9/22/2003 - Football
The Music Man

Josh Goodin: The Music Man

Basketball fans up and down the East Coast tuned in to CBS TV last March to watch Army and Navy battle one another in the annual Star Game. The broadcast began in unique fashion, as the traditional CBS fanfare and highlights of past Army-Navy games were replaced with cameras panning the jam-packed Alumni Hall.

The Brigade of Midshipmen, Corps of Cadets and fans stood at attention and were welcomed by public address announcer Greg Davis.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please join our players and coaches in honoring America, and celebrating its freedom and those who protect it. Let us rise as one nation for the singing of our National Anthem by Midshipman 2/C Josh Goodin."

The name Josh Goodin was a familiar one to most who followed Navy athletics. As Navy's starting offensive tackle, it wasn't surprising to see people's heads turn hearing a Navy football player was to sing the anthem. But by the anthem's end, the reaction Goodin evoked upon the audience was unforgettable. Chills were felt by each and every person watching his performance, while emotions were stirred as his baritone voice paid homage to the flag and freedom he will soon fight daily to protect.

Unusual as it may be for a Division I collegiate football player to sing the National Anthem at one of his own school's events, not to mention singing on national television, it was not a big deal for an accomplished vocalist such as Goodin.

Music has been part of Goodin's family as long as he can remember.

"My mom said that I would always love for her to come in and sing to me when I was a kid," recalled Goodin. "That's where I got it. My mom is where I got my talent and love for music."

In fact, Goodin's mother, Barb, is a choral music teacher in the Kansas School System and encouraged her two sons to sing in school and in church. Meanwhile, Goodin's father, C.R., serves as a guidance counselor within the state school system, as well, and has a bachelor's degree in speech and drama. His 19-year old brother, John, is a freshman at Morningside College in Iowa on a music scholarship and also plays linebacker on the Mustangs' football team.

"Growing up, I was infused with musicals and plays," said Goodin. "My parents were both really into music and drama and that's where I picked it up from. My mom and I, well, singing was just something we always did."

And so he did, as he sang in the choir as an elementary student. He joined the band in middle school, playing the trombone, however he opted not to continue singing at that stage of his life.

"It wasn't really the cool thing to do in junior high or middle school, so I didn't sing in the choir," said Goodin. "I think maybe the reason was because I was apprehensive about my voice changing."

As a seventh grader, he made the decision to try out for the school musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown." Not being a member of the choir, not ever having participated in a musical, not even knowing the choir teacher, Goodin auditioned for the musical and got the lead role of Charlie Brown.

"Quite honestly, that re-sparked my musical career," said Goodin.

Even so, Goodin did not return to the choir when he entered high school. As an elective, he felt too many students were in choir because they had to be, not because they enjoyed singing. Upon entering his sophomore year, he tried out for the choir. Not for the ordinary choir, but the honor choir, commonly known as Madrigals.

"You could join Madrigals your sophomore year, so I tried out and made it," said Goodin. "That's when it picked up. That fall I tried out for the state musical festival and all-state choir. You can only make all-state choir three years and I did so all three."

As a member of Madrigals, he was also required to partake in musicals. Once again, Goodin tried out for the school musical, this time it was the part of Cornelius Hackl from an American favorite, "Hello, Dolly!"

"Since the day I played Cornelius Hackl in 'Hello, Dolly!,' music has been a part of who I am," recounted Goodin.

"Everybody knew I was a choir boy."

That was until the year 2000, when he traveled more than 1,000 miles from his home in Shawnee, Kan., to Annapolis, Md., to attend the Naval Academy. His new freshmen classmates, or plebes as they are called at the Academy, were unaware of his vocals. But that same summer, he got the opportunity few people get the chance to do - sing at a Baltimore Orioles game.

"I sang in the Protestant choir at the chapel during Plebe Summer and they asked people to try out for the opportunity to sing at an O's game," said Goodin. "I tried out and I got to sing."

Though he went on to sing with the choir and glee club during his first semester at the Academy, his time became limited because of football and his organized singing came to an abrupt halt.

"My mom's not very happy with the fact that I don't sing on a regular basis with an organized choir," said Goodin. "But I told her that I only have a couple years to play football and I have the rest of my life to sing."

But it was an email by Navy sports information director Scott Strasemeier that gave Goodin the idea to sing at last year's Army-Navy basketball game.

"Scott sent out an email about helping out with stats for basketball games," Goodin recalled. "I wasn't particularly interested in helping out with stats, but I thought I could volunteer to sing the National Anthem if they needed someone."

The Navy marketing staff took Goodin up on his offer and asked him to perform in front of a national audience on CBS TV for the Army-Navy basketball game. Unnerved by the moment, his voice rang out beautifully and added to the already emotional battle upon the court.

That same opportunity came knocking two months later when Navy assistant marketing director Nino Vanin asked Goodin to sing for the 2003 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Final Four at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Goodin once again shared his vocals with a national audience as ESPN broadcast the games.

Having now sang for a professional baseball organization and on national TV for collegiate basketball and lacrosse, could singing before his own game be next on the list?

Not if you ask Goodin.

"I don't think so," Goodin quickly responded. "I just get too excited and too pumped up to sing before one of my own games."

On the other hand, his experience of being on stage and performing on a national level has helped prepare him to perform on the football stage, as well.

"I've been performing so long that it doesn't really bother me. I'm pretty calm and relaxed when I sing. It's actually helped my confidence before football games, too. I don't really get nervous before games because it really is like a performance. I guess when you grow up in an environment like I did, you learn to control your nerves."

Now that the secret of his singing capability is out, his teammates often ask him to sing for them.

"The guys are always asking me, 'can you really sing,'" said Goodin. With a grin in place, he said, "I usually break out into something in German or Italian. It impresses other people."

It is impressive, though he is most humble about his talent.

"I don't like singing on the spot," he said. "Maybe I should share it more often, but I'm kind of humble."

Goodin was gracious enough to lend his vocals to former Navy football teammate Brian Schulz's wedding in the summer of '02.

"A group of us went down to Texas for Brian's wedding a couple of summers ago as sword bearers and Josh sang," teammate Kevin Schwind recalled. "It was a beautiful wedding and the song, which I believe he sang in French, was amazing."

It's likely that Goodin will continue to share his love for music with those in his life. A self-admitted rock-n-roll fan, he often pulls out his guitar for relaxation and the enjoyment of music. In fact, he was the lead singer of a rock group called "Trim" in high school. He has even hinted at the possibility of playing in a band again in the future.

Though Goodin's football career is coming to an end and graduation is well within sight, his music career is just beginning. He has graced the Academy with his football prowess for four years, but his music and ability to entertain will last a lifetime.

"It's going to be something I can do wherever I'm stationed," said Goodin. "I will probably join a choir or get into community theater. Regardless of where I am, it's definitely something I'm going to pursue after the Academy."