Interview with Rutgers Coach 
SCOTT GOODALE
Conducted by John Henning, College Editor

Rutgers University - the State University of New Jersey - is located in New Brunswick along the Raritan River. The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers played the first collegiate football game vs. Princeton way back in the 1860s, but have not had a nationally renown wrestling team even though at the high school level, New Jersey is considered elite recruiting ground for the major wrestling powerhouses in the Midwest. New Jersey's wrestlers have also found success closer to home from the Ivy League, Lehigh, Hofstra and Penn State to name a few. Over the years, Rutgers signed mostly second tier recruits from their home state and had moderate success. 

All that has changed for RU with the hiring of Scott Goodale; an in-state high school coach with impeccable credentials.  Virtually overnight, Rutgers received verbal commitments from several top New Jersey seniors; shocking the college wrestling world in the process. 

WR.com: Let's get right to it. Scott Winston, the nation's 2nd rated senior gave Rutgers a verbal commitment to continue his career under your tutelage. How significant was that?

SG: {response} It was huge for Rutgers wrestling that this kid believed he can achieve all his goals (they are lofty) at this university.  The more people told him he should go to Iowa, Wisconsin, Okie ST the more he wanted to stay home and prove he can win here.  He loves Jersey wrestling and wants to be the guy to put this program at the national forefront so to speak.  He certainly understands the vision and what we are trying to accomplish.

WR.com: The NCAA allows a maximum of 9.9 athletic scholarships for NCAA division 1 wrestling. How many are available today for the Rutgers program? Are you at you full allotment?

SG: {response} right now we are currently at 4.6 scholarships.  That being said we have had tremendous support from our administration to allow us to fully fund our wrestling program through raising funds as long as we are in compliance with the title 9 rules at the university.

WR.com: the academic requirements for admission are substantial…perhaps not Ivy level, but certainly not insignificant. Does this help or hinder your recruiting efforts?

SG: {response} I believe it helps that the academics have such a great reputation at RU.  Student athletes want the best of both worlds.  A great academic institution paired with a strong wrestling program.  They want to be able to have a degree in 4/5 years from a university with a solid reputation.  

WR.com: What is your view of Rutgers future? How competitive do you see your conference, the EIWA?

SG: {response} The future is certainly bright and I believe we will be able to compete in this conference as long as we keep doing the right things.  Recruiting highly motivated student athletes who are good people.  I will say this every time I turn around some blue chip kid or a state champ is signing at an EIWA institution.  This conference in my opinion is the best in America next to the big ten.  A lot of credit goes to the coaches in the conference who have done an unbelievable job of attracting some of the best wrestlers in the country and creating parity in college wrestling.

WR.com: You attended Lock Haven as an under graduate. What was the highlight of your time there? 

SG: {response} I think being able to wrestle for Coach Carl Poff and Rocky Bonomo during a time when LHU was a top 15 program year in and year out.  Those guys taught me so much on how to deal with people, how to recruit kids who you wanted to bring around your family, and how to do things the right way.  At Lock Haven we were like one big family and where there was a wrestling match the town knew it.  Great to wrestle in Central Pennsylvania where wrestling and Football is "it".

WR.com: Your former team, Jackson, achieved a great deal of success in recent years. How does a wrestler like Scott Winston happen?

SG: {response} It is a program that has such a strong commitment from the community, the school, and the alumni.  Those kids never wanted to let anyone down so they trained and wrestled so hard.  There is a commitment there from those wrestlers like nowhere else.  They believe because of how they prepare and how they train they should win.  This starts at our recreation level, and continues all the way through HS.  At Jackson wrestlers are well respected.

WR.com: it seems Rutgers would have some natural rivalries within close proximity of campus. How important is it to improve dual meet attendance and local fan interest? How will you go about it?

SG: {response} I believe next to our academics and our recruiting it may be the most important thing.  First off the New Jersey fans are some of the most knowledgeable and supportive fans in the country.  They want to see great college wrestling.  We need to create a style of wrestling that is fun to watch, and we need to WIN!  Lets be honest everyone loves a winner.  They will come out and support.  It is important for us to keep Rutgers wrestling in the public eye.  We have moved all of our home matches out of the Wednesday/Saturday slots and put them on days where HS programs are not wrestling so they can come watch RU compete.

WR.com: UPenn, Lehigh and Princeton are all territorial conference rivals. You will be vying for many of the same recruits. Looks like it'll be a dog fight. Any comment?

SG: {response} I think it is great for wrestling and to be honest I just hope the kids in NJ feel like RU, with the recent excitement, is an option for them.  The schools you mentioned have been recruiting and winning with Jersey boys for a long time.  There are so many good kids out there nowadays that there is enough to go around but we will have to continue to improve to be able to get kids ahead of the Lehighs and the Upenns of the world.

WR.com: Do you have any short term plans to upgrade the schedule? 

SG: {response} When I was hired (Aug 1st) the schedule was already in place for 2007-2008 season.  With the possibility of the new RPI rankings and the new NCAA qualifier situation we will be upgrading the schedule.  I would like to hit some of the bigger tournaments around the country and compete in more duals with the EIWA teams.

WR.com: Who are your role models?

SG: {response} There are so many people I have tried to learn from and become better from.   Probably my grandfather who was a football/baseball coach for 35 years at Far Rockaway HS in NYC.  He did a great job of getting the kids to believe in him and play for him.  He did this with very little help (only had one assistant coach back then) and without sacrificing his family.  Then I would say Rocky Bonomo who taught me that being a good person, and believing in what you are doing is the important things. 

WR.com: it seems you and RU football coach Greg Schiano have much in common. Has he shared any 'secrets' with you?

SG: {response} No secrets but he has been great with me.  I was offensive coordinator at Jackson for years and told Coach Schiano that football would be one of the things I will miss.  He told me I didn't have to miss it and come to practice whenever I  wanted.  I obviously took him up on that and was probably up at practice more than I should of have been.  But I got caught up in watching him coach and how he commands a practice, everything done the right way.  He does this with absolutely confidence and control of every player, staff member, trainer on that field.  Amazing to watch.  Plus we both have the same GOAL.

WR.com: How do you feel RU will end up this year? Any wrestlers you see with upside potential for qualifying for NCAA s?  

SG: {response} I think you will see an improvement in our intensity, our hustle, and our fight.  These kids will be held accountable for their performances and wrestling and winning will become important to them.  I think we have some kids who are preparing and training with a whole different mind set and becoming a national qualifier an AA has become a goal for them. 

WR.com: Scott-here is your chance to comment on anything I forgot to ask you!

SG: {response} I am unbelievably excited about the Challenge that lies ahead here at RU and honored to be apart of the athletic program at the State University.  I am also excited to be coaching against some of the best coaches in America in a great wrestling conference, the EIWA.

Thank you Coach Goodale. Best of luck to you and the Rutgers team this year.