CWU football has welcomed three new graduate assistant coaches to their staff, each bringing their own expertise and enthusiasm to the team. Joining the ranks is Amanda Ruller, an offensive assistant, Ripken Braman, who was recently promoted to the roles of chief of staff and recruiting coordinator and Kiante Goudeau who will take on the role of cornerbacks coach to round out the dynamic trio. With a background in coaching at various levels, Goudeau said that he aims to bring a unique perspective and a strong desire to help his players reach their full potential.

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Goudeaus coaching journey began as a high school defensive backs coach at Nogales High School. He then served as the defensive coordinator at Compton College in 2022, showcasing his ability to lead and develop players. Goudeau‘s own playing career took him from Edison High School, where he won a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championship, to Long Beach City Junior College, and eventually to his graduation from North Dakota State University.

“Honestly I was open to coaching anywhere in the college world,” Goudeau said. “Central just happened to give me a call and I’m forever grateful because this is a great place and I’ve just been running with it ever since.”

As the cornerback’s coach, Goudeau said that he aims to instill a strong sense of detail and organization in his players. 

“I would say first and foremost, [helping them] be as detailed as possible, not just only on the field, but off the field and in everything they do,” Goudeau said. “My guys would say I’m one of the more detailed coaches they’ve probably been around, and I also want them to be very organized as well.”

“I’m definitely not a ‘yeller’ coach. Some of the guys would say I’m the ‘youngest oldest guy’ they know because I don’t raise my voice a lot,” Goudeau said while talking about his coaching style. “I have a stoic personality, so I’m on the same level at all times. But, I’m still going to coach the guys hard, just in a different way than someone else might.”

While Goudeau is primarily responsible for coaching cornerbacks, he expressed excitement about learning more about the entire defensive side of the game. 

“[I’m excited to be] learning from coach Torgerson on the front end of stuff,” Goudeau said. “Really diving into the whole side of the defense, not just the defensive backfield, but also learning more about defensive line playing and linebacker play.”

Goudeau emphasized the importance of leadership, attention to detail and organization when describing the qualities of a successful football coach. 

“Number one, you’ve got to be a leader… You have to be a detailed-oriented person… And then the third thing if I could put anything out there, it’s just being organized with your time as a coach,” Goudeau said. When it comes to player development, Goudeau focuses on promoting confidence within his athletes.

“I help players by instilling more confidence in themselves. For example, if we’re dealing with a particularly quiet kid who isn’t really showing much emotion, I usually have a natural way of bringing the best out of kids,” Goudeau said.

During his time as a graduate assistant coach at CWU, Goudeau said that he has two primary goals. Above all else, he aims to be the best cornerback coach he can be for the team. Secondly, Goudeau seeks to broaden his knowledge of defensive football by learning more about the front-end aspects of the game, particularly linebackers and defensive line play. 

As CWU gears up for a new season, the addition of Kiante Goudeau to the coaching staff brings renewed enthusiasm and a strong commitment to achieving high standards. Goudeau‘s meticulous approach, unwavering dedication to player development and eagerness to expand his coaching expertise position him favorably to contribute significantly to the team.