Steve Moore was the Head Athletics Trainer at Tennessee Tech from 1968 through 1985, building the TTU sports medicine program from the ground up and caring for Golden Eagle student-athletes for 17 years. His commitment and professional contributions have earned him induction into the Tennessee Tech University Sports Hall of Fame. A native of Manchester, N.H., Moore earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont in 1962 and added his master’s degree two years later from Indiana University. During the summer of 1964, he was athletic trainer for the Miami Marlins minor league baseball team, and in August 1964 he took a post as assistant athletics trainer at IU.
Moore arrived at Tennessee Tech in 1968 to become the university’s first fill-time athletics trainer and established the sports medicine program. He developed an athletic training room in the lower level of Tucker Stadium, enlarging a program that had previously consisted of just a couple of tables for taping and other treatments. Throughout his career as Tech’s athletics trainer, Moore was a member of state, regional and national organizations and gained recognition from each. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association (SEATA) from 1968 to 1980 and also earned a SEATA Service Award. He received the NATA 25 Year Award in 1989 and was inducted into the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society (TATS) Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2003, he was inducted into the Tennessee Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. Moore has had numerous articles published in a variety of professional publications, including the Journal of Athletic Training.
In 1985, he left his position at Tech and worked for the next 13 years as an athletic trainer on the clinic level for Cookeville Sportsmedicine & Therapy Center, and Columbia Sports Medicine in Nashville where he was Outreach Athletic Trainer, serving 14 high schools in the Cookeville and upper Cumberland area. In addition to his professional career, Moore had also lent his care and expertise on the community level. He was a part-time EMT for the Putnam County EMS from 1979 through 1994 and worked as a volunteer fireman and Putnam County Rescue Squad.
He suffered a stroke in 1998, but refused to let that stop his contributions, organizing the Upper Cumberland Stroke Support Group. Among their works, the group provides workshops and clinics on stroke education. Within the community, he spearheaded the 9-11 “Light Up The Night” memorial in September, 2002, (a 9-11 reflect and remember memorial each September) and works with “Project Unlimited Support” to collect and send supplies to U.S. troops overseas. Hundreds of former Golden Eagle student-athletes can attest to Moore’s dedication and commitment in tirelessly providing them with the best possible care, including the famed “24-Hour Club” whenever needed to rehab players overnight.
Steve and his wife, Diane, have three grown children – Christi, Cindy and Michael, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and six grandchildren.