Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month: Chad Goodnight, Dundalk Wrestling

Chad Goodnight, who has coached the Dundalk High School wrestling team to a 6-2 record in Baltimore County duals this season, is the County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month!

Coach Goodnight first got exposed to amateur wrestling in second grade. A highly regarded lightweight wrestler at Bullock Creek High School in his hometown of Midland, Mich., Coach Goodnight was recruited to join Saginaw Valley State University's wrestling team but unfortunately the program folded the summer before his freshman year, ending his wrestling career.

Wanting to still be around the sport, he began coaching at Bullock Creek his first year after graduating.

"Wrestling is just one of those things where if you end up with such a passion for it, you want to be involved in it any way you can be," Coach Goodnight said.

Coach Goodnight is a teacher at Dundalk. He's been at the school for 12 years and is the chair for the Physical Education Department.

In addition to wrestling, Coach Goodnight coaches the Owls' tennis team. He has previously coached field hockey as well as track, but coaching wrestling has always been special to him.

"I love the independent nature of it," Coach Goodnight said. "In field hockey if you get tired, you can get subbed out. With wrestling there are no subs - you're out there by yourself, so if you get tired, you're going to get pinned. You have to keep that aggressive momentum the whole time."

Amongs his wrestlers, Coach Goodnight is known for his affable demeanor, but also for pushing his athletes.

To Robert Doetsch, a senior who competes at the 160-pound weight class for the Owls, Coach Goodnight is also valuable to his wrestlers during matches.

"It can be tough to hear coaches with your headgear on, so he'll show you the moves he wants you to do through motions on the sideline, which really helps," Doetsch said.

Coach Goodnight said he has loved the challenge of taking kids who came to Dundalk with little experience, and turning them into stars on the wrestling mat.

"We've had kids who've come out as freshmen, and your first impression is that they aren't going to be able to do very much, but by the time they're upperclassmen they place at the county tournament and compete at regionals," Coach Goodnight said. "It's just awesome to see that growth."

Coach Goodnight also enjoys taking the progress his wrestlers have in the sport, and helping them translate that to their lives away from the wrestling room.

"I love helping them grow in the classroom and on the mat as people," Coach Goodnight said. "Knowing that you are helping to teach them things that make them better people is incredibly rewarding."

For being named County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month, Coach Goodnight received a gift certificate, a box of sauces and a hat from Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as a County Sports Zone t-shirt.

If you'd like to make a nomination for next month's County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of The Month, click here!

Congratulations to Coach Goodnight!