Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 35, to, 3
Final
Football
35
vs Illinois State
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Family Provides Strength for Moore
September 26, 2007 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- Most people might assume that the
love of the game for collegiate athletes would outweigh
all else. The athletes' drive, hard work and passion
for what they do best is focused toward their game
and improvement of skills.
Football is very important to Sooner senior offensive lineman Sherrone Moore but it is the people in his life who he holds near and dear to him who take top priority.
These people are his main sources of strength and support, no matter if they are across the country or overseas. At an early age, Moore had to deal with being away from his father, who was working in California, thousands of miles away from him. However, this only brought Moore closer to his family.
"I take pride in putting family first," Moore said. "My parents have always let me go my own way and I love them for that."
Family first is a priority for others around the Sooner football team.
"Coach (Bob) Stoops tells us that football is important, but your family and whatever you believe in have to come first," Moore said. "I really respect coach for that. There are certain things in life that you just have to focus on."
Moore explained that his parents made him the focus of their lives, and even when they were not all physically together, a family bond was always present.
"From about pre-school until the beginning of seventh grade, I lived in New Jersey with my mom and my aunt," Moore said. "We have family there on both sides of the family, so we were all very close."
After living on opposite sides of the country for about seven years, Moore's mother, Debra, decided that moving closer to California where Sherrone's dad was working would be more better for both of them.
"When we were in living in Kansas, I got to see my dad every summer," Moore said. "The two of us were really close."
After the return home to Derby, Kansas, Moore's schedule was filled with class work and competition in wrestling and basketball. As a high sophomore, he made the switch from the mats and the hardwood to the turf.
"They had me on defense for a while, but then I found out I was going to play offense. I started on the varsity team my junior year," Moore said. "It was kind of weird since I had never played offense before, but it worked out pretty nicely."
While the switch from defense to offense was an unexpected change, it was advice from his father that played a role in his attitude and performance. That advice helps make him a great success as an offensive lineman.
"My dad told me when it's your time to always step up and take action," Moore said. "Take action and do what you have to do."
Moore continued to follow his father's advice, even when he was finished with his high school football career at Derby High School. The end of high school also marked the beginning of a bigger separation from his father, who was sent to Iraq to work as a field manager for an oil company just about the time Moore graduated.
The separation was, and still is, hard for both Moore and his mother. Through family bonds and the determination that both his mother and father helped instill in him, Moore continued his career at Butler County Community College before he signed with Oklahoma and joined the Sooners.
Despite the distance, Moore still had the love and support of both parents for his football career and getting through the hard times of being apart.
"I get to talk to my dad almost every day and we e-mail a lot," Moore said. "I try to see how he's doing over there and what he's doing. He's more interested in what's going on over here. I also talk to my mom every day. Prayer also helps me through hard days."
The mental and physical aspects of football are the hardest parts of the game for Moore. He believes that the support he and his parents share is the thing that keeps the bond strong in their family. In a few weeks, Moore's father returns home from Iraq and father and son will be reunited to spend some overdue time together.
"I just want to see him. He'll probably come up and we'll just hang out," Moore said.
Even though Moore's family has not always been together physically, the strength that they have has helped him realize the most important things for himself.
"You've just got to realize that you have to live life like you can and live your life the right way," Moore said.
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Feature by Stephanie Turner | OU Athletics Media Relations
Football is very important to Sooner senior offensive lineman Sherrone Moore but it is the people in his life who he holds near and dear to him who take top priority.
These people are his main sources of strength and support, no matter if they are across the country or overseas. At an early age, Moore had to deal with being away from his father, who was working in California, thousands of miles away from him. However, this only brought Moore closer to his family.
"I take pride in putting family first," Moore said. "My parents have always let me go my own way and I love them for that."
Family first is a priority for others around the Sooner football team.
"Coach (Bob) Stoops tells us that football is important, but your family and whatever you believe in have to come first," Moore said. "I really respect coach for that. There are certain things in life that you just have to focus on."
Moore explained that his parents made him the focus of their lives, and even when they were not all physically together, a family bond was always present.
"From about pre-school until the beginning of seventh grade, I lived in New Jersey with my mom and my aunt," Moore said. "We have family there on both sides of the family, so we were all very close."
After living on opposite sides of the country for about seven years, Moore's mother, Debra, decided that moving closer to California where Sherrone's dad was working would be more better for both of them.
"When we were in living in Kansas, I got to see my dad every summer," Moore said. "The two of us were really close."
After the return home to Derby, Kansas, Moore's schedule was filled with class work and competition in wrestling and basketball. As a high sophomore, he made the switch from the mats and the hardwood to the turf.
"They had me on defense for a while, but then I found out I was going to play offense. I started on the varsity team my junior year," Moore said. "It was kind of weird since I had never played offense before, but it worked out pretty nicely."
While the switch from defense to offense was an unexpected change, it was advice from his father that played a role in his attitude and performance. That advice helps make him a great success as an offensive lineman.
"My dad told me when it's your time to always step up and take action," Moore said. "Take action and do what you have to do."
Moore continued to follow his father's advice, even when he was finished with his high school football career at Derby High School. The end of high school also marked the beginning of a bigger separation from his father, who was sent to Iraq to work as a field manager for an oil company just about the time Moore graduated.
The separation was, and still is, hard for both Moore and his mother. Through family bonds and the determination that both his mother and father helped instill in him, Moore continued his career at Butler County Community College before he signed with Oklahoma and joined the Sooners.
Despite the distance, Moore still had the love and support of both parents for his football career and getting through the hard times of being apart.
"I get to talk to my dad almost every day and we e-mail a lot," Moore said. "I try to see how he's doing over there and what he's doing. He's more interested in what's going on over here. I also talk to my mom every day. Prayer also helps me through hard days."
The mental and physical aspects of football are the hardest parts of the game for Moore. He believes that the support he and his parents share is the thing that keeps the bond strong in their family. In a few weeks, Moore's father returns home from Iraq and father and son will be reunited to spend some overdue time together.
"I just want to see him. He'll probably come up and we'll just hang out," Moore said.
Even though Moore's family has not always been together physically, the strength that they have has helped him realize the most important things for himself.
"You've just got to realize that you have to live life like you can and live your life the right way," Moore said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Feature by Stephanie Turner | OU Athletics Media Relations
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