Erin (Murphy) Goodpaster loves the game of basketball, and now after a small hiatus away from the game, she’ll be back around the sport she put so much time and effort into.

A 2010 graduate of Seymour High School, Goodpaster was recently announced as a new assistant for the Trinity Lutheran girls basketball team.

Goodpaster has an extensive playing career, and she dabbled in some coaching as well. She coached for one year at

St. John’s Sauers Lutheran School for the fifth grade team.

“That was really special because that was where I went to school,” Goodpaster said.

She then coached at Seymour Middle School for a couple years, but once she started to have a family, she got away from coaching. That was until Trinity head coach Mike Lang recently reached out and asked if she’d be interested in joining the Cougars’ staff.

“Mike asked me if this was something I’d be interested in, and I thought about it, and I am just excited to coach at this level,” Goodpaster said.

When playing for Seymour, Goodpaster was a two-time IBCA All State Honorable Mention, she was named Top Senior Athlete and named MVP all four years. She finished her high school career with 1,476 points, No. 3 on the all-time list.

She was a member of the last Seymour girls basketball team to win a sectional title in 2008. It was the Owls’ first title since 1991.

“It was just so fun,” Goodpaster recalled. “That was such a special time to be a part of that. I’m excited about Trinity because it was still newer when I was getting into high school. Trinity had not yet developed as well as they have recently.”

She hopes her experience of being a former Jackson County athlete will help her relate to the Trinity players.

“I’m kind of hoping to be someone that age group can relate to and be able to help them reach their goals like my coaches helped me reach mine,” she said. “I’m really excited to teach this level because I know how much of an exciting time it is, especially if you love basketball the way I do.”

Goodpaster went on to have a solid collegiate career after high school as well. She played three years at IPFW and then one final year at UIndy. She ended her DI run with a total of 1,037 points and was named All Summit League Honorable mention her junior year.

Bailey Tabeling, who will be going into her senior season at Trinity next season, will more than likely have numerous offers to play in college. Goodpaster said she is excited to help in anyway she can with players who want to pursue a career at the next level.

“I’m really excited to be able to be a part of Bailey’s high school career,” Goodpaster said. “I give all the thanks to my high school coach Beth DeVinney for getting my name out there and sending out videos to colleges. I’m sure things have changed a lot, but I am looking forward to be in that role for Bailey and others who want to play at the college level because I do know what it takes.”

Goodpaster was a guard when she played, and she said she liked to play fast and get out in transition, which is exactly how this under-sized Trinity team will want to play as well.

“I believe she is someone our current and future players will be able to look up to due to her success at competing at the highest levels,” Lang said when Goodpaster was hired. “We are excited to welcome Erin and her family (Tyler, Drake and Lucy), to Lady Cougar basketball.”

Goodpaster’s son, Drake, will be a freshman at Trinity in the fall. He’s more of a baseball guy but Goodpaster said he might go out for the basketball team as well.

Twelve years after Goodpaster made her mark on the courts in Jackson County, she hopes to do the same on the sidelines at Trinity.

“Being someone who’s been through it all, I can relate to the challenges and what it’s like to be a female athlete and everything that comes with it,” she said. “I’m really excited to just join the journey with them. Hopefully be someone they can look up to and be like, ‘Hey, she did that, so I can do it, too.’”