California State University Northridge Athletics
Photo by: Paul Trafecanty
Greg Moore Receives NCAS Giant Steps Award
4/8/2017 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
NORTHRIDGE, CA---
CSUN Baseball head coach Greg Moore has been named a winner of the 2017 National Consortium of Academics and Sports' (NCAS) prestigious National Student-Athlete Giant Steps Award. The awards are given in conjunction with the celebration of National Student-Athlete Day, a program of the NCAS, and are awarded to individuals who have overcome adversity while still succeeding in life, who use sport as a vehicle for positive social change, break down barriers to provide opportunities to those who normally not have them, and individuals who inspire others to do great things using the positive aspects of sports.Â
Also winning Giant Steps awards from the NCAS, Texas A&M University swimmer Jonathan Tybur and University of Arizona women's soccer's Alexis Selman were recognized for being courageous student-athletes, the 1969 University of Wyoming football team were honored as barrier breakers, Bonner Paddock, a founder of the OM Foundation and Team Jake, was selected as a civic leader and Beckham Zobrist was honored as a courageous "hero among us."
Moore will be honored for receiving the award in a special pregame ceremony prior to the Matadors hosting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.Â
"It's an honor to receive a Giant Steps Award," said Moore. "I look forward to meeting the people who run the NCAS. It's such an enduring, thoughtful and productive organization. Their creed is "changing lives through sports," which is something they've done for over 30 years. It's what we try to do by coaching and in education. I want to thank the NCAS for highlighting students, coaches and educators. It may be an unintended consequence of an award like this, but I'm sure each coach that attends their banquet gets better by association. I look forward to that.
"Second, the nomination came from someone on campus that I deeply respect," said Moore about Teiana Jones, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Academic Services. "Teiana's as dedicated and as intelligent a person I've met in 17 years of coaching. When someone you respect appreciates the work that baseball is doing, it's a meaningful nod. At the heart of this award, our student-athletes are working hard on campus. It reflects the effort of our coaching staff and Matador Baseball players to not only work, but to prioritize the right way."
Coaching is much more than calling the shots on the field, but helping to create well-rounded individuals who will succeed in all aspects of their lives. In an effort to help his players meet the rigorous day-to-day challenges posed by being Division I baseball student-athletes, Moore created and led "Diamond University," a life skills and personal development course for members of the baseball team.Â
After taking over as head coach of the team in 2013, Moore brought the program to CSUN and has been able to share the message with their student-athletes and the community about life and sports. The program gives perspective on what it means to be an athlete. At the same time it builds an increased appreciation for the day-to-day life of a Division I baseball player.Â
Ultimately, the goal for the life skills program is to tie in how each and every action off the field translates to success on the field and how the skills needed to succeed in one mirror those needed for the other.Â
This off the field education translates into success on the field. His team has 20 hours per day when they are not playing baseball and he teaches them that everything else matters as well. When student-athletes are on the field or in the classroom, they have a clear and focused mind, and understand how to achieve success and learn from failure.Â
Moore focuses on the team's overall GPA, which has gone up consistently and reached its highest semester average since 2009 last fall. He also focuses on individual accomplishments to see who could be doing better and who had grown academically. To Moore, it's all important.Â
Winners have been chosen from a pool of nominees received around the country and will be honored at the annual Giant Steps Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, October 26 in Orlando, FL.Â
About National Student-Athlete Day and Week at CSUN
Every year, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and NCAA lead member institutions in celebrating National Student-Athlete Day, which recognizes the accomplishments of student-athletes who excel in the classroom, on the playing fields and who give back to their community through service projects. For the third consecutive year, CSUN Athletics is taking this directive to the next level by honoring its student-athletes for an entire week. Daily from Monday, April 3 to Saturday, April 8, www.GoMatadors.com will give fans a closer look at Matador student-athletes, focusing on leadership, community service and academic achievement.
Portions of this announcement are courtesy of the NCAS.
