Life’s circles bring Amanda Moore back to Ohio State
2/1/2024 5:02:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse, The People
COLUMBUS – Amanda Moore had a birthday interview and two divergent career paths in front of her. As the former North Carolina lacrosse standout weighed her future, she spent her 22nd birthday interviewing with Ohio State for a job as an assistant coach that came with a cozy little office under the stands at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Moore knew almost immediately after starting with the Buckeyes that she chose correctly after passing on the other option in digital sports media. And that initial two-year stint in Columbus set her up for a professional journey that brought her back more than a decade later — with more spacious digs and now in charge of the entire program.
"I think my old office is storage," Moore said with a smile. "Everything has changed a lot. And when I was first here, you know, I wasn't even sure I wanted to coach. I thought I wanted to coach, but I wasn't really sure if it was going to be a career or not.
"I quickly realized after that first year here and the experience I had here initially that this was what I wanted to pursue as a career."
The Buckeyes saw the potential up close as well as Moore transitioned from playing to teaching the game, and both continued to follow their respective journeys in the years since then.
After additional coaching stops at Boston University and Duke University, Moore established herself as a program-builder after getting her first head-coaching job at East Carolina, inheriting a truly blank slate by taking the reins as the school launched its first lacrosse team under her leadership. In some ways, Moore views her work there as unfinished even after taking the Pirates from scratch to three consecutive winning seasons — but the opportunity to return to Ohio State was far too appealing to ignore.
The second interview with the Buckeyes wasn't a birthday present this time, and it also wasn't just a gift for somebody with previous ties to the scarlet and gray. Moore had earned her reputation as one of the best young coaches in women's lacrosse, and the Ohio State experience was a bonus for both sides.
"I think our new athletic director [Ross Bjork] said it in his press conference: The bus might only come once for Ohio State," Moore said. "I already knew how special place this was, and I still had such fond memories and esteem for Ohio State. The people and the tradition of this place are still the same.
"I had such a positive experience here, not just in the athletic department but also because Ohio State is such a large global brand. I think that they've always done things in a first-class manner with a lot of pride and respect to the brand and the people who serve it. So, I always was a fan from afar, and then just had kind of wondered what the identity of the program could be."
That mission falls to Moore now, and her vision unmistakably is built around a blue-collar work ethic for the Buckeyes.
Perhaps that might occasionally feel a bit different now for Moore in the cushier office space in the Schumaker Complex, a reminder that Ohio State has all the resources a coach could need to support a program. But if the winter weather happens to be a bit less than ideal, the Buckeyes have no problem stepping outside for practice to chase the kind of success their coach has proven she can deliver both as a player and dating back to a key decision after her 22nd birthday.
"When I left here, I was young, single and fabulous," Moore said. "And I moved back with a lot more, no doubt about that: a husband, a family and all the excitement that comes with small children with six living grandparents and all that.
"But how have I changed since then as a coach? I feel like my knowledge for the game has expanded immensely. I went from only working with goalies in my first two years here to overseeing the operation of an entire program."
The next step in the professional journey comes with a new office and a lot more responsibility now at Ohio State for Amanda Moore.
But she chose the right path for her the first time around, and the Buckeyes are banking on it paying off for the program again.
Note: The women's lacrosse team will open its 2024 schedule with a scrimmage against Vanderbilt on Friday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. at Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium. The regular season begins with home games vs. Robert Morris Feb. 9 and Kent State Feb. 11.
Moore knew almost immediately after starting with the Buckeyes that she chose correctly after passing on the other option in digital sports media. And that initial two-year stint in Columbus set her up for a professional journey that brought her back more than a decade later — with more spacious digs and now in charge of the entire program.
"I think my old office is storage," Moore said with a smile. "Everything has changed a lot. And when I was first here, you know, I wasn't even sure I wanted to coach. I thought I wanted to coach, but I wasn't really sure if it was going to be a career or not.
"I quickly realized after that first year here and the experience I had here initially that this was what I wanted to pursue as a career."
The Buckeyes saw the potential up close as well as Moore transitioned from playing to teaching the game, and both continued to follow their respective journeys in the years since then.
After additional coaching stops at Boston University and Duke University, Moore established herself as a program-builder after getting her first head-coaching job at East Carolina, inheriting a truly blank slate by taking the reins as the school launched its first lacrosse team under her leadership. In some ways, Moore views her work there as unfinished even after taking the Pirates from scratch to three consecutive winning seasons — but the opportunity to return to Ohio State was far too appealing to ignore.
The second interview with the Buckeyes wasn't a birthday present this time, and it also wasn't just a gift for somebody with previous ties to the scarlet and gray. Moore had earned her reputation as one of the best young coaches in women's lacrosse, and the Ohio State experience was a bonus for both sides.
"I think our new athletic director [Ross Bjork] said it in his press conference: The bus might only come once for Ohio State," Moore said. "I already knew how special place this was, and I still had such fond memories and esteem for Ohio State. The people and the tradition of this place are still the same.
"I had such a positive experience here, not just in the athletic department but also because Ohio State is such a large global brand. I think that they've always done things in a first-class manner with a lot of pride and respect to the brand and the people who serve it. So, I always was a fan from afar, and then just had kind of wondered what the identity of the program could be."
That mission falls to Moore now, and her vision unmistakably is built around a blue-collar work ethic for the Buckeyes.
Perhaps that might occasionally feel a bit different now for Moore in the cushier office space in the Schumaker Complex, a reminder that Ohio State has all the resources a coach could need to support a program. But if the winter weather happens to be a bit less than ideal, the Buckeyes have no problem stepping outside for practice to chase the kind of success their coach has proven she can deliver both as a player and dating back to a key decision after her 22nd birthday.
"When I left here, I was young, single and fabulous," Moore said. "And I moved back with a lot more, no doubt about that: a husband, a family and all the excitement that comes with small children with six living grandparents and all that.
"But how have I changed since then as a coach? I feel like my knowledge for the game has expanded immensely. I went from only working with goalies in my first two years here to overseeing the operation of an entire program."
The next step in the professional journey comes with a new office and a lot more responsibility now at Ohio State for Amanda Moore.
But she chose the right path for her the first time around, and the Buckeyes are banking on it paying off for the program again.
#GoBucks
Note: The women's lacrosse team will open its 2024 schedule with a scrimmage against Vanderbilt on Friday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. at Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium. The regular season begins with home games vs. Robert Morris Feb. 9 and Kent State Feb. 11.
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