Moore League Football Media Day Ignites the Season

On Monday, August 4, the energy at Jordan High School’s Community Room mirrored that of a professional sports press conference. Moore League Football Media Day delivered a high-powered kickoff to the season, showcasing LBUSD’s football teams, along with Compton, in a display of grit, heart, and purpose.

Head coaches and players from Cabrillo, Jordan, Lakewood, Long Beach Poly, Millikan, Wilson, and Compton took the mic to speak on what football means to them and how the game is a transformative life experience.

The event felt like an NFL-style extravaganza, complete with interviews, highlights, powerful quotes, and an unwavering focus on what matters most: student-athlete growth, academic achievement, and the discipline to succeed on and off the field.

Jordan High School Head Coach Alfred Rowe lit up the room with his no-excuses, full-accountability approach to football and life:

“My rules are always to protect the team. No whining. No complaining. No excuses. If you’re a minute late, you’re not practicing that day. You need to show up. Be early, be on time, put forth your best effort.”

Coach Rowe’s message hit hard; the expectation isn’t just talent, it’s responsibility. And that’s the tone every coach echoed!

That same high standard was felt in the words of Deon Jackson, a Long Beach Poly senior who will attend UC Berkeley this fall. He shared how the Moore League football experience changed his life:

“Football helped me become a man, tremendously. It taught me patience and discipline. The Poly community, the teachers, and staff here are great too, like Mr. Gray in our CARE center. You can trust him, and he wants to see me succeed.”  

Jackson’s words reflected what many student-athletes feel: that while football is a sport, it’s also a family, a system of support, and a launching pad for college, career, and character.

A similar sense of pride and presence radiated from Jordan High School, where junior Sama’jay Jackson stood out, not just for his athletic ability, but for his presence, polish, and poise. Unlike other teams, Jordan’s players arrived with intention, dressed to reflect the mindset of student-athletes preparing for the next level, a decision Sama’jay explained with pride.

“It’s presentation, Coach wanted us to look more presentable. We’re wearing khakis and polo shirts, like college players.”

Sema’jay’s words were a reminder that how student-athletes carry themselves off the field is just as important as what they do on it.

That mindset of character and leadership also resonated at Cabrillo High School, where Head Coach Malcolm Manuel, a proud Cabrillo alum, spoke about returning to the place that shaped him and what it means to lead the next generation of Jaguars:

“We’re going to be competitive. My guys are scholars, athletes, and we’re building Cabrillo into a united family. I want our guys to know they can be successful, that Cabrillo has nothing but support for them, and I’m a testament to that because I’m from here. I did it. I sat in their same seats and probably had the same teachers. 

Each coach, Lakewood’s Mario Morales, Millikan’s Romeo Pellum, Poly’s Justin Utupo, and Wilson’s Raudric Curtis, spoke with pride about their programs, the depth of school and community support, and the ways their campuses are investing in athletics to develop the whole student mind, body, and future.

This commitment aligns seamlessly with LBUSD’s Vision 2035, which champions the development of well-rounded students prepared to thrive in an ever-changing world. Through athletics, students are building the very attributes outlined in our Graduate Portrait: resilience, integrity, critical thinking, and the ability to lead with empathy. 

From renovated fields to strengthened academic supports, from discipline on the field to leadership in the classroom, Moore League football is about building champions in every sense of the word.

See additional coverage of the Moore League Football Media Day at the Los Angeles Times, Press Telegram and the 562.Org.