The late Darin Goodman
PEMBERVILLE — Cross country is going prime time on Friday, Aug. 26 at Eastwood High School, with an under-the-lights nighttime invitational.
The First Annual Darin Goodman Night Invite honors the memory of a former Eastwood student and runner with what organizers call a “unique, fun and competitive five-kilometer race” to start the cross country season.
Eighteen teams have already signed up with plans to run under the lights, through the lit-up pass in the woods behind Eastwood’s football stadium, and finish under the lights at Jerry Rutherford Stadium.
The event includes concessions, music, shirts, glow sticks, glow paint — “an experience your runners and families won’t forget,” promises organizers.
It’s about honoring former runner Darin Maverick Goodman, who graduated from Eastwood with honors in 2011 and magna cum laude from the University of Toledo with a degree in chemical engineering in 2016.
A global project engineer for Air Products out of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Goodman had an affinity for traveling globally, and he passed away tragically while overseas on June 30, 2018, at the age of 25.
Darin is the son of Kevin (Sabrina) Goodman and Tamara Goettemoeller and the brother of Emily Goodman.
The Goodman family wishes to invite all of Darin’s family and friends to the event, but the distance running community is excited for the event, also.
“We wanted to do something interesting for both the teams coming and for the fans watching, so we’re doing a true night meet,” Eastwood fourth-year cross country coach Nathan Howard said.
“The first race isn’t going to start until 8:40, in the dark. We’re lighting up our woods with Christmas-type string lighting for all the woods, and a couple bigger lights for the fields, and we’ll have the football lights on.
“We’re going to have two big races with finishes in the stadium on a track, so hopefully we get a nice crowd there, have some nice music playing, have some nice energy for that type of event. I think the kids will really like it.”
Honoring Darin’s legacy
Darin Goodman’s former cross country coach, Richard Morgan, says honoring his former runner’s legacy this way is highly honorable.
“Running through the dark in the woods — that will be cool,” Morgan said. “I’m looking forward to it.
“It is fitting that it’s named after Darin. He just really made our program come together, that’s for sure. It’s sad, but it is good at what they are doing.”
Morgan said when Darin joined the Eastwood cross country program, he impacted the team almost immediately.
“Darin did not come out until his junior year,” Morgan said. “What I had at that time was a really good boys team. There were three or four real good runners, and they were also great kids and great personalities.
“We were a little short, and when he came out he really filled it in. He was my No. 2 or 3 runner, sometimes 4, but the thing is he was kind of a quiet kid,” Morgan continued.
“It was kind of cool because he was on a team with big personalities and he fit right in, not being one of those big personalities. He was quiet and they were outgoing, but they all got along.
“He worked hard, and he made our team, there is no question about that, because without him we were just too thin. He wasn’t our No. 1, but with cross country the three or four is just as important as your No. 1.”
Morgan said hosting a night event was something he could only dream about when he was coaching.
“I think it’s a great idea. To be honest, I thought of doing it when I was coaching 15 years ago, but I could never get it done,” Morgan said.
“Partly, I just couldn’t figure out how to do it and there weren’t LED lights at the time. But coach Howard did a much better job of getting it going and I think it is going to be a great meet.”
The whole process began when Kevin Goodman approached former Eastwood athletic director Jeff Hill about it several years ago. Since then, Howard took the project idea and ran with it.
“They have 18 teams this year and he was like, “I can’t believe we got this much interest,’” Kevin Goodman said.
“We already have two teams that want in for next year. He said, ‘I have a feeling this thing is going to build, and we are probably going to have to have four different start times.’
“They’ll have the globe bracelets and the necklaces that they give to the kids for free, and then they’ll have the woods lit up and they are actually going to finish in the football stadium. So, it should be sweet.
“You figure 18 teams, you’ve got probably 20 kids per team, so there will be 300-400 runners there. Hopefully it goes well, and we can continue it,” Kevin Goodman added.
Howard added, “We talked to Kevin, and it was really a no-brainer to honor Darin. Darin was someone I had as a teacher for one year in class a long time ago. I wasn’t a coach, but I was a teacher, so it seemed like it was a win-win for everybody.
“He came across as a quiet kid, but very smart. I think his friends absolutely loved him — one of those good friends that people absolutely loved to hang around with. It seems like he always had fun, so he was a neat kid for sure.
“This is something we’re excited to do for two reasons, really,” Howard added. “For Darin and his family, and to bring some excitement for cross country runners, too.”
Kevin Goodman says he expects to lay out $1,500 to $2,000 for trophies and other costs to keep it going, but if anyone would like to donate to this event checks can be made payable to Eastwood High School c/o the Darin Goodman Night Invite. Eastwood High School, 4900 Sugar Ridge.