Official NCASÂ Giant Steps Winners Release
Â
CSUN Baseball head coach Greg Moore has been named a winner of the 2017 National Consortium of Academics and Sports' (NCAS) prestigious National Student-Athlete Giant Steps Award. The awards are given in conjunction with the celebration of National Student-Athlete Day, a program of the NCAS, and are awarded to individuals who have overcome adversity while still succeeding in life, who use sport as a vehicle for positive social change, break down barriers to provide opportunities to those who normally not have them, and individuals who inspire others to do great things using the positive aspects of sports.Â
Also winning Giant Steps awards from the NCAS, Texas A&M University swimmer Jonathan Tybur and University of Arizona women's soccer's Alexis Selman were recognized for being courageous student-athletes, the 1969 University of Wyoming football team were honored as barrier breakers, Bonner Paddock, a founder of the OM Foundation and Team Jake, was selected as a civic leader and Beckham Zobrist was honored as a courageous "hero among us."
Moore will be honored for receiving the award in a special pregame ceremony prior to the Matadors hosting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.Â
"It's an honor to receive a Giant Steps Award," said Moore. "I look forward to meeting the people who run the NCAS. It's such an enduring, thoughtful and productive organization. Their creed is "changing lives through sports," which is something they've done for over 30 years. It's what we try to do by coaching and in education. I want to thank the NCAS for highlighting students, coaches and educators. It may be an unintended consequence of an award like this, but I'm sure each coach that attends their banquet gets better by association. I look forward to that.
"Second, the nomination came from someone on campus that I deeply respect," said Moore about Teiana Jones, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Academic Services. "Teiana's as dedicated and as intelligent a person I've met in 17 years of coaching. When someone you respect appreciates the work that baseball is doing, it's a meaningful nod. At the heart of this award, our student-athletes are working hard on campus. It reflects the effort of our coaching staff and Matador Baseball players to not only work, but to prioritize the right way."
Coaching is much more than calling the shots on the field, but helping to create well-rounded individuals who will succeed in all aspects of their lives. In an effort to help his players meet the rigorous day-to-day challenges posed by being Division I baseball student-athletes, Moore created and led "Diamond University," a life skills and personal development course for members of the baseball team.Â
After taking over as head coach of the team in 2013, Moore brought the program to CSUN and has been able to share the message with their student-athletes and the community about life and sports. The program gives perspective on what it means to be an athlete. At the same time it builds an increased appreciation for the day-to-day life of a Division I baseball player.Â
Ultimately, the goal for the life skills program is to tie in how each and every action off the field translates to success on the field and how the skills needed to succeed in one mirror those needed for the other.Â
This off the field education translates into success on the field. His team has 20 hours per day when they are not playing baseball and he teaches them that everything else matters as well. When student-athletes are on the field or in the classroom, they have a clear and focused mind, and understand how to achieve success and learn from failure.Â
Moore focuses on the team's overall GPA, which has gone up consistently and reached its highest semester average since 2009 last fall. He also focuses on individual accomplishments to see who could be doing better and who had grown academically. To Moore, it's all important.Â
Winners have been chosen from a pool of nominees received around the country and will be honored at the annual Giant Steps Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, October 26 in Orlando, FL.Â
About National Student-Athlete Day and Week at CSUN
Every year, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and NCAA lead member institutions in celebrating National Student-Athlete Day, which recognizes the accomplishments of student-athletes who excel in the classroom, on the playing fields and who give back to their community through service projects. For the third consecutive year, CSUN Athletics is taking this directive to the next level by honoring its student-athletes for an entire week. Daily from Monday, April 3 to Saturday, April 8, www.GoMatadors.com will give fans a closer look at Matador student-athletes, focusing on leadership, community service and academic achievement.
Portions of this announcement are courtesy of the NCAS.
Official NCASÂ Giant Steps Winners Release
Â
Friday, February 13
Saturday, January 24
Thursday, December 11
Thursday, December 11