SOUTH BEND — Lunch period on a recent Friday afternoon at Edison Middle School included a surprise visitor for O’Shay Smith and two dozen of his Chargers football teammates.

Along with boxes of pepperoni and cheese pizza as a reward for the group, Notre Dame football All-America cornerback Leonard Moore stopped by to spend an hour or so with the aspiring young athletes in the school auditorium.

As part of his “Tackle Attendance” initiative, which included a similar visit to Clay International Academy the prior week, the 20-year-old Moore conducted a 30-minute question-and-answer session with the help of three moderators from Gentlemen and Scholars, a local nonprofit.

Smith, a 13-year-old eighth grader, stood as directed and asked two questions of Moore. One was about how he navigated the many distractions of a college football season and the other asked Moore to name his favorite teammate to work against in practice.

Wide receiver Micah Gilbert, Moore shared, has “some crazy shake to him.”

Later, as Moore interacted with the group in a less formal setting, Smith reflected on what he’d heard.

“What struck me the most about the way he carries himself,” Smith said, noting Moore’s openness in discussing his religious faith. The rising junior from Round Rock, Texas wore a black hooded sweatshirt with “I (Heart) Jesus” emblazoned across the front.

The highlight, Smith said, “definitely was just him explaining to us how he carries himself and how we can carry ourselves to not be like him but to just lead by example like he does.”

Smith, who previously met former Irish star Jeremiyah Love at another community event, said he drew “a lot of inspiration” from Moore’s words and the chance to meet active Notre Dame football players.

“It makes us feel like they care for us,” he said. “They don’t just care about the fame. They actually care about helping the community out and inspiring us.”

Smith plays cornerback, linebacker and quarterback for his school, but notably his first answer when asked his position on the team went beyond the field of play.

“My position?” he said. “A leader to lead by example and help (teammates) be successful in middle school and going on from there.”

Inside Leonard Moore’s “Tackle Attendance” program

Launched last September, Moore’s “Tackle Attendance” program emphasized the importance of staying on top of educational responsibilities.

It started with the football teams at Edison and Clay, but the hope is to expand it this fall to other area schools and perhaps to the general school population as well.

“A lot of them at this age, it’s, ‘what’s going to make me feel better?’” Edison principal Jesus Pedraza said. “It’s important for them to understand they need to have a plan and goals and know that their actions impact many others around them.”

In his second year at the school with an enrollment of 542 students, Pedraza said it’s “extremely important” for impressionable young people to meet their role models and to hear life strategies directly from them.  

“You see they’re trying to fit in, (deciding) what group they want to be in and who they are,” Pedraza said. “Listening to Leonard talk about being grounded and knowing who you’re doing things for … it’s important for this group of young men to know it (goes) beyond them, but it starts with them. They’re responsible for everything that they do and being present matters.”

Even in this short span, Pedraza said attendance was trending upward at Edison Middle School, in part due to “Tackle Attendance,” but the battle continues daily.

“Unfortunately, in our city, our area and in our school, the poverty rate is high,” Pedraza said. “With that, the students have to know just because they might come from low socioeconomic families, that should not be something that’s going to stop everything that they can be and the things they can accomplish.”

The youngest of three children, Moore has learned from the example of his parents, Leonard N. Moore and Thais Bass-Moore. His father is an acclaimed American history professor at the University of Texas and author of multiple works, including “Teaching Black History to White People.”  

Moore’s mother, a former University of Texas faculty member as well, is an accomplished actor, playwright and author who produced and starred in “Any Ordinary Day,” a comedic drama which enjoyed a six-show run last Labor Day weekend in New York City.

It was through one of Thais Bass-Moore’s friends that the family connected with William Douglas of Gentlemen and Scholars. A cousin of the family friend, Douglas and fellow directors Shane Williams and Cory Brazier hold weekly conference calls with the Moore’s to set goals for “Tackle Attendance” and help the young star expand his community reach.

When the moderators asked Moore to expound on the importance of poise and respecting women, the Edison students leaned forward as they heard real talk from a future NFL draft pick.

“One mistake can change your life,” Moore said. “A little immaturity right now or consistently being immature in certain situations, especially around women, that’s not just going to (impact you now). … You have to train yourself right now. One wrong decision can change your life.”

Why showing up matters

A quote frequently attributed to Hollywood legend Woody Allen seems particularly applicable to the “Tackle Attendance” initiative.

“Eighty percent of success is showing up,” Allen’s maxim holds.

“I have not heard that, but that’s a true quote,” Moore said after the middle schoolers had returned to class. “That’s what this is all about: showing up. You’re not going to get anything out of anything you do if you don’t show up and make yourself available to either learn or get better at something.”

That challenge only multiplies on the early mornings of a harsh Midwestern winter.

“Even on the tough days, where it’s 20 degrees out, 15 degrees out, you know Notre Dame’s not canceling class,” Moore said. “They’re not canceling anything. That’s the first thing we do is show up.”

Moore’s matter-of-fact delivery makes his connection with young audiences flow naturally. It wasn’t that long ago that he was in their shoes, deciding between football and basketball, the sport his older sisters played.

Having overcome childhood epilepsy and risen far beyond the modest projections of recruiting services, Moore takes nothing for granted, even as a final college victory lap awaits this fall.

Being voted a team captain is a stated goal. Leading the Irish back to the College Football Playoff is a nonnegotiable outcome.  

Discipline, he said, will never go out of style.

“It feeds success,” he said. “That’s a huge cornerstone of every good football team. I think discipline is at the forefront. If your kids can be disciplined, and obviously at the college level if your players can be disciplined off the field, then they’re going to do great things on the field.”

The best part of these outreach experiences for Moore? It’s the personal growth they create along with the opportunity for his story to inspire others.

“It helps me become a better leader as well as it’s a good opportunity for me to use my platform to do good in the community,” he said. “If I can influence one to maybe 10 or 20 of these kids, I did something good.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: How Notre Dame football star Leonard Moore is paying it forward

Reporting by Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune

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