GRAY — Eddie Good had plans to climb the world’s tallest mountain. In one sense, he reached one of the highest peaks he could imagine Monday afternoon.
Daniel Boone’s longtime volunteer assistant football coach was supposed to start a journey this week during which he would go to a camp at the base of Mount Everest. He planned to be away from the Trailblazers program for a few weeks.
It turned out he had to be away from the team for a different reason. Good wasn’t feeling well and was having a tough time breathing weeks ago when he decided to go to a first assist facility for a check of his lungs. The doctor found other problems and Good ended up undergoing triple bypass heart surgery.
Looking back at it, Good knows he was blessed not to make the trip to Southeast Asia.
“I don’t want to be overly dramatic, but I doubt I would have made it back,” Good said. “Three blockages and the triple bypass, I know God took care of me on that one.”
One part of his planned trip Good wasn’t crazy about was being gone in the middle of the season. He ended up being gone anyway, but finally had the satisfaction of being back at football practice Monday and working with the defensive ends.
“I haven’t been able to go to any games,” Good said. “I came to a practice a couple of weeks ago just to see these kids. It means a lot to be back. I love these kids and coaches and am so close to many of them.”
Good, a 1983 Daniel Boone graduate and older brother of athletic director Danny Good, was an all-conference defensive lineman his senior season. He also played offensive lineman and then fullback his senior year for longtime Trailblazers coach Ken Green.
Eddie Good began his own coaching journey teaching his son, Ethan, and others in youth leagues before Boone coach Jeremy Jenkins asked him to come back and help with the high school program.
Good was the offensive coordinator for freshman coach Rob Hoover that first year and later served as head coach for the freshman and junior varsity teams. He and Jenkins have coached together for 20 years.
For the past decade, Good has been joined by Ethan. Eddie recounted story about how he turned over the play calling to his son when they were with the junior varsity team.
“I remember we were at Science Hill one year and we were ahead 14-0,” Good said. “He and Tucker McPherson wanted to sling it around right before halftime. Next thing you know, (the opponents) intercept a pass and run it back for a touchdown. I got so mad and let him have it.
“But I’ve really enjoyed coaching with him. He has worked hard and bypassed me with his knowledge of the game. I’ve enjoyed spending time with him and all these kids I’ve coached.”
Besides his son, Good also coached current Boone assistants Logan Rivers and Justin Turner. As with all the coaching staff, he sees them as part of his family.
“We have a lot of great coaches here who are good men,” Good said. “Ethan is the offensive coordinator and he really leans on Coach (Chris) Steiger. He’s someone always here to help him. Last year, I gave up the head coaching of the JV team and that was hard.”
Good credits his wife, Kim, for her support over the years, especially through his recent health problems. It has been a setback on different levels; his full-time job is working for an engineering company contracted by Eastman and he does building on the side.
“I’ve got way too much going on,” he said. “I’d scaled back a little before I got sick, but I love coaching and the relationships you build. You look at it with Jeremy. He’s been here 20 years and I’ve been with him all the way.”
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