Athlete Of The Month Archives

Caley Goodman

Senior Varsity Softball Catcher for Grisson High School 2006

Athlete of the Month for May 2006

JUNE 2006

 In April of this year, Grissom Varsity Softball Coach, Alicia DesRosier, wrote a letter of  nomination for Caley Goodman, our Champion of Life College Scholarship Award winner.  Caley is a catcher for the Grissom High School Varsity Softball team.  As this was to be our first college scholarship awarded, I  was very anxious to read all about the winner.  I was very impressed with all that Caley's Coach had to say about her.  It was clear that the impression she made on her coach, over the years was one in which, would never be forgotten. 

Here is a direct quote from Coach DesRosier..........

" As Caley’s coach, I am determined to work even harder than normal.  Caley is a perfect example of the things that I try to instill in my players throughout my coaching career.  She is dedicated, leads by example, determined, dependable, and a true TEAM player.  Caley has, on numerous occasions, “stepped in” to solve problems before I ever had to encounter them.  Personally, I am very proud of the person that Caley has become.  I think the world of her.  She has taken negative things and made them positive. "

Caley will be attending Auburn University and no doubt, will be missed by her coach and teammates next year.  Not only did she help them to reach the Final Four this year but I am sure that her example of leadership, courage and stength of charactor to persevere, in the face of adversity is something that has been passed on to her teammates.  All that the team has learned from Caley will continue to be passed on from player to player over the years.  She was forced to set the bar just a little bit higher and she met the challenge. 

In February of 2006, Caley’s mom went to the hospital with a severe headache.  The results of the MRI showed two brain tumors.  She was in the hospital fora week while they did more testing.  Those tests showed a spot on her lung, a spot on her ovary, and two brain tumors.  Caley’s mom had a craniotomy.  They removed the front brain tumor and tested it.  It is cancerous and the results have now shown that she has mestastic melanoma.  She will continue to fight this long, hard battle.

Keep The Faith, Caley!
Sincerely,
Alex Avram

INTERVIEW

1. When did you learn of your mother's illness?

There wasn't really an exact day...it was more like a
snowball effect. It all started the day after my 18th
birthday which was February 19th 2006. My mom was
having blurred vision which we didn't think much of
until the next day when the blurred vision was
accompanied by an intense headache. We took her to the
hospital where we found out she had had a stroke
caused by a tumor in her brain. Sometime in April she
had a craniotomy to remove the tumor. After they
removed the tumor they biopsied it to find that she
has malignant melanoma (skin cancer that had moved to
other parts of her body).

2. What is the current status of your mother's health?

My mom just got done with her first round of chemo
pills and radiation which was focused on her brain.
Because of the stroke she has permanently lost the
peripheral vision in her left eye leaving her unable
to drive. She has a three week break before she starts
the second round of chemo. There is a lesion on her
lung that could be cancerous and there is a
questionable spot on her ovary and there could
possibly  be another brain tumor but because of the
blood from the stroke they are unable to tell.

3. How did it affect you as a player?

Softball is a very team oriented sport I learned a
long time ago that I can't play for myself I  have to
play for love of the game, my teammates, and for the
people who love me and desperately want to see me
succeed. I know that when I do well it makes my
parents proud. I think that this experience made me
work harder because I knew that the few chances when
my mom could come and watch me play I wanted her to
see me do well.

4. How has your coach helped you through this
difficult time?

Wow, I don't even know where to begin... I know Coach
"D" helped me through a lot of rough times in high
school not to mention this one. I don't know how to
thank her. She not only nominated me for this
scholarship but she has been there to joke with me
when I needed to laugh and to cry with me when I
needed to cry. She not only has been a great coach
these past few years but an amazing friend, too. I
don't know what I would have done with out her
guidance and confidence in me. She believed in me when
I didn't even believe in myself. She pushed me to be
the best and I pray that I became all she hoped I
would be. She is one of the most influential people in
my life. No one could EVER replace my mom but if I
ever needed advice or help I know that I could always
count on Coach D.

5. How has softball helped you through this time in
your life?

My mom's illness is out of my control, I can't make
her better. But softball was within my control, I
could make myself and my team better. There were a lot
of days when it was really hard to control my
emotions, but I knew that when I stepped on the field
I had a job to do. I had to be a leader. This was the
last year I would play competitive fast pitch
softball. This was MY year ... my last chance, and
nothing could stop me from being the best that I could
be and pushing everyone else to do the same. Practice
was the one place where I could focus on something
else. No matter how bad the last 24 hours had been the
10 seconds it took to hit a triple or throw someone
out could change my whole outlook on the day and maybe
for just those 10 seconds I could be absolutely
carefree.

6. How did this change you?

This experience has taught me so much and I know there
is still so much left to learn from it. Cancer is one
of those things where you never know what will happen.
Miracles happen and so do tragedies. Knowing this, I
think my family and I have really learned to
appreciate every God-given day we are able to spend
together. Most might start being depressed but I
refuse to ... life is so precious and sometimes a lot
shorter than we had hoped. I want to enjoy every
moment I have with my mom and try not to drag her down
by being depressed. Going through all this made me
realize that bad things can happen to good people and
you just never know. I learned that the world isn't
the happy place I once thought it was, but at the same
time I learned that there is an enormous amount of
wonderful and loving people out there that want to
help and if you treat them with courtesy and respect
you might be surprised at what people will do for you.


7. What are some things you have discovered about
yourself since learning of your mother's illness?

Since my mom got sick I have really taken a good look
at myself. Some of the things I used to find very
important don't seem to matter much anymore. I have
realized that I took a lot of people in my life for
granted. In fact I have taken my life in general for
granted. Yes this event in my life is very unfortunate
but I know if I had the chance to trade lives with
anyone, I wouldn't do it. I have become a lot more
positive because no matter what happens things could
always be worse. I used to be stubborn about telling
my family how much I appreciate and love them... I am
still stubborn, but I let them know how much I care
about them. Most of all I think I have learned to be a
better friend. In this experience I have learned who
my true friends are and what kind of friend I want to
be for them.

8. In what special ways do you try to be supportive of
your mother?

Well, I have realized that what my mom always said
about her being my best friend was true. I try to tell
her that she is honestly the best friend I have and I
will ever have. My mom has lost all her hair from the
radiation and is somewhat self-conscious about it. I
tell her how beautiful she looks with or without hair.
Once or twice a week I take a day away from being with
my friends to take her to the grocery store and where
ever she needs to go since she can't drive herself.
Most of all I just try and hug her and tell her how
much I love her.

9. How is your family supportive of you and your
softball commitments?

I can't even to begin to think of the number of
countless days and hours they have spent in the
freezing cold or in the sweltering heat at ball parks.
My parents would be bundled up in sleeping bags or
trying to find the one sliver of shade just to watch
my games. Or the hundreds upon thousands of dollars
spent  on Gatorade alone not even counting the
fundraisers, clubs, and player fees. I have played
softball since I was 7 years old and I bet at least
one of my parents has been at 95% of my games. They
never pushed me to do anything I didn't want to and
they have given me every opportunity. I don't think I
could ask for more supportive parents. I owe them the
world.

10. What advice would you give another athlete who has
a parent fighting cancer?

I think I speak for everyone who has been in this
situation when I say that no one has to go through
this alone. No matter what you and your family are
going through, there is someone that wants to help
you. I know that it would make my mother very proud if
I could use our experience to help someone else.