Coaches and Staff
High School Coaches
Mike Faus
Assistant Coach
Coach Mike Faus grew up in wrestling-rich Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where he attended Manheim Central High School. He then attended Bridgewater College to study Special Education and History. In 2001, Coach Faus found his way to New Kent County Public Schools and New Kent High School and started coaching wrestling and football in 2001. With the help of Coach Andy Hintz, Coach Faus built the program from competing on the local level to competing nationally. As the head coach of the Trojans, Coach Faus became one of the winningest wrestling coaches in VHSL history amassing a dual record of 406 wins and only 85 losses from 2001-2021. He coached the program to 3 State Team Championships, 3 Region 1 Championships, 4 Region 3A Championships and 14 Bay Rivers District Championships. He is the founder of the New Kent Middle School program and helped create a Middle School wrestling league. In 2015, Coach Faus was recognized as the Virginia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Coach of the Year during the 2018-2019 season, Coach Faus was also recognized as the National Federation of State High School Associations-Virginia Coach of the Year. Coach Faus lives in Richmond, VA with his wife Kristin. He has been volunteering and supporting the program from within the school setting and is currently the Vice President of the New Kent Wrestling Club.
John Goodbody
Assistant Coach
John Goodbody has been around the sport of wrestling for almost 30 years. He was a 2005 Virginia State Placer, 2x Central Region Finalist, and a 2x District Champion for Manchester High School while being coached by Paul Richardson.During the off-season John competed on the State and National Level with Team Virginia-CREW and Southside Wrestling Club. After high school, John was a volunteer coach before joining Chris Steinbacher’s staff at Impact Wrestling Academy (Team Impact) and helped in the development of multiple State Placers, State Champions, and All-Americans while learning how to build a program. Goodbody eventually joined Mike Faus’ staff as an Assistant Coach for New Kent HIgh School for 10 years before taking over the program for 2 years. He is now back to being an Assistant Coach for the 2023-2024 season. While at New Kent, he has helped coach the Trojans to 4 State Team Championships, 1 Runner-Up State Finish, and 11 District Championships. Several Trojans have won numerous State Individual Championships, All-American Honors, and have gone on to wrestle in college. Coach Goodbody currently lives in Midlothian, Virginia with his wife, Melissa, and their son, Gage. He is a Special Education Teacher and Collaborative History Teacher at New Kent High School.
BUDDY Whitecotton
Assistant Coach
Coach Buddy graduated from New Kent High School in 2019. He started wrestling in the 9th grade and finished his career as a state placer his senior year, finishing 5th in the state. He was one of the vocal leaders on the 2019 VHSL Class 3 State Championship team. After spending a season volunteering with Goochland wrestling, Coach Buddy joined the NKHS staff the past few seasons. He has been vital in working with the upperweights as well as coaching at national, local, B-Team, and Womens events. Outside of the wrestling room, he loves fishing, spending time with his fiancée and son, and playing video games. He works for the Virginia Department of Transportation so he definitely has busy winters.
Middle School Coaches
ALAN RICE
MIDDLE SCHOOL Coach
Growing up in California, Coach Rice developed a passion for wrestling at an early age and built an impressive competitive career, becoming a 3-time Empire League Champion and a 2-time CIF Southern Section qualifier. His dedication to the sport continued after high school when he served as an Assistant Wrestling Coach at Cypress High School, helping mentor and develop young athletes both on and off the
mat. Coach Rice later answered the call to serve his country by joining the United States Marine Corps, where he proudly served for four years. During his military service, he earned a Brown Belt in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), further strengthening his discipline, leadership, and commitment to teamwork. Today, Coach Rice brings that same passion, toughness, and mentorship to New Kent Middle school wrestling as the head coach. He believes wrestling teaches discipline, accountability, confidence, and perseverance that extend far beyond competition. Coach Rice has been married to his wife, Paige Rice, for 15 years. Together they have two sons: Hunter Rice, 13, who shares his father’s passion for wrestling, and Hudson Rice, 10, who enjoys playing baseball
JAmes Kay
MIDDLE SCHOOL Coach
James Kay is a dedicated wtresling coach with nearly two decades of coaching experience and a lifelong passion fo the sport. He is married to his wife, Virginia and together they have two children, Andrew and Bailey. James began his wrestling career in Northern Virginia, competing for Paul VI Catholic high school. During his competitive career, he earned recognition as a two-time WCAC Champion, two-time Virginia Independent Schools Wrestling Association state placer, and runner-up at St. Albans Invitational. He also acheived success on the national level as a two-time National Prep placer. Following high school, James attended Ferrum College, where he continued his education and passion for athletics before graduating in 2006. After college, he immediately transitioned into coaching and has been mentoring young wrestlers ever since. His coaching experience includes time at Oakton High School, Paul VI Catholic High School and Potomac Falls High School. Coach Kay is committed to developing disciplined, hardworking athletes while helping them build confidence, character and success both on and off the mat.
YOUTH Coaches
Weston Slate
Advanced Youth Coach
Weston Slate wrestled for Thomas Dale High School, in Chester, VA, where he placed 2nd in the AAA Central Region at 171 lbs, 3rd in the AAA Central Region at 189 lbs, is a 2 time AAA state tournament qualifier, and finished his varsity high school wrestling career with a record of 88- 26 from ‘02-‘05. He is a board certified Nurse Practitioner, specializing in Interventional Radiology, and further specializing in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. His wife, Kelsey Slate, is the Physical Education teacher at Quinton Elementary. Weston started coaching with the New Kent Youth Wrestling club in 2022, and is eager to see the success of our youth wrestlers for years to come.