November 1, 2007 - Daneé Moore is a four year veteran, mother of
four, wife of a coach, and executive assistant who puts her heart
and soul into everything she does. Her greatest strength in
football is that she is “mentally and physically tough,” says Coach
Val. Daneé’s
football career began while the team was in Toledo and she loves it
as much as she did her first season.
How does she balance football, family and work?
“Time management is essential.” As an executive assistant in one of
the top performing printing companies, I’m guessing she has picked
up some good skills. Being a mom, Daneé says, is her biggest life
accomplishment. She loves her large family and couldn’t live
without “the hugs, cuddles and kisses.”
Daneé missed the entire 2005 season because she
was pregnant with her son Zach. Coach Val recalls that season being
bittersweet. The team gave Coach Ted (Daneé’s husband) grief for
her not being able to play, but Daneé was disappointed about missing
the season and felt she had let the team down. She continued to
contribute by taking stats at their games; she was as much a part of
the team as if she were on the field. "Women’s football teams don’t
typically worry about losing players due to failed drug tests or
academic ineligibility, but pregnancy does come into play," Coach
Val commented with a smile.
When I asked Daneé about her favorite football
moment, she responded with several. The first was the call saying
she had made the team. Does anyone else remember the feeling you
had? Another that I want to share is one that didn’t happen on the
field. It was the first time Daneé was able to fully suit up for
practice. She felt a new energy and was ready to take on one of her
biggest life challenges. One of Daneé’s favorite on-field football
moments was her interception against Milwaukee at home last season.
Even through her writing you can feel the pride, the happiness and
envision the smile as it spreads across her face as she thinks about
it.
Daneé has found that the biggest challenge as a
woman who plays football is just putting it all together and finding
time for everyone and everything. She is a passionate advocate
working to recruit more players. The hardest part is trying to
convince people that “no matter the age, no matter the build, there
is a place for you on a football team.” She has found many friends
on the football team who have been invaluable at one time or another
in her life. She feels lucky to have teammates she can lean on and
honored to comply when they lean back on her. Thanks, Daneé for
being a rock.
