Westmont College Athletics

By Ron Smith
September 17, 2018
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Westmont Women's Basketball head coach Kirsten Moore was named the 2019 NAIA Coach of Character. Moore will be honored at the NAIA National Convention to be held in West Palm Beach, Florida, next April.
 
Moore joins 14 previous recipients of the NAIA Coach of Character Award including Westmont's Russell Smelley, the 2015 honoree. The annual award is given to a head coach of an NAIA institution who has been outstanding in embracing the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative, using methods of teaching character through sport, and in community leadership through volunteering or service.
 
"Kirsten could be nominated for this award on an annual basis," said Westmont athletic director Dave Odell, "this particular year seems even more exceptional. The national title her team accomplished in 2013 may actually be second to this year's national championship runner-up trophy, given the adversity her team faced throughout the year. Despite the challenges, Kirsten did not allow circumstances to stand in the way of opportunities to mentor and lead.
 
"Kirsten led her team through a series of evacuations in the 2017-2018 season as a result of fires and mudslides around our campus. Over the course of six weeks, her players were only able to spend four days in their dorms. Kirsten and her daughter were with the team as they stayed in hotels, dorms at The Masters University and found hosts to feed the team and assist in getting them through a very trying time for our community. Her ability to lead her team through fires, mudslides, evacuations, and lost class time were exemplary. To accomplish a national runner-up after so many trials was a testament to her grit and care for her program.
 
"Given Kirsten's own experience of deep loss with her husband Alex's passing six years ago, she brought a unique level of empathy to lead the support of a family and neighboring elementary school through the devastating loss of a daughter and classmate who was one of the many casualties from the mudslides we experienced. She and her team were there for the family of the girl and helped host her memorial. Their connection to the local community and ability to give back in a difficult time was noteworthy."
 
Moore's impact on her student-athletes is nearly impossible to overstate.
 
"Among many things, she taught me that leading is best in the service of others and that no matter how large, to always face life's challenges with determination and perseverance," said former student-athlete Jillian (Wilber) Heckman ('13). "For those who know Kirsten Moore, they know that she lives her life with the upmost integrity, selflessness, and perseverance."
 
"Kirsten's life story in itself is a testament to her character, but what is most astounding as a player, is her unwavering focus on doing what is right," said former student-athlete Lauren McCoy ('18). "In my four years, I have never questioned her decisions, action, or a way of handling tough situations because I could fully trust that her motivations were purely for the betterment of our team and her players as individuals."
 
"Coach Moore has every team she coaches formulate an identity statement based on what they want to be about every year," explained McCoy. "This Identity has connections to the sport, but it's often times more about the way the team hopes to represent themselves and their school by the end of the season. With lines such as 'driven by resilient light,' and 'in unity we overcome,' and 'with grit and gratitude' the statements her teams profess at the beginning of the year become the true benchmark for success by the end of the season. Win or lose, Coach Moore consistently reminds us that it is most important to be who we said we would be – sacrificial teammates, honorable members of society, and passionate players."
 
Westmont Baseball head coach Robert Ruiz, who authored Moore's nomination, said, "I can't think of a more deserving person for such an honorable distinction. What is most special about Kirsten and her character as a coach and as a leader is that these attributes have been their brightest in the most difficult and trying times of her career. She has influenced many along the way by modeling exceptional character in the face of adversity, trials and challenge. She is a true servant leader and her impact on this community has been immeasurable."
 
"Kirsten is an exceptional coach," said Golden State Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Daniels, "but even more of an exceptional person. Her character can be seen in how she coaches and the student-athletes that she leads. Kirsten has made an impact at Westmont and we are thrilled that she is receiving this honor nationally."
 
In addition to her responsibilities at Westmont, Moore has worked with USA Basketball to build up the game on the national level. In September 2017, Westmont welcomed USA Basketball to the Westmont campus for a conference entitled Women' in the Game. Participants were able to watch the US Women's National Team in Murchison Gymnasium for its first practice of the season. Additionally, she is concluding a six-year, two-term appointment to the WBCA as the only NAIA representative on that coaches association.
 
Moore and the 2018-19 Warriors will begin the season on November 1 with an exhibition game at Cal and two days later travel to Westwood for another exhibition at UCLA.