Will Bradley
Elite high school football recruits know The University of Alabama has the best of everything – coaches, game and training facilities and locker rooms.
That reputation resonates long before recruits officially visit campus.
Malachi Moore, a graduate student and defensive back for the Crimson Tide, had even more influence as a four-star recruit at Hewitt-Trussville High School, just over an hour from Tuscaloosa. Moore spent time on campus while attending junior days and visiting a trio of former high school teammates that played at UA before signing with the Tide and enrolling in 2020.
Beyond the championship standard for football, Moore said he was wowed during his official visit, when faculty and counselors explored the true potential of his athletics scholarship.
“My official visit had more one one-on-one time with someone from my department to talk with my family and me about my major and career options,” he said. “That really stood out and showed me that the athletic department took that seriously, if not more important than the game.”
As Moore enters his second year in the master’s program in sports management, he happily recounts the “significant impact” of his scholarship to UA. He credits the support staff in UA Athletics, who’ve helped him manage the rigors of coursework, training and the expectations of playing football at Alabama.
“Young players can get weighed down by the workload, and it can be taxing on your mind and your body,” Moore said. “And injuries, especially when you have to sit out a long time, can be tough to deal with. But our support network is second to none. We always have therapists like Dr. G (Ginger Gilmore, director of behavioral medicine for UA Athletics) to talk with, even when we’re in a good mood.”
When Moore completed his bachelor’s degree in communication, he was unsure of his next move. He aspired to be a broadcaster and considered a future in athletic training or coaching. But with remaining eligibility at UA, he pondered, “how can I become more well-rounded?” Moore settled on sports management and will complete his first year of graduate school in May 2024.
“There’s always a professor who can point you in the right direction, which is what makes UA special,” he said. “People like Dr. (Carla) Blakey, do a great job of getting students ready for the interview process and connected to jobs, more real-life situations.”
As Moore readies for his fifth and final season at UA along with future career pathways, both on and off the field, he’ll take time to appreciate the simplest aspects of the UA experience.
“On a nice day, when it’s not too hot or cold and the sun is out but not beaming,” Moore said, “you can really appreciate where you are and all the history around you. It’s great just to walk around and reflect.”
The Crimson Standard component of The Rising Tide Capital Campaign will continue to strengthen privately funded scholarships for student-athletes to flourish in athletics competition and in the classroom.
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