Gary Moore, Alfred State College class of 1976, is head coach of the full spectrum of running sports on campus: men's and women's cross-country, men's and women's indoor track, and men's and women's outdoor track. Additionally, he is the director of intramurals.Whew! And he loves every minute of it.
Exuding a warmth that can only be born of contentment, Gary speaks fondly of his time at Alfred State College, beginning with his salad days as a student all the way through the years to today, where he returns the favor that so influenced his life-that of guiding young athletes to their maximum potential-in the classroom as well as on the field.
Noting that coaches often have a big influence on the lives of athletes, Gary recalls that his first major athletic influence was his father, the athletic director and basketball and baseball coach at local Alfred-Almond Central School.
"He never discouraged me from pursuing the sport that I loved, even if it was different from the ones he coached," Gary says fondly. "He let me make my own decisions, but I always knew he was there to help and support me."
"Another of the major lessons I learned from my father was the time and commitment it takes to be a good athlete and a good coach."
Time that Gary has willingly given, and time that, apparently, has been well spent.
Gary's dedication to running is evident in his own life as well as in the lives of the students he coaches.
After earning a bachelor's degree in physical education at SUNY Brockport in 1978, (and eventually earning a master's degree in administration and coaching from the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg) Gary became aware of a coaching job at his alma mater and returned to Alfred State, becoming ASC's swim coach at that time.
Although Gary had been a successful runner during his time as a student at Alfred State, in the two years between his graduation and his return, the cross-country program had been dropped. It was Gary's desire to re-instate the program a task which he accomplished beyond all expectations.
The Pioneers, under Gary's guidance, have ranked among the top teams in Region III NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) competition since Gary assumed leadership of the program in 1979. In addition, ASC's program has produced numerous conference, district, and regional individual and team champions, many top finishes at the NJCAA Championships, a host of All-Americans, and many runners who have successfully competed at higher levels.
Gary himself was named NJCAA Coach of the Year in 1984. In 1994-95, he and his assistant coach were named the NJCAA Region III Indoor Tack and Field Coaching Staff of the Year.
Gary, a "player-coach," is a familiar sight in running gear as he circles the campus daily, practicing what he preaches. Thus, he has gained success not only as a coach, but also as a runner.
Gary was named ASC Athlete of the year in 1978 and has competed in the U.S. Marathon Championships; finished seventh in the Philly Marathon with 2:25:56; run the Boston Marathon; won the Empire State Games marathon with a 2:35:10 record; and most recently, finished 145th overall and 18th in his age group (Masters) at the prestigious New York Marathon in the late '90s.
One of the greatest lessons he's learned during his years at Alfred, notes Gary, is to never give up on anyone-student or athlete.
"We can all overcome obstacles and problems in our backgrounds," he says. "That's in part why Alfred State College exists: to help those individuals and allow them to get into school and earn a college degree. We need to remember that purpose when we deal with students," both academically and athletically, he notes.
And because of this philosophy, Gary says, there are many, many success stories from the ranks of his athletes-not that all of them were "stars," he recalls, but they have gone on to continue their educations, find employment in fields they enjoy, and continue to participate in the sport they love.
And that, for Coach Gary Moore, is success.