Shaq Moore

[00:00:02] Speaker A Kelly Walker: Welcome to Hustle and Pro. I'm your host, Kelly Walker. I'm about to switch chairs with FC Dallas defender Shaq Moore. So enjoy this episode of Hustle and Pro. Welcome to Hustle and Pro. Shaq Moore. Thanks for joining me. [00:00:16] Speaker B Shaq Moore: Thank you. Thank you for having me. [00:00:18] Speaker A: So there's a few things I want to talk to you about. I want to talk to you about here, family and FC Dallas, of course, and some. A little bit of US Men's national team and World cup chat as well. So go back a little bit and talk to me about how coming from a soccer family with your dad and your uncle as I believe, shaped your. Your view on soccer. You interested? [00:00:37] Speaker B: Yeah, they were. They were huge. My dad played at a high level. He came up here to go to colleges from Trinidad and Tobago. So they played a lot in the street growing up, and naturally, me and my, my siblings, we kind of got into it, so. And also my uncle, too, like, like you mentioned, he played in, in Canada for a lot of years. So soccer has always, always been like a big part of my life since I could remember. And, yeah, I'm glad to be able to do it. Do it like, you know, for a job and doing what. [00:00:59] Speaker A: I love soccer from the jump. You're probably, like, always playing soccer. [00:01:03] Speaker B: Yeah, always. Always at the field. [00:01:05] Speaker A: What about. But I hear you like basketball, too. Are you a basketball player or just fan? [00:01:09] Speaker B: Fan. I played a little bit growing up. You know, obviously, kind of. You kind of do all the sports, especially growing up in the States. But yeah, basketball, probably my second favorite sports. Big, big basketball fan. So. [00:01:18] Speaker A: Okay, on the flip side, you're a new father. Right. So do you think you're going to be a sports and soccer dad and, and hope that your children will follow in those sports footsteps? That's a good question. [00:01:30] Speaker B: Someone just asked me that would I perform to play basketball or soccer? As long as you play something, I'll be. I'll be all right. I think I'm sort of leaning more towards soccer, to be honest, just because I played. And I'm actually taking him out to the field this weekend. That'll be the first time. So. But yeah, I think it's. I'm leaning more towards soccer, obviously. You know, whatever he chooses. [00:01:47] Speaker A: Right. [00:01:47] Speaker B: I'll be happy with it. But yeah, you can play soccer enough [00:01:50] Speaker A: if you push too hard, it might, [00:01:51] Speaker B: you know, backfire on you. Yep, yep. [00:01:53] Speaker A: But with me, it was always anything and everything and then see what sticks. [00:01:57] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:01:58] Speaker A: By age 10, you get to pick what you want to like Focus and be competitive on before that. My kids did before that. [00:02:03] Speaker B: Try everything, right? [00:02:04] Speaker A: Yep, yep, yep. Okay, so you were here in FC Dallas Academy back in 2014. Then ten years. Ten years later you were back, right? [00:02:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:13] Speaker A: Did you feel that gave you, like, a sense of. Of familiarity and comfort coming back? [00:02:17] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. You know, obviously, coming back here after 10 years was kind of like a homecoming, right? You know, seeing how the club has grown. And when I left, it was always in the back of my mind, like, you know, what if I actually did come back? You know, come back one day. So definitely was a great moment, you know, seeing how the club has grown and even the city itself, as Frisco has grown a lot, too. So it's been nice being back, you know, hopefully I can, you know, be here for a lot more years, too. [00:02:37] Speaker A: You seem like a steady leader out there, like, a little. I don't know, are you quiet? Do you. Do you see yourself as quiet? And do you see yourself as a leader on the team? And is that something you've always. Has always been kind of your style as a player, or is that blossomed over all your experience playing around the world? [00:02:55] Speaker B: Well, by nature, I think I'm more. A little bit on the quiet side. I try to, you know, be on the field a little bit more aggressive, be more. More assertive. But as I've gotten older, you kind of have to pick and choose, right, because, you know, you have a team to kind