Often times, athlete’s stories are solely defined by the sport they play. At Monday’s press conference, UVa’s Trent Corney said that as a student-athlete “there is so much more to my story than being a heavily recruited athlete out of high school.” Corney added: “I don’t want to be one dimensional.”
Corney later went on to talk about growing up in a small town in Canada, playing hockey, and having to get adjusted to American football.
Looking out on to the field, fans see student-athletes as warriors, often neglecting to remember that behind the helmets, underneath the jerseys and pads, a real person exists, someone who has family, friends, and a life outside of college football.
Often times we only see one dimension of a student-athlete’s life, but at Monday senior defensive end Kwontie Moore of Norfolk, Va., took the podium and shared his story – a story that stretches far beyond the football field.
“It was a Thursday night and I fell asleep, got the call from [his older brother Roderick] that DeMarco [his oldest brother], was shot twice,” Moore said.
The incident occurred on Feb. 3 of last year in Huntsville, Ala. According to media reports, DeMarco Moore, 23, was visiting a house and was shot upon entry by a man wearing a ski mask. He died at the scene.
Two days after the murder, Kwontie Moore skipped conditioning practice and headed to Huntsville “to look for the individual who might have been associated with his brother’s death,” said UVa coach Mike London.
After Moore was unable to find the potential shooter, he returned back to Charlottesville only to find out that he would be suspended from the team for skipping practice. London said, “There was a time when he might not be sitting at this podium.”
“Not finding the guy probably ended up saving his [Moore’s] life or gave him the opportunity to extend the opportunities that he has right now,” London added. “It could have turned tragic, not only for losing a family member, but it could have turned tragic for him as well as another young man who gets caught up in the cycle, seeking revenge.”
London was the first person that Moore called upon his return. “He always encouraged me,” Moore said of his relationship with London. “He was always there. He was the gateway between me and everyone else.”
During this difficult time of grief, Moore said, “The best thing I had was the team. My teammates kept me together.”
In the months to follow, London selected Moore to sit on the team’s leadership council. When asked about his leadership role on the team Moore said it goes beyond the field because he has been there.
“Because of what my team did for me when I was going through the bottom, the lows and stuff, I’m able to be an example,” Moore said. “When you’re in the lows, you come holler at me. You come and let me know. I’m here for you.”
For those who want to criticize London,read this and understand why the players Love him,