Goucher College
Address: 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd, Baltimore, MD 21204
Head Coach: Erick Camodeca
410-337-6462
Erick.camodeca@goucher.edu
https://athletics.goucher.edu/sports/track/index
https://athletics.goucher.edu/sports/track/coaches/camodeca?view=bio
https://athletics.goucher.edu/sports/track/coaches/index
Chasing The Standard:  Congratulations on returning to your alma mater. You ran for Goucher not that long ago, and you took over the reigns as head coach this past indoor season. What does it mean to be back at Goucher?
Coach Camodeca-Thank you, I am really excited to be back at Goucher. Returning to Goucher in this capacity has always been a dream of mine. Goucher has always felt like home from day 1 when I visited campus as a recruit, to returning as a coach to compete against Goucher, and now in my role as the Head Coach. Goucher was a transformative experience for me as a person, student, and athlete. From my professors, custodial staff, and coaches like Coach Caslin someone was always looking out for and supporting me. I am looking forward to continuing my growth as a person and coach at Goucher.
What is one of your top accomplishments as an athlete, and what is one of your top moments as a coach?
-As far as one my top accomplishments as an athlete it is easy for me to say winning the 400 Relay at Conference Championships is right up there, there are probably not many who were on that team that does not forget that moment. At the same time some of my fondest moments as an athlete were the experiences with my teammates on the bus, at meets, in the hotel rooms, and so on. There are so many more of those moments that really shaped my experience throughout my athletic career.
-It is really tough to single out one moment as a coach, because the stories behind each moment really make each one special. Â The relief and joy you feel after winning a program’s first championship ever or first in over 20 years, and what it means to those students and coaches who worked so hard is an amazing feeling. Watching an athlete capture their first All American award, conference championship, career best, marriage, or birth of their first child are all amazing moments.
What are your goals and what do you envision for the program?
-Within the next 3-4 years our goal at Goucher is to build and maintain a roster of 50-60 student-athletes who will not only compete for conference championships on a yearly basis, but at the national level as well. Student-Athlete experience is extremely important to us, and we believe a great experience will lead to success. We plan to achieve this by making sure every member of our program truly feels valued and respected, through positive and effective communication and relationships with their coaches, teammates, and professors. We feel we can offer our student-athletes a Division I experience, while maintaining the balance and flexibility of achieving their academic and personal goals at the same time.
Though you are still new in your role as head coach at Goucher, you are certainly not new in the coaching arena. What does a typical week look like for your team in cross country and track? Do you have a general overarching coaching philosophy?
-Team Culture is extremely important to me. Communication and Relationships are at the core of our program. We believe everyone has a role and value in our program. We know some student-athletes are going to be the All-American, conference champion, others will be great leaders and organizers, and others will carry the team academically. Everyone’s contribution is for the improvement of the team. As a coach or student-athlete in our program we must ask ourselves:  Is what I am doing making us better as a team?
-Practice Week
Cross Country / Distance
Sunday – AM Long Run
Monday – Easy Run + Speed/Strength Development
Tuesday- Tempo Run
Wednesday- Split Run AM Run / PM Run
Thursday- Active Recovery
Friday- Interval Day (no meet on Saturday) / Pre Meet (if we have a meet)
Saturday – Easy Run or Meet
Track & Field
Sunday – Strength
Monday – Speed Endurance
Tuesday- Active Recovery / Relays or Individual Sessions
Wednesday- Speed Skill
Thursday- Active Recovery / Relays or Individual Sessions
Friday- Interval Day (no meet on Saturday) / Pre Meet (if we have a meet)
Saturday – Off or Meet
*Depending on the time of year we are in the weight 1-4x a week
What facilities and resources do athletes in your program have access to? What is something about Goucher you can highlight?
-Our Track & Field Facility is dedicated to Track & Field and our facility is also on campus. We do not have any other sports take place in our facility during the year. Our athletes can walk out of the dorm rooms and get to the facility without the need of a shuttle or car. We have the capability of running any track event in both directions, as well as 4 Long/Triple Jump Pits, 2 High Jump Pits allowing us to host quicker sessions. Our athletes appreciate the access to WiFi out at the track and field facility allowing them to hang out and do homework while waiting for their teammates to wrap up their sessions.
-When it comes to the distance and cross country team they have access to 6 miles worth of technical trails on campus. We have two cross country courses on campus-one consisting of a fairly flat 2K Loop, and a course that covers the perimeter of campus. In addition to the track we have two equestrian fields where we can do interval work-one that is fairly flat and the other has several inclines to cover all the terrains we will see throughout the year. Our loop road that circles the interior of our campus is a big bonus as well, allowing for great tempo runs and bike rides.
-Access to our on campus pool and Pilate studios are an added bonus for our team.
What does the recruiting process look like at Goucher? Are there specific time standards or something in particular you look for in a recruit? How has the process been during COVID?
-At the end of the day we are no different than any other school in that we want the best academic and athletic student-athletes we can find. However we want to make sure that Goucher is the right fit for them and they are the right for us. Goucher may not be for everybody, but anybody can find a home and their place here if they want. We are not looking to bring in more than 12-16 student-athletes each year. That is to make sure you do not feel like just a number and that you will have a quality experience. We definitely have our event standards and we talk to our recruits about what those standards are, but it is more important to us that our student-athletes understand their role on our team and constantly working to better themselves and the program.
-Recruiting during the pandemic has definitely changed our approach in a positive way. We have really had the time to get to know our recruits. We have spent more time talking and texting with our recruits than ever before. In the past recruiting relationships felt very transactional, where now we are having deeper conversations about topics other than their performances and when will you visit.
What recommendations would you give to someone interested in competing for Goucher?
-Visit! It is amazing to me to hear how many people have either never heard of Goucher or been on the campus. This was prevalent during our summer series we hosted this year. Goucher is a beautiful traditional campus that has access to all the amenities many are looking for in their college experience.
-Be Open to a new experience that will challenge you.
-I really believe Goucher can be a Track & Field / Cross Country destination school. You can be part of something really great and that is more than just about the sport.
Goucher Summer Track Meet 2
Goucher Summer Field Event Meet 1
Goucher Summer XC Meet 2