of manage, and you can't, you know, be loud and boasty with everybody. You also can't be, you know, soft and gentle with everybody. So everyone kind of, you know, reacts differently to everything. So I try to, you know, try to measure it, you know, with different people. But. But, yeah, definitely something that I've grown into. I kind of, you know, being the best player since, you know, for a lot of teams growing up, you kind of always naturally kind of be a leader. But, you know, as I've gotten older, definitely have to grow more into it, and I think. I think I've done that. So. [00:03:29] Speaker A: Did you say being the best player on. Were you the best player on most of the teams? [00:03:32] Speaker B: Yeah, most of the teams. Mostly I was the best player, but I had a coach who would always be the hardest on me, too, at the same time. Right. [00:03:37] Speaker A: So maybe he saw more. [00:03:38] Speaker B: Yeah, he saw more of me. So if I. A mistake for me, wasn't a mistake, know, for someone else, you know, so I'm grateful for it. Obviously, at the time, I wasn't. [00:03:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:03:46] Speaker B: At the time I was like, why is he picking on me all the time? [00:03:48] Speaker A: But sometimes those coaching expectations can make you rise above. [00:03:51] Speaker B: For sure. For sure. [00:03:52] Speaker A: And then that's the leadership piece. [00:03:53] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly. [00:03:54] Speaker A: If. If you've. Even if you've checked all the boxes on the field, like there's more you can do. [00:03:58] Speaker B: Always. [00:03:58] Speaker A: Yeah, Always with your guys. Yeah. All right, let's see in. You were about 22. I don't know if I did the math right. When you made your debut with the senior national team, you played juniors, right? [00:04:12] Speaker B: You had teens and play you 18s, U20s, you 17s, everything except for the Olympic team. [00:04:16] Speaker A: Okay. You played them all, but then you're. Yeah, about 22. [00:04:19] Speaker B: Yeah. 21, 22. Yeah. [00:04:21] Speaker A: What like, what stands out? I mean, I read about some really like, outstanding moments, especially early on this fastest goal and. Yeah, okay, what stands out as some of your like, favorite either on the field or just with the squad moments? [00:04:36] Speaker B: One of the. Well, like you said, my debut when I was 21, 22, that was like around 2018. We were just coming off not qualifying, so they brought through a whole new generation of players. New cycle, like new cycle like the Tyler Adams, the Western McKaneys. So being a part of that whole new incoming group of next generation was. Was pretty cool. Especially, you know, needed a breath air after not qualifying. So it was very important that, you know, we bring in the young guys and, you know, give them the reign. [00:04:59] Speaker A: So like a reset? [00:05:01] Speaker B: Like a reset, yeah, exactly. [00:05:02] Speaker A: Was that like an exciting challenge for you then? [00:05:04] Speaker B: Oh, for sure, for sure. It was like, yeah, what can the. This new blood or play kind of like what's kind of going on right now? You know, after our World cup, it's kind of always like a refresh of new faces. So. [00:05:12] Speaker A: Yeah, take a, take a look at everything. [00:05:14] Speaker B: Exactly. So that's what we're going through. And I think it was successful. You know, obviously a lot of those players now are still kind of main mainstays in the team. So that's exciting. Like you said, the Gold cup, scoring the fastest gold in the U.S. do you know what. [00:05:25] Speaker A: Do you know how long it was? [00:05:26] Speaker B: I think it was like 20 seconds. [00:05:28] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, 20 seconds is what. [00:05:30] Speaker B: Yeah, against Canada. Against Canada in the Gold Cup. So we ended up winning the Gold cup too. So in 2021. So those are probably more of my most fun moment. Obviously the World cup too. Playing in that was. Was cool. So I've been lucky enough to be in some good moments. [00:05:42] Speaker A: And you had a like 48 hour call up for Panama. [00:05:46] Speaker B: Yeah. Qualifier. [00:05:47] Speaker A: Yeah. What's that? Like when you. I mean, maybe you did know you were on call, but like, when you actually have just a few days to. [00:05:54] Speaker B: Yeah, that was crazy. I was actually on my club team in Tenerife at the time. We had a few days