Joseph Goodly

Joseph Goodly
Freshman Joseph Goodly ’29, from Derby, NY, brings a steady, disciplined approach to his time at Nichols. Balancing a demanding academic schedule, JV hockey, and a growing business, Joseph shares how consistency, effort, and a “just get it done” mindset shape his experience both in and out of the classroom.

Just Get it Done: The Story of Joseph Goodly ‘29

Joseph Goodly ’29 spends a lot of time in the car. The daily drive from Derby, N.Y., to Nichols is a long one, especially at an age when most freshmen are looking for any excuse for an extra twenty minutes of sleep. But for Goodly, that commute is just the tax he pays to be at Nichols. He’s been doing it since sixth grade, and by now, the rhythm of a long day—classes, hockey, business meetings—is just his nature.

When you talk to Joseph, you don’t get the sense that he’s trying to impress anyone. He’s understated. Ask him about balancing a freshman honors load with a JV hockey schedule and extracurricular meetings, and he doesn't give you a speech about time management. He just shrugs. “It’s a lot,” he says, “but I really enjoy it.”

That "just get it done" attitude likely comes from the rink. Joseph started skating at five years old in Texas. If you know anything about hockey, you know that Texas isn't heralded as a hotbed for the sport. “There were maybe two teams,” Joseph says. When he moved to Western New York, he didn't just join a new team; he joined a different world. He was behind his peers in reps but determined to catch up on the ice. “Coming here, the hockey culture is a lot different. I had to practice a lot more just to get to where everyone else was,” he recalls.

He brought that same grit to the classroom. Joseph is honest about the fact that school wasn't always something he looked forward to. But he still points to a sixth-grade geography project with Mr. Cammarata as a turning point. They had to design their own countries, draw the maps, and build a world from scratch. It was the first time school felt less like a series of chores and more like a puzzle to solve. “That was the first time I thought, this is actually fun,” he says.

That interest in how things are built eventually spilled over into his life outside of school. Growing up in a family of business owners, Joseph has always been a "shop talk" kid. It’s what led him and his friend Finn Riordan ‘29 to start Scorch, their hot sauce company. What started as a small idea has grown into something much bigger, with full-scale production runs and orders being placed nationwide.

Joseph has taken on the work that makes the business function day to day—handling filings, coordinating logistics, and helping move the product from idea to shelf. Balancing that with school hasn’t changed his approach. He treats it the same way he treats everything else: show up, figure it out, keep it moving.

Joseph isn't the kind of kid to shout about his achievements. He’s the kid who shows up early, stays late, and takes the harder classes because he knows they’ll help him later.

His advice for the new kids? It’s pretty simple: don't overthink it. “People here are really welcoming,” he says. “And you shouldn’t be afraid to take the harder classes. They help you more than you think.”

He’s still building, still practicing, and still making that long drive from Derby every morning. And if you ask him, he wouldn't have it any other way.