Women’s Soccer
Athletes of the Week: Laval’s Desgagnés, McMaster’s Roberts honoured
Sometimes being a hero means simply being there.
The late autumn sun creeps over Halifax, Nova Scotia extinguishing the warmth of the day and sending an icy fall chill throughout the players on the field. Cold air escapes the lips of Taylor Goodwin in a wispy fog as she steps onto the turf to practice with her Dalhousie Tigers soccer teammates, preparing for the AUS playoffs.
Regardless of the outcome, Goodwin can count on the support of her older brother TJ, a skilled athlete in his own right.
TJ is a special needs athlete. His commitment and dedication to sports is part of Goodwin’s inspiration to study therapeutic recreation at Dalhousie University and also gain her certificate in disability management.
“I think that influenced me a lot and I knew I wanted to be involved with different populations and work with them to improve their everyday lives by helping them engage in recreation or leisure activities.”
Taylor Goodwin
Goodwin, the youngest of Terry and Pamela Goodwin’s four children, wants her brother TJ to have every chance possible to follow his athletic dreams. Goodwin and her sister Stephanie, along with her other brother Jeffery have always strived to help TJ attain his goals and want him to have every opportunity possible.
“Over the years we have all helped coach, says Goodwin. “We volunteer at practices and have even refereed a few of his provincial soccer games. My brother will usually take him when he goes away on sporting trips in order to provide him with the best one-on-one support.”
Like his sister, TJ is a multisport athlete. Displaying an athletic prowess that only comes from a true love and desire for sports, TJ competes in floor hockey and basketball in the winter before transitioning to soccer and track and field in the summer.
“He’s competitive, driven and he is exceptional at sports both mentally and on the field; he knows the game well. He knows every score, every player and every stat. He loves sports.”
The common love of sports shared between Goodwin and her brother TJ fuels a fiery competitiveness that has propelled Goodwin throughout her soccer career, which includes being a member of the 2013 Nova Scotia Canada Games team, in addition to being a fifth year starter on the Dalhousie Tigers.
Cindy Tye, head coach of the Tigers, also coached her in 2013 with Team Nova Scotia and says Goodwin brings a consistency to the field that is hard to obtain at the high level she has played at throughout her career.
“She is hard working, steady and leads by example. She is someone that is there for her teammates, a calming and positive voice.”
Cindy Tye
Goodwin will be a hard player to replace and will be missed by the Dalhousie Tigers when she finishes her university soccer career this year, the coach adds.
The hard work and dedication Goodwin has shown throughout her soccer career runs in the family.
Although his work and volunteering prevent TJ from going to as many of Goodwin’s games now as when the two were younger, he still loves the Dalhousie Tigers.
When Goodwin steps off the field this year for the final time as a Dalhousie Tiger and the sun sets on her university soccer career, she can certainly count on the love and support of her family. A memento from Goodwin’s career that will surely last for years is the Dalhousie Tigers team photo that TJ loves, complete with the crisp, clear signature of his sister, Taylor.
They are each other’s heroes.