off and I was like on the beach, just chilling. And then at that time, Greg. Greg was a coach. He calls me, he said, can you be here in like 48 hours? So I had to gather my stuff, get ready, and I left literally the next day. So I remember they played. We played Mexico before. And I remember watching the game there in the hotel in Orlando. We played them and they were like, yeah, if. If, if so. And so gets another yellow red card, then they need to call in another guy. Exactly. Accumulation yellow card. So I'm watching the game and maybe like 10, 15 minutes in, he gets a yellow card. I'm like, oh, I gotta play next game. [00:06:28] Speaker A: Yeah. That's crazy. [00:06:29] Speaker B: Yeah, it's funny. Like a whole change of events in like a whole 48. Yeah. [00:06:33] Speaker A: And that mindset. [00:06:34] Speaker B: Exactly. From Ching on the beach to, you know, and that was Panama. That was like the game that, like, if we got a good result, basically we had. We're gonna qualify. [00:06:41] Speaker A: Right? That's a pivotal. [00:06:42] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly. So. [00:06:44] Speaker A: But that helps you, right? Like, you just always have to be in for sure ready mode. [00:06:48] Speaker B: Always, always have to be ready, man. Never know when. When your name is gonna be called. [00:06:51] Speaker A: Tell me about 2022 World cup and guitar. [00:06:54] Speaker B: Yeah, it was great, man. Making the team obviously was good, especially for most of the cycle. I was kind of inside, kind of out, kind of get called sometime, don't get called sometimes. So yeah, to culminate and, you know, making the team. Team was great. Obviously, Qatar was a great experience. Different at the same time because being in Qatar, that region is different. And also after Covid, things are starting to open up kind of like slowly but surely, but not quite so. The whole experience was great, though. I'm getting to play again. We're gonna play against England and who play Iran and Wales and Netherlands knockout stage. So definitely a great experience. Probably the pinnacle of any. Of any soccer player playing in the World cup, right. In your country. So, yeah, definitely. Great, great experience. [00:07:32] Speaker A: Okay, well, you kind of. You kind of alluded to my next question, but I have a U17FC Dallas club player. And he. I said, jack, I'm going to interview Shaq Moore. What. What should I ask him for you? His question is, what's better playing for club or Country. [00:07:49] Speaker B: I definitely got to say. Country, man. Country is. It's a different feeling, right. And you got more eyes on you. It's a different pride playing for your country. And it's the pinnacle. Right. Obviously, playing for your club, you know, is. Is great. You're there, you know, every day, daily, you know, training you, really owning your craft. But not everyone gets called up to the national team, you know, so anytime you do get called up, it's such a big honor and you just want to take advantage of it. So definitely, definitely national team. No, no, no. No backlash. Anybody else? [00:08:14] Speaker A: Well, it's a bigger stage, right? [00:08:15] Speaker B: Yeah, it's. [00:08:16] Speaker A: It's like you said, it's more unique, so more of an honor. [00:08:21] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:08:22] Speaker A: But also, like, there's perks with the club, right? It's. It's your routine. It's, you know, what you're getting. [00:08:27] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:08:28] Speaker A: You know, what you're expecting, what's expected [00:08:30] Speaker B: of you, and it kind of go hand in hand because got to perform at your club level to be able to get called up to. Right. So it kind of goes hand in hand at the same time. But, yeah, that's why it's such an honor to get, you know, called up. [00:08:39] Speaker A: To me, I'm sure your heart gets pumping a little more when you're playing for usa. [00:08:43] Speaker B: No matter how many times they call you up, every time, it's always like, okay, let's do it, you know? [00:08:47] Speaker A: Yeah. Was there ever. I don't know if this is an okay question. Was there ever a time when you were thinking of who to play for? For us. [00:08:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:08:57] Speaker A: Allowed to play for Trinidad. [00:08:58] Speaker B: Yeah. Growing up around U15 age, before I went to the US team, I went to Dr. The Trinidad team. [00:09:04] Speaker