Coach Goggin Right At Home On The Sideines

Dan Goggin owns a shirt and tie. Dress pants, nice pair of shoes, too. He has to wear them from time-to-time, but gym clothing is what he prefers.

Being in the gymnasium is where Goggin excels. It’s where he spent his youth, where he dominated for the Fredericton High Black Kats at the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association level. Dominated again at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport level with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, culminating with being named the school’s male athlete of the year along the way.

The gym is his haven.

“Basketball has allowed me to travel the world and I owe so much to this game,” Goggin said. “I’m grateful to be in a gymnasium every day. There is really no better place to have your office than in a gym.” That he’s still in the gym with the UNB Varsity Reds is not a surprise. The fact he’s with the Varsity Reds’ women’s basketball program, however, has taken more than a few folks aback.

After graduating from UNB – where he was a two-time first team Atlantic University Sport all-star while running the court with the Varsity Reds – Goggin figured he would find a future in some capacity within the game. Working as an assistant coach for Jeff Speedy with the women’s squad, though? Now that was a different story.

“I was working basketball camps for almost 11 years and I started doing some work with Speedy when he started coaching at UNB,” Goggin recalled. “It was only a couple of weeks into last fall and Coach sent me an e-mail saying he was shorthanded. He wanted to know what I was up to and if I was interested. We had a conversation and I decided to join the squad. From day one, it’s been an amazing experience. I never thought I would be here and helping coach the women’s team.”

“It was one of the smartest phone calls I have made in my four plus years at UNB,” says Speedy recalling the call to Goggin. “Dan has been unbelievable. It is not a coincidence that our Program has really started to take off since Dan joined our team. He is a very bright basketball coach and works his butt off for us.”

It’s been a strong match. Goggin’s at-ease presence, the fact he’s played in the trenches at the CIS level, bleeds red and black and a disarming sense of humour all play a critical role in his program involvement. It’s not exactly a Good Cop, Bad Cop scenario with Speedy and Goggin, but the Varsity Reds know the former UNBer is there for them.

“I bring a passion for the game and I believe I have a high basketball IQ, but besides that, there is also some comic relief from me,” he said. “With all the school work and everything that’s going on, it’s good for me to keep the mood light. When it does come down to business, the players see my intensity. But they also know they can come to me on or off the court. It could be a drive to the airport, help with school or whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. They know I’m here for them.”

Goggin was indeed a powerful threat when he was playing. He was well decorated for athletic prowess on the court, but simply because the game may have come easy to him and he built a solid reputation as a player, coaching is another ball game all together.

The top players don’t always make the top coaches.

“Not every player does make a good coach because there can be some problems with getting messages across to others,” he offered. “I was a tutor back in high school and I’ve always felt I can get my messages across to people. I can help them find a way to understand. Taking my education degree now at UNB allows me to re-enforce my ideas to teach on and off the court. I’m fortunate to be learning from Speedy. This game changes all the time and I get to learn from one of the best.”

When it comes to coaching, it’s not all about X’s and O’s. It’s not all about pick and rolls, offensive and defensive schemes. Sure, coaching at the CIS level is a difficult task considering there are budgets, travelling, recruiting and dealing with red tape thicker than a backboard. All part of Goggin’s learning process at UNB.

“I need to learn more about the business side of the game, so it’s all about getting even more experience as an assistant coach,” he said. “There’s an awful lot more that goes into coaching off the court. I didn’t realize that as a player. Or maybe I just didn’t pay attention because my job was always on the court.”

“I honestly have not asked Dan if he would like to be a CIS Head Coach one day, but let me tell you he could me,” says Speedy. “I hope I am helping him grow as a Coach. I haven’t asked him that either. I am really impressed with his knowledge of the game and his insight. Goggs is making us better every day.”

Goggin knew early his playing career wasn’t going to last forever. He realized well before he landed at UNB or FHS, for that matter, coaching was piquing his interest. “I always felt I was a coach on the floor and I received a lot of encouragement from past coaches to do that,” he said. “I was always telling other players where they should be. I tried to do it in a positive manner to get my message across.”

Part of that positive demeanor is Goggin’s sense of humour. A look here, a raised eyebrow there. The perfect timing for a joke to keep things loose.

“In the end, I’m just a big kid,” said Goggin, who relishes his work with UNB summer camps and in-season training sessions. “My life can be called pretty boring, but I enjoy being a class clown. The gym is always a fun place to be. If you ask any of the girls, I’m sure they’d say at least I can make them laugh.”

When it’s time to be serious, he certainly understands that fine line. Despite coming in late to join Speedy, he’s adapted well to the coach’s philosophy.

“Coach and I have a very good relationship and we’re usually on the same page with just about everything,” Goggin said. “He trusts me and my basketball knowledge. He knows my history and appreciates when I can offer this team.”

There is one problem, however, between the two. Speedy’s a fan of the Boston Red Sox.

Goggin shakes his head.

“We don’t have any sports teams in common, but we still manage to get along,” Goggin chuckled. “I remind him the Toronto Blue Jays have won just as many World Series championships as the Red Sox in the last 20 years.”

What does Speedy think of Coach Dan’s favoutire teams? “I tell him all the time that the only thing worse than a Jays fan is a Yankees fan so I guess it could be worse!”

Fun and games. Goggin, though, knows this year is a critical one for the Varsity Reds.

UNB has been impressive in the early going, but this year’s team didn’t just start six weeks ago. Not even close. During the heat of July in Fredericton when the temperature was soaring into the 30s, the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium wasn’t empty. Goggin and a player, perhaps more, would be in the sweltering and cramped gym working on small things. Little things that mean big things when it’s crunch time.

“This year started a long time ago with a lot of the girls getting better over the summer and coming in stronger than when they left,” he said. “All of the girls understood the potential and opportunity they have. We’ve brought in some new players to mix with the returning players and there’s a little buzz around the program all of a sudden. It’s an exciting thing to be a part of and the girls know that. They know they can’t settle because if they do, there won’t be any playoffs. We’ve worked hard for the results we want.”

Goggin will continue to pad his resume and hone his skills along the sideline during games and on the court in practice. He preaches fundamentals, something that may be forgotten about when players reach the CIS level. You can never hone enough basic skills. He won’t let them forget a foul shot in July might pay dividends on an AUS court in late January.

“I’m at the gym every day with the players who want to be there and that’s probably one of the most rewarding parts of my game,” he said. “I honestly never thought I’d be coaching a women’s team outside of clinics or basketball camps. I’ve learned an incredible amount from them in a short time. I never knew emotions and feelings existed in basketball! It’s been an adventure every day. This is where I want to be and this is what I want to be doing.”

Which means the shirt and tie for game days are fine, but t-shirts, shorts and sneakers are one of the perks of his hardwood office.