Moore the Merrier : Redondo Senior Keeps a Full Athletic Schedule

Last fall, Tommy Robinson, the running backs coach at Utah State, was in Los Angeles to recruit players from Morningside High. Robinson was in the coach’s office watching a tape of a game between the Monarchs and Redondo High.

“That’s when I saw Scott,” Robinson said. “I was really impressed with his speed. He had great hands. He caught the ball real well. Scott really caught my eye. I felt like I had to go to Redondo High and see what’s going on with this kid.”

There are many things going on with Scott Moore. The Redondo senior is captain of the football and volleyball teams, and he recently joined the soccer team.

Moore demonstrated his versatility in football by playing defensive back and kicker his first two years at Redondo, then moving to running back and continuing his kicking duties for the last two seasons.

“I was impressed,” Robinson said.

Robinson called Utah State Coach Charlie Weatherbie to rave about the 5-foot-11, 187-pound Moore. Soon Weatherbie saw tapes of Moore, who rushed for 961 yards, made all three of his field-goal attempts and was 21 of 23 kicking extra points last season.

“Bring him in for a visit,” Weatherbie told Robinson.

So Moore, 17, traveled to snow-covered Logan, Utah. Would the weather deter this Southern California kid from signing with the Aggies?

“I like cold climates because I can ski,” Moore said.

A couple Utah State players showed Moore the campus during the day and the party scene at night. He loved the experience, but he was hoping that Weatherbie would allow him to play two positions, one being kicker.

“We’re not sure where we are going to use him because he’s so talented,” Weatherbie said. “We lost our inside receiver, so he many play that position. We lost our kicker and defensive back. He could fill any of those.”

That was all Moore needed to hear. He signed a letter of intent with Utah State on Feb. 3, the first day of the national signing period.

Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke said Utah State will make good use of Moore’s talents.

“They play a run-and-shoot,” said Hyduke, who played football with Moore’s father, Doug, at Mira Costa. “They use four wide receivers. (Moore) knows how to run with the ball and he has good hands.”

Moore molded himself into a football player in the weight room. He was 120 pounds when he entered Redondo. Hyduke said a Utah State coach told him that he expects Moore to reach 200 pounds.

If Moore had Bill Barlow around, it probably wouldn’t be hard.

Barlow, Redondo’s varsity soccer coach and special teams coach in football, has spent many hours during the last four years working with Moore on his kicking and his conditioning.

“He’ll take me down to the field at 9 at night,” Moore said. “We’ll turn on the lights and I’ll kick field goals.”

The extra practice helped Moore kick a 49-yard field goal in a game last season.

After the football season, Barlow persuaded Moore to play on the soccer team to improve his endurance.

Barlow didn’t care that Moore joined the squad midway through the season. Nor did he care that Moore’s only soccer experience was on club teams. He knew Moore was an athlete and would adjust.

In his first varsity game, Moore, a forward, scored two goals. After a 3-7 start, Redondo is 2-2-2 with Moore in the lineup.

After the soccer season, Moore will begin his fourth season on the Redondo volleyball team. He considered playing volleyball in college instead of football, but didn’t believe he was tall enough.

“(College players) are all 6-4 these days,” he said.

Moore has a 2.9 grade-point average. He hasn’t decided on a college major, but he has settled on a career: firefighter, just like his father.

On this particular day, Moore is alone on the soccer field at Redondo and kicking shots into an empty net at a wicked pace. He knows it is only a matter of time before his soccer career is over.

But, of course, there’s always intramurals in college. Moore said he plans on playing soccer and volleyball.

“I don’t think I’ll ever completely get away from the other sports,” he said.