A: Okay. [00:09:05] Speaker B: And they said I was too small. I wasn't good enough. And then like a year later, I made the US U17 team. So it's kind of funny how that [00:09:12] Speaker A: there was an option. [00:09:13] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. Especially early on. [00:09:15] Speaker A: I mean, just because players have the dual option doesn't mean they. [00:09:17] Speaker B: Doesn't mean they have to do it. Right. Yeah, exactly. [00:09:19] Speaker A: So you did consider. I mean, you. Because you. Because you're there some. You visit, you still have family there. Right. So it would have been something. You would. [00:09:25] Speaker B: Yeah, it would have been. It would have been something. Something good. But, you know, obviously, you know, going with the US and playing and, you know, tournaments, you kind of, you know, forego, you know, other options after a while. [00:09:33] Speaker A: Right. [00:09:33] Speaker B: I have no regrets. And, you know, everything worked out. Worked out good. [00:09:36] Speaker A: So, yeah, once you, once you commit, you're locked in. Right. Okay. About a year ago, we were at a World cup event here and I asked you, it was you and Dan Hunt talking to us about prepping for World cup. And I asked you as a player, perspective, like playing in a World cup, like how do you think. I don't even think we knew it was going to be Sweden at the time. But, but like how do you think we're going to do and how do you think those players are gon see us? So my question to you now is Sweden was here. How do you think Frisco did for Sweden? How do you think Dallas did as a host city in Arlington, the stadium? And then how do you think like the US showed up for a World Cup? [00:10:14] Speaker B: Yeah, I think everything was great, man, especially Frisco. The atmosphere was really, really nice even around here to the pub over there and then like the pub right here in the square always had games on. So it definitely was a, a soccer atmosphere that, you know, a lot of, a lot of locals didn't really, really know much about. Right. You know, it was nice to open their minds up to, to another event, you know, sporting event, you know, globally. [00:10:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:35] Speaker B: And you know, Dallas obviously as well. Arlington did a great job hosting a lot of games, semi finals as well too. So I think America in general, they did a great job welcoming everybody in, getting new flavor, new new opinions on, you know, realizing oh, this is what the whole world pays attention to. Okay, let me start to, you know, take a look at it because I know a lot of my friends and family, they're like, I never watched this much saga in my life. [00:10:56] Speaker A: Right. [00:10:56] Speaker B: So this was the first time they really keyed in and they're actually, they actually like it. They actually like, you know, like the, like the atmosphere, the pressure, the intensity of the game and the way the fans like live it. Right. So yeah, I think it was definitely eye opening experience for you know, the local, you know, you know, American that maybe doesn't really pay attention to it. So sure, definitely success. [00:11:14] Speaker A: That was, you know, part of what, what Dan Hunt has talked about all these last few years is introduction to the sport for people who may not will ever hear about it otherwise. And just to build that legacy of, you know, growing it, growing it a little more every time. Did you go to any matches in person? [00:11:32] Speaker B: I did not go to any matching, but I did go to a few events like you know, so in Atlanta I had a few events to go to just to kind of pre game kind of, you Know, interviews and stuff. [00:11:40] Speaker A: So is that, is that what you call like your home market here? [00:11:44] Speaker B: Yeah, Atlanta. Yeah. I was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida too, so that's probably home as well. But yeah, more and more Atlanta. So, yeah, you know, my son was three months old, so it's kind of hard to kind of get away too. [00:11:54] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:54] Speaker B: Too much. But we had to work a break, so, you know, the little time that I had. Yeah, we were able to do some [00:11:58] Speaker A: events, so that's good timing that you got to spend some time. [00:12:01] Speaker B: Exactly, exactly. [00:12:02] Speaker A: You mentioned Netherlands. One of my favorite World