Coach by day, dad by night, Elizabethtown College’s head basketball coach Britt Moore has a full plate. This is Moore’s first season coaching here at Etown, and he’s excited to be on campus.
Moore was named the 12th coach in the College’s history at the beginning of May, after coach Bob Schlosser retired as head coach after 27 years.
Before coming to Etown, Moore coached at another division three school, the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, for six years. Prior to his time at Pitt-Bradford, he was an assistant coach for Albright College for five years.
At Pitt-Bradford, Moore averaged 13 wins per season and advanced to the AMCC tournament every season he coached the team. He also led his team to the AMCC semifinals in 2013 and 2016. Moore had a big impact on his players at Pitt-Bradford in helping them becoming stronger athletes.
In his first season at Pitt-Bradford (2011-2012), two of Moore’s athletes earned all-conference recognition. The next year, the team earned its best start in over 20 years, finishing the season 13-13. Moore’s best season at Pitt-Bradford was in 2013-2014 when he led the team to a 16-11 finish.
Moore felt good about leaving Pitt-Bradford. “The one assistant coach was able to take the position when I left, so I felt good leaving the team with a familiar person,” Moore said. “It was comfortable for everyone in the transition.”
In the athletic department, Moore also oversees the lifeguard staff during open swim hours at the pool. “It’s a team effort here in the department,” he said.
Moore played on the Etown team for 2 years so coming back to Etown as a coach was a bit “weird.”
“It was crazy,” Moore said. “During the interview process here, we walked out back, and it was weird seeing my old dorm. Overall though, it’s been welcoming.”
As the coach here, he hopes that he can bring the team back into a competitive program. Thursday, Nov. 2, they played an exhibition game in Baltimore against Division I opponent Loyola University. This was the team’s first game against a DI team since 1990. The Greyhounds defeated the Blue Jays 83-57, but the game was a teaching moment for the team, helping them figure out how to put up a fight against strong teams.
At the exhibition, Moore was encouraged about about the team’s future this season. During the game, the team stayed motivated and fought hard against the Greyhounds. This left Moore optimistic and excited to dive in to the upcoming season.
Moore’s favorite thing about Etown is the people. “I always just feel welcome here, coming back has been great. There’s a close-knit feeling on this campus,” he said.
Although Moore is passionate about basketball, right now his kids aren’t in the same boat. His five-year-old daughter wants to own a boutique and be a fashion designer (a learned trade from her Barbies) and his three-year-old son wants to be a firefighter.
Moore’s most memorable moments being a coach are non-basketball related. He enjoys seeing a player graduate and getting invited to weddings. “It’s the bond that I get to grow through this relationship as a coach,” Moore said.
Schlosser also had the same mindset. It was never about the stats and numbers, but about the people and the relationships. Moore hopes that during his time here he will also grow strong bonds and with already feeling so welcome he is excited for what’s up ahead.
