During finals she didn’t know why she took two pairs of goggles to the start with her, but she did. She’s mentally prepared to swim the 100-yard backstroke, she’s ready to give it all shes got. She jumps in the water, and her goggles snap! In panic she looks to the official who is preparing to start the race with a take your mark go; she shouts to a bystander “get my goggles, they are on the chair!” As the bystander tosses the goggles into the pool, the official looks on in confusion; she tosses the goggles on and the race is underway.
Maybe it was the confusion, maybe it was the hype, maybe it was the panic but Courtney Good swam a 1:03 in her final race that season. This was an all time best, making her just 1 second away from the Cabrini College record.
Good has been swimming since she was 7 years old, yet only began swimming at Cabrini College during her junior year. Good is now a senior social work major, who plans to attend graduate school to get her masters in social work. Currently she is considering West Chester University and Widener University as her top choices, but hasn’t made a definite decision yet.
Splitting time between an internship at Lower Merion Counseling Services, school, swimming, social work club and work at the Dixon Center pool Good has remained focused and ambitious. Swimming has provided Good with a sense of discipline, structure and time-management. Although she wouldn’t describe herself as overly competitive or someone who stresses about a race, she has set the goal of breaking the record for the 100-yard backstroke which was set in 2008 by Katie Manning.
Good calls Lake Hopatcong, N.J., home where she lives with her mother Kim and her 15-year-old sister Taylor. She comes from a close-knit family, with both her mom and dad’s extended relatives supporting her. As her main support system they attend swim meets whenever possible and always encourage her to do the very best she can. During her freshman and sophomore year Good chose not to swim. During that time she wasn’t very involved in clubs on campus. As she reflects on her time at Cabrini Good recalls a feeling of not really being part of the school, but sophomore year she joined the social work club. Although she enjoys the club, it still wasn’t enough. When she joined the swim team junior year, it just clicked for her. Now she really feels like she is a part of something, yet she doesn’t regret not joining more.
“Courtney is not only an amazing teammate, but an amazing friend,” Megan Tustin, a junior swim-team member, said. “She is always cheering for everyone and there for support.” Good described herself as a private person but feels that once you get to know her she’s nice, friendly and will always have your back. She keeps to herself because she’s driven to get things done.
“I was lucky enough to have Courtney as I grew up, as a role model, best friend and someone I could look at as an older sister,” Reilly Boyle, Goods’ hometown best friend, said. “She is one of the strongest people I know and has really taught me to embrace every single day with a smile. As an athlete Courtney has always been special; she is so naturally talented but her extra effort and work ethic make her that much more admirable. Courtney is the type of person I know will always be there for me.”
With a great support system behind her Good is ready to finish her senior year with a bang. She’s ready to break that record. This is her final year and she has decided to give it her all.
(In a little box for fun facts:
Favorite color- pink
favorite food- Ice cream
Loves exercising, hanging with friends, family and her boyfriend)
