On September 10th, 2011, college football history was made in a game between the Faulkner Eagles led Ave Maria 24-0 in the second quarter for a regular season matchup. Faulkner Kicker Alan Moore came onto the field for a field goal, the kicker was in his second season in college football with his first season coming over 40-years ago. Moore played football in college as a kicker back in 1968, but during the middle of his first season the Vietnam War was raging on and with the draft looming Alan Moore dropped out of college to enlist in the draft. Moore was 18-years old and thought he can take on anything in his way, when he came back there was no time for football as he now had a family to focus on. The pigskin sport just was a memory for post war Moore.
Fast forward to 2009: Alan Moore is now 59-years old and was just laid off from his construction job, he then found himself with a lot of spare time. “I went and bought a pair of shoes, and I started kicking.” Moore said as he practiced every day, first on homemade goal posts in his daughter’s back yard to then at a local high school field. Alan Moore used the same straight-on kicking style he used those handful of decades ago to master his kick, at that point all Alan Moore needed was a place to play.
Alan Moore attended the campus of Faulkner University, a small Christian college in Montgomery. Moore got straight to the point when meeting the football coaching staff, saying “I want to show people that no matter what the circumstances, what the deal, that they need to finish what it is they started.” The team agreed to bring him on, all Moore needed at that point was a waiver that would allow him to play and in August the NAIA granted Moore’s request. At 61-years young Moore moved into his dorm for the first time since 1968.
September 10th, 2011: Alan Moore is now part of the team and is suited up for every game, up to this point though Moore has not seen any action, but with Faulkner in the process of a blowout win going into halftime against Ave Maria; Alan Moore got his chance. Alan Moore, a Vietnam veteran, father of three and a grandfather of five and a player who is older than any other on the field times three, has stepped on the field with the word “believe” written on one cleat. Alan Moore lined up with the ball, ran to it and kicked it high and far between the goal posts to give his team three points. Alan Moore has made the field goal to make the score 27-0 going into halftime. Alan Moore has also become the oldest person in college football history to kick a field goal. At 61-years old Alan Moore has done something that no one else has done ever.
In a statement postgame Moore said, "Never give up on anything. Never never give up. That's what I tell these kids out here, never give up, that's what I tell my grandkids, never give up. Believe in yourself, never give up." Alan Moore never gave up and with that he lived his dream.
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