Moore leadership and a legacy to pass onwards

By Jennie Reid

Coming off winning the USARL National Championship and also being selected for the USA Hawks national team, Curt’s rise through the Rugby League ranks is impressive considering he’s only being playing the sport less than two years.

Throughout the playoffs he impressed with his physical strength and success playing for the Boston 13s, who shocked USARL fans when they defeated 3 time Champions Philadelphia in the North Conference Finals.

At 6’3’’ (1.09m), 285lbs (129 kg), physical qualities and athleticism of rugby league has been natural for Curt and he truly feels that his athletic and mental skills are attributable to the strength of leaders who have shown him the way. Constant collaboration from leaders of the team, who always have a gone above and beyond to game plan and teach habits of the game has been vital to the mentoring of Curt’s athletic mental preparedness and enhancing his physical strength.

Before he began playing rugby, the guidance of his football coach, Dennis Riley at West Liberty High School and continued with Derek Moore, at Upper Iowa University, which formed the foundations of his mental strength that he carries to today.

During college Curt was injured for two years and had to watch the game from the sidelines, was pushed by Derek not to succumb to his injury and be a victim but to embrace the challenge it presented. Derek would stay after practice to individually coach him, teaching him the nuances of the game, how to review game footage, prepare mentally and more importantly, how to conduct himself as a man.

“Derek Moore not only helped me in life, but also encouraged me not to let my major injury get in the way of my goals.”

In 2013, Derek Moore was devastatingly killed in a shooting outside of a movie theatre on November 1, 2013 (http://www.mssu.edu/news/2013/november/derek-moore.php). His legacy will live on through Curt, who will always strongly uphold what he learned from Derek.

Curt’s Rugby career started playing union for Des Moines Rugby Football Club in Iowa. He then moved to Florida and played for the Naples Rugby Football Club, where under Head Coach, Bryan Vince his skills were taken to the next level while winning a number of competitions.

During this time, his talent was definitely getting recognized and he was in the 2011 USA Rugby South (All-Region) player pool, and later selected for the team in 2012 defeating 2011 NACRA champions and #48 IRB ranked Bermuda 38-33. That same year saw him take home the silver in a private international rugby sevens competition on Team Ireland, playing alongside Munster stand-out Barry Murphy.

A move to Boston in 2012 led him to the Boston Rugby Football Club, and in 2014 was formally introduced to rugby league, thanks to the continued prodding of Salesi TongaMoa who recognized Curt’s running and tackling performance when they played on the 2012 NACRA team.

In the Boston 13s, the transition from Union to League with the was not an easy undertaking for Curt, as there was a lot to learn in his first season. In the Fall of 2014 he continued playing rugby union for the Boston Irish Wolfhounds but the summer rugby league season couldn’t have come fast enough. Curt had feeling that the Boston13s 2015 campaign would be a special one.

He credits his accomplishments this season to everyone but himself and highlighted the efforts of his Boston 13s teammates, most notably the leaders of the team, Coach Robin Peers, Dustin Cooper, JP Davis, Liam Georgetown, and Kane Bentley. JP Davis taught him the basics of rugby league and the countless nuances of the prop position.  He is grateful to his coaches who gave him plenty of game time to put what he learned into play on the pitch.

Another great leader who has mentored Curt is Kane Bentley. He also helped teach Curt rugby league and to focus on making the team better by teaching him how to react off of his aggressive play. Kane was a key influence on strengthening Curt’s mental side as well, such as how to be dynamic and challenging by preparing for the conditions of the championship game, like what to change about his play when it was raining during the Boston 13s national finals competition.

“The Boston 13s maintain a positive attitude. When the other team scores, we see it as a learning experience. “

Liam Georgetown of the Boston 13s also positively influenced Curt and the Boston 13s. As Kane does with the forwards, Liam does for the backs. Their team always maintains a positive mental attitude and their outlook on the other team scoring is that it is a learning experience.  It is mental skills, such as this, along with leadership characteristics, teamwork, and always striving to be better that he’s learned from playing rugby league.

For USARL to become more popular in the USA, Curt suggests more transparency and competitiveness. There is not significant awareness of the sport in the USA at this time, compared to the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia, for example. The combines and subsequent results for USARL national team selection for the Hawks was a step in the right direction for transparency and quantitatively demonstrating the abilities of the athletes.

Curt’s mission is to do his job and prioritize “first things first.” Family comes first in Curt’s life with his partner Brigitte Winegarner and four-month old son, Ivan Goddard, Jr. and prioritizes the team that he currently plays for and the upcoming match.  Rather than thinking too far ahead, his mindfulness is focused on being in the present. He is now proudly representing his country at the highest level with USARL, thanks to all who have helped him get to where he is today.

USA Hawks vs Canada Wolverines

• Sunday 1pm, September 20
• A.A.Garthwaite Stadium – Conshohocken (Philadelphia), PA.
• $5 entry / Kids under 12 FREE
• Enjoy food, drinks, prizes & giveaways! Happy hour specials begin at 12 noon.

USA Hawks Team

Kenny Britt (Warriors), Rodrigus Ceasar (Warriors), Ryan Burroughs (NOVA), Taylor Alley (Warriors), David Aguilar – Wing (Axemen), Rich Henson (Fight), Matt Walsh (Wildcats), Andrew Kneisly (Fight), Gareth Walker (Warriors), Marcos Flegmann (Boston, Jonathon Purnell (Axemen), Casey Clark (Fight), Kevin Wiggins (Black Foxes) BENCH: Nick Newlin (Rhinos), Terrance Williams (Rhinos), Curtis Goddard (Boston), Abe Cohen (Knights)