Coaches Spotlight- Rik Moore
1- Congrats on having a great regular season. When did you first become interested in Track and Field?
Since HS I have always been a huge decathlon fan. The superintendent in Franklin County convinced me I was interested in Track and field my first year teaching.
2- Did you compete in HS or College as an athlete? or another Sport?
I competed a couple of years in HS, not very seriously. Played FB and wrestled in HS.
.3- Describe your journey from novice Coach to your Head Coaching position now
Still trying to get better every day, every year so that I can give the athletes all the resources possible to improve.
4- How important is it to have the full support of the AD and resources available to succeed?
Very important as you try to grow from a team into a program.
5- What are some of the challenges in building a successful program?
Getting athletes to buy into your system, having enough quality coaches to work with those athletes, establishing program support within the school, and establishing a supporting booster organization.
6- Do you have a supportive Track Booster Club?
Ours is very supportive and has allowed our program to grow in terms of athlete and coach support and putting on great fund raising events and hosting quality meets.
7- Has Middle Track the past few years in your feeder schools helped contribute to the HS program's success?
We have no feeder program
8- What are your program's Goals every season? County/Region title, State Championship?
Program goals, improve every athlete’s performance, compete for region and state title
9- Assess your team's Region meet and the challenges faced at Sectionals to advance.
We were able to qualify athletes for the finals at region and score points by getting there now the ones that have qualified for sectionals must take that step to qualify for Jefferson.
10- What advancements should the GHSA make to bring our Sport on par with the 'other' 47 states ?
The issues with our sport go well beyond the GHSA. People in other states probably ask what can they do to get football and baseball on the same level as Georgia.
Bonus- What has been among your favorite accomplishments for the school you now coach at?
Having all 3 of my daughters involved with the track and field program at Mill Creek High School