This year, Erick Camodeca ’06 marked his fourth season at Goucher as the cross-country head coach and his sixth season as the track & field head coach. Now, he is embarking on a new challenge: taking on the role of athletics philanthropy gift officer.
Being a part of athletics at Goucher at every level, from student to coach to director, Camodeca has seen his relationship to the college change, but his love for Goucher has not wavered. “My understanding of the world was shaped by my foundation at Goucher,” he says. “My experience has been transformational, from the beginning to wherever the end may be.”
Camodeca’s move at seven years old from Miami, FL, to Pottsville, PA, was a culture shock. He hoped to meld the two in looking for a college, finding somewhere that had a diverse small-town community with everything a larger city offers. Then Goucher reached out to recruit Camodeca to play soccer. “My fall overnight visit changed my world,” he says. He was impressed with the way they treated and engaged him. With Baltimore so close by, Goucher had everything he was looking for.
During his first year at the college, Camodeca took a seminar with Professor Angelo Robinson, who asked a question that has remained with him: “When was the first time you realized you were different from everyone else?”
“Having assimilated in Pennsylvania, this question sent me off on this incredible journey of reflection on everything I was doing,” he says. “Before that, I was just going through life thinking about sports, doing what I needed without putting too much thought into it. At the time, I had no idea what I was going to major in.” With Robinson as his advisor, he chose American studies. “It touched on so many things I was interested in and allowed me to explore my identity as a Black male.” He also became one of the first students to graduate with an Africana studies minor at the college. Thanks to his coursework, Camodeca was able to intern at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.
From coaches to friends to professors, Camodeca had a strong support system. “It was an all-in effort, and everyone was looking out for me,” he says. This carried on after graduation, as Robinson and former Professor Emerita Kelly Brown Douglas P ’19 even attended his wedding—with Robinson giving a reading and Douglas performing the ceremony. Camodeca has lived in the Baltimore area for more than 20 years now, and when he’s off the athletics field, he can usually be found near water, on a boat, fishing, or swimming in spots across Maryland, like in Middle River and on the Eastern Shore. “Maybe it’s my attempt to reconnect with Miami!”
In his new role at Goucher, Camodeca hopes to engage with parents and alums in new ways, hearing their stories and learning how their lives have changed, and to get them involved to see and experience Goucher like he has. He’s been delighted in how many experiences connect Goucher friends and family, even across the decades. One opportunity he had to build up community was in starting the Black Gophers, a club for Black student athletes. “I wanted to do more. I wanted my commitment to Goucher to not only be focused on my team but on the whole Athletic Department and beyond,” he says. “Initially my wife didn’t understand my deep connection to Goucher, but after experiencing Goucher for herself through my relationships and her relationships, she understands why I love this school. Despite whatever flaws we may have, it’s a great place trying to do the right thing, and we can always strive to be better.”
Camodeca knows that the union of academics and athletics provides an invaluable opportunity to understand and foster one’s skills and passions—and a coach’s impact can’t be underestimated.
“Athletics at Goucher helped me find passion in coaching,” he says. “Coach John Caslin, my track coach at the time, suggested I become a graduate assistant and learn how to make serious decisions as part of the department. Coach Leonard Trevino, the men’s basketball coach, and Coach Charleata Neal, the women’s basketball coach, mentored me as I was manager for both teams—and deepened my understanding of coaching!”
Beyond competition, athletics at Goucher impart invaluable skills and strengthen the hearts and minds of all participants. “It’s part of my coaching philosophy—athletics is an educational experience.” Camodeca says. “It’s ingrained; you’re constantly learning at practice. We’re all working toward common goals as a team, trying to get better. These values are about so much more than sports.”