MOULTRIE — The first meet for the Moss Farms Diving team after coach Ron Piemonte announced he was leaving to take over the team at Virginia Tech was the Moose Moss Invitational and Moss Farms interim president Becky Moore watched assistant coach Ed Goodman carefully during the meet

Good-man, the former head coach of the Isla-morada (Fla.) program, had said he was interested in succeeding Piemonte, but Moss Farms formed a committee to mount a national search.

But Moore, who has been with the Moss Farms program for a number of years, liked what she saw of Goodman on the pool deck during the Moose Moss meet.

And she began contacting other Moss Farms Diving members and suggesting that perhaps the club had its man already on board.

“Like somebody commented, ‘Why go for the unknown?’ Moore said. “Ed’s been a head coach. He’s very organized and knowledgeable.

“I’m impressed with him.”

And so were nearly all of the other parents of Moss Farms divers.

“We got a lot of positive comments from everybody,” Moore said. “A lot of them said how much their child was improving.”

So the search was called off and Goodman was offered the job. He will take over following the completion of this weeks Junior Summer East Championships, being held at the Moose Moss Aquatic Center.

“I’m happy for Ron,” said Goodman, who has been Piemonte’s assistant for eight months. “And I was hoping I’d get a shot.”

And Goodman said he did not take the job as an assistant with the assurance that Piemonte was soon to leave and that he would succeed him.

Goodman said he was “thankful” for parents having the confidence to offer him the job.

Goodman had been an assistant diving coach in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when he heard Todd Murphy was leaving Moss Farms for Athens.

He moved to Moultrie last fall, bringing with him two diving daughters — Kelsey and Erin —and another — Haley —who swims.

The former University of Toledo coach started the diving program at Islamorada, Fla., in 2001, and built that program to where its had divers qualifying for Summer Nationals five times, with four divers reaching the finals.

Last year, he moved briefly to Fort Lauderdale to help coach Tim O’Brien, but was not enamored with living in that area.

Goodman said he has enjoyed being in Moultrie and calls being able to lead the Moss Farms program “an honor.”

“This is ideal,” he said. “It’s a dream job. I’m really blessed.”

And he is well-aware of the talent he is getting to work with.

Fifteen Diving Tigers are taking part in the East Championships this week.

“I’m inheriting the kids Ron’s been coaching,” Goodman said. “And that’s just icing on the cake.

“The kids are well-prepared. All I have to do is just keep it going.”

Goodman said he expects a smooth transition.

“I know the kids,” he said. “The kids know me. They know pretty much what to expect.”

Goodman said he will do some things differently than Piemonte does, “but the kids will find that it won’t be too different.”

Moss Farms is currently advertising for an assistant coach and Goodman hopes to have one on board by the end of next month.

Goodman and the new assistant will both work with both the Junior Olympic divers and the Gold team, the younger divers. And Goodman said he planned to work with the lesson divers himself.