
Here is more from South Jersey media and basketball people posting about Goodwin's passing.
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