How this Goddard state champion changed her coach’s mind about high school girls wrestling

When girls wrestling became a sanctioned sport by the Kansas State High School Activities Association, Goddard coach Brett Means never entertained the thought of creating a girls team.

With 11 state championships to his name, and as one of the most decorated high school coaches in Kansas history, Means’ words carry weight.

But not to Ashlynn Goodwin, at least not on this topic.

Goodwin refused to be overlooked in the Goddard wrestling room when she was a freshman. It didn’t matter that her coach didn’t take girls wrestling seriously yet; she pledged to herself to keep working until he had no other choice but to respect it.

That moment arrived on Thursday after Goodwin, now a senior, ended her career with her second Class 6-5A state championship at the Kansas high school girls wrestling state tournament held at Hartman Arena in Park City.

“When Ashlynn came to us, I wouldn’t say I was dead set against girls wrestling, but I really wasn’t into it,” Means said. “I wasn’t a big proponent. She changed my mind. Now I’m all in and that’s because she was all in. I will tell you that she has been one of the hardest workers in our room, boys or girls, this year. She has completely changed my mind and now I embrace girls wrestling and I can’t wait until next year.”

She didn’t set out to be a trailblazer, Goodwin just wanted to be treated like any other wrestler.

Hearing those words from her legendary coach at the conclusion of her career meant a lot to Goodwin, who is quiet and reserved by nature.

“They didn’t pay very much attention to me back then, but now they’re starting to get more into girls wrestling,” Goodwin said. “It definitely means a lot, especially since I was the one who changed his view on girls wrestling.”

Goodwin never wanted to be treated differently; she just wanted the opportunity to compete in practice and work hard every day to try to improve a little bit each day.

The coaching staff quickly learned of her work ethic and the pride she took in completing the same workouts as the boys. Two years ago, when assistant boys coach Brian Means began coaching the girls, he offered to split practices so the girls could work on their own.

“Ashlynn said, ‘If you split practices, I’m moving,’” Brian Means said, laughing. “She never, ever makes an excuse for anything. She’s amazing every day in the practice room. She never misses a workout.”

While Goddard is the premier boys wrestling program in the state, its girls program is still growing. Goodwin was one of just two girls on the team the last three years.

Her persistence and dedication not only opened the mind of Means, but the coach hopes it also opened the door for other girls wrestlers to follow in her footsteps at Goddard.

“Other girls around our area see what Ashlynn has done and where she went to get it done,” Brett Means said. “It speaks for itself.”

“We’re trying to build our girls program right now and Ashlynn has been such a big help,” Brian Means added. “She helps out in practice with our less-experienced wrestlers and there’s quite a few younger girls coming up that all look up to her.”

Goodwin was the model of consistency in her senior season, taking her calm and measured personality and applying it on the mat. She is so technically sound that it allows her to constantly be on the attack, putting pressure on opponents throughout a match.

At the state tournament, Goodwin finished with three pins and a major decision. A 41-1 season culminated in the finals of the 140-pound division, as she finished off a dominant match that featured five takedowns, the last of which turned into a third-period pin of Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior Jayla Johnson.

“I finished all of my shots, so that was good,” Goodwin said. “I just went in there and did what I know how to do.”

Goodwin, a 2021 state champion, was motivated after losing in the quarterfinals of the state tournament last year. Brian Means said this season was the perfect ending to a spectacular career.

“It was sad knowing that I just coached her last match,” he said. “It’s really sad to see someone like her go. She was unbelievable for us.”