Longtime Ladycats' volleyball coach Kathy Goings announces retirement after 21 years at Aledo High School

Ever since Aledo Ladycats' senior hitter Maddie Goings signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Oregon State University, speculation and rumors had swirled around Aledo High School that longtime head volleyball coach Kathy Goings, Maddie's mother, would retire in order to see her daughter play in college.

This afternoon, during a 3 p.m. team meeting, Goings confirmed the rumors and told the Ladycats that she is retiring.

Kathy Goings, also a health teacher, will finish the school year and coach the volleyball team during the off season until the new coach arrives.

In 21 years as Ladycats' head coach, Kathy Goings finishes with an overall record of 641-200 which includes 17 district championships, three regional titles and one state championship match appearance. She led the Ladycats to state-tournament appearances in 2001, 2012 and 2014. She will end a 31-year teaching and coaching career in May.

Kathy Goings told The Community News that she is at the point in her teaching career where she can retire, and stated that "family" - having the opportunity to watch her daughter play in college - was the primary reason for retiring from both coaching and teaching. She said she regretted not seeing every match Maddie's oldest sister, Jordan, played in college.

"It worked out well that I meet the requirements for retirement and I can go on and watch Maddie play (next fall) at Oregon State," she said. "With her being in Oregon it would have difficult to stay as a coach and watch her games. My daughter Jordan played in Lubbock (Lubbock Christian University) and I was only able to see maybe half of her games.

"We (Ladycats) were always at the regional tournament when Jordan was in her conference tournament, so I feel like I have sacrificed a lot of family time (while coaching). Now I am at the age where I can (watch Maddie play in college), and I want to take advantage of that."

Goings said the Ladycats will return "a great team" next year and that also weighed heavily in her decision.

"I love Aledo, I love volleyball, and I have loved every day I have been in the gym," Kathy Goings said. "But I know there will be a great team here next year, and I would like to think I am not leaving the cupboard bare. (The 2017 team) will be very, very good, and it’s a hard thing to walk away from."