Track Stars Snag College Tickets

This time next year, two Hillhouse track stars will retire their blue Academics uniforms to graduate to shades of green as collegiate student athletes. 

Dozens of community members Saturday celebrated the news that Hillhouse seniors Olivia O’Connor and Gary Moore Jr. have accepted offers to attend Dartmouth College and Baylor University next fall.

The signing-day ceremony Saturday at the Hillhouse field house celebrated O’Connor and Moore as record-breaking track and field throwers and stellar students. 

The ceremony highlighted the long and difficult journeys each scholar athlete undertook. 

Hillhouse Assistant Coach Darrell Brown said Saturday’s was his first signing event for track and field throwers rather than runners. 

Moore and O’Connor were described as ​“true athletes” for not only breaking school, state, and national records, but for academic achievement.

They each placed in Hillhouse’s senior top ten rankings for their academic standings. O’Connor will be her class valedictorian and ranked number one. Moore ranks number nine in a graduating class of more than 100 students. 

Brown added that true athletes like Moore and O’Connor excel in academics, sports, and character. 

The lineup of speakers was kept short as the full house seated in the hallway of the field house waited on the edge of their seats to hear the athletes’ decisions. 

Attendees ranged from Hillhouse alumni and families to teammates, classmates, and teachers. 

Damien ​“Coach Country,” coach of the Bloomfield-based ThrowHawks Field Club, recalled several stories of working with both athletes over the past year. 

He recalled getting Moore to try new throwing events like discus and hammer. 

He would occasionally refer to Moore as ​“Fortnite Gary” because in between drills, Moore would play video games. 

Moore ​“doesn’t rely on being an athlete” when practicing. Larkins highlighted a ​“strong,” ​“explosive,” and ​“sponge-like” work ethic that makes Moore successful. 

Larkins described O’Connor as an ​“Ivy League kid” who has always put her focus on being a student.

When O’Connor first joined the Throwhawks, Larkins recalled her telling him, ​“I never thought I’d be good at sports, so I made school my sport.” 

O’Connor’s classroom work ethic translated to the track and more specifically the throwing circle, Larkins said. She is a ​“fighter” who pushed herself to new limits. 

Larkins said because O’Connor is used to test taking, she performs well under pressure during track meets without being nervous. ​“The pressure of constant education is far beyond throwing,” he said. 

O’Connor now serves as an assistant coach for the Hillhouse youth team.

Scholar to Athlete

During Saturday’s ceremony, O’Connor agreed that ​“track didn’t come so easy” for her. With the help of Hillhouse head track coaches Gary Moore Sr. and Michele Moore, Brown, and Larkin she broke personal and state records in throwing.

She recalled having to move a lot and living in hotels during her freshman year. 

During the hard times her coaches supported her like a family. ​“At that time, I was in dying need of a father figure in my life,” she said. Coach Gary Moore stepped into that role for her. 

During her first year of high school, she asked her mom if she could quit the track team soon after joining. Luckily, her mom told her, ​“Just stick with it.”

She described Larkins as an uncle figure, Coach Michele Moore as a second mom, and Brown as the big brother she’d never had. 

Despite not being sure if she would stick with throwing beyond high school, O’Connor practiced everyday and in 20-degree weather with Coach Country.

Her advice to younger athletes: ​“Don’t wait to start working hard.” She also encouraged them to put the time in to improving before the next meet or practice.

This year O’Connor is taking four advanced placement (AP) courses and a full-credit college class while maintaining her throwing career on the Hillhouse team.

She thanked her mother for pushing her and for driving her to Bloomfield for throwing practices and to away meets. 

With the goal of becoming a teacher and continuing her throwing career, O’Connor committed to the New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College. 

The Moores spoke their journey with their son Gary Jr.

Michele Moore said she chose to name him after his father despite hesitation from her husband. ​“When I hear the name ​‘Gary Moore,’ that’s a strong name,” she said. 

Michele shared about watching Gary Jr. grow up and him going from sweet to slightly sour as he aged and became more competitive. In eighth grade, she recalled, he ​“lost his mind for a few months.” 

She said he had a tough summer before high school with focusing academically and figuring out ​“what kind of man he wanted to be.” 

Michele, who is science teacher at Hillhouse, joked about how she was disappointed that her son got a B in her class. 

During Covid, Gary Jr. began taking ownership of his academics and training. He would arrange a schedule to practice in the field house or make daily workouts on his own. Some began as early as 4 a.m.

Gary Sr. told the crowd a story of when his son had competed at a Hartford track meet at 7 years old. He said days before Gary Jr. had just beaten many of the same Hartford competitors at a meet in New York. 

During a 400-meter race to qualify for the a tournament, Gary Jr. began jogging and told his parents after that he ​“didn’t feel like running today.” 

After the meet his parents took him to an outdoor track in New Britan for a hard lesson that ​“there’s no ​‘feel likes’ in our family,” Gary Sr. said. 

Gary Jr. had to do eight 200-meter repeats. 

Gary Sr. reflected on his son’s improvements since then. He described him as ​“dedicated to being great” in school, sports, and beyond. ​“He’s everything I would’ve liked to accomplish in my athletic career,” Gary Sr. said. 

Athlete to Scholar

Before announcing his decision Gary Jr. also reflected on a track career that began at 2 years old. He sat in front of five college acceptances offering him track scholarships. 

Gary recalled asking his dad once to quit track and being told no.

He said it wasn’t until high school that track began to challenge him mentally and physically. He recalled pushing through torn hip ligaments, bigger competition, and academic struggles. 

His sophomore year he got straight As for the first time, and never looked back. 

He thanked his parents for their financial sacrifices, driving long distances, and tough words that kept him motivated. 

His advice to young athletes: ​“You will only get out as much as you put in.” And ​“if you think you’re going to be a national champion and miss weekend practices, you’re sadly mistaken.”

Gary Moore Jr. committed to becoming a Baylor Bear next fall on a full scholarship. 

The Saturday celebration ended with a reminder from Brown to the crowd of young athletes that they too can get to where O’Connor and Moore Jr. sat Saturday. 

O’Connor and Moore Jr. celebrated with dozens of photos with friends, family, and mentors.