YORK COUNTY— Jamaine Moore, a senior at Bruton High School, recently signed a commitment to play Division II football at Elizabeth City State University.
Moore, who played football as a child, never intended to continue beyond his youth years. Instead, he turned to music, discovering a passion for the tenor saxophone. It wasn’t until his family moved to Williamsburg that Bruton High football coach Barrington Morrison encouraged him to give football another try.
“Coming into Bruton, I was the biggest kid there. Coach Morrison was also my health and PE teacher, so I had his class. I met him, and the first thing he said was, ‘You are one big guy,’ and he asked if I played any sports,” Moore said. “I told him I was in the band. He mentioned football and asked if I was interested. I didn’t know at first that it was something I was going to like. He didn’t really try to persuade me; he just talked to me about what it would be like to be a member of the team.”
Moore agreed to give football another chance with one stipulation: that he could continue playing saxophone in the band. He managed to do both during every game of his sophomore season.
After his first season, Moore lost 40 pounds and fully committed himself to playing for Morrison and the Bruton Panthers.
“I was not athletic. I was big, height- and weight-wise. I was probably the most unathletic guy on the field,” Moore said. “It kind of made me want to quit. After the first practice, we had a hard practice, and after running, I really didn’t want to do it anymore. I thought the coaches and players were going to laugh at me, but they believed in me and pushed me.”
During the offseason, Moore underwent extensive training, attended Hampton University’s football camp and earned the starting right tackle position in 2024.
Behind Moore’s efforts, Bruton finished the 2024 season as Hovis Cup champions with a 9-3 record.
“That season meant a lot,” Moore said. “The fact that I was able to play with such a good group of guys, whether they were freshmen or seniors, it felt really good to play and create school history along the way.”
Entering his senior year, Moore began searching for an opportunity to play at the next level. He caught the attention of the Elizabeth City State coaching staff and received a scholarship offer in October.
“I have always had a ‘why.’ My biggest why was my parents,” Moore said. “I wanted to be in a position where my parents don’t have to worry about paying thousands of dollars in tuition or paying back loans. Now I get to play a sport I love, go to college for free and not have my parents worry about paying for me.”
Moore is the first Bruton football player in 10 years to sign a collegiate commitment, an achievement he said makes him incredibly proud.
He added that he hopes future Bruton students discover and pursue their own passions.
“Stick to the plan. Invest in what your coach puts into you. Trust yourself. Remember why you do it,” Moore said. “Never do it for personal gain. Make sure you’re doing it for a pure cause and that it’s something you really enjoy. If you do that, I promise you’ll be in a position to do whatever you want to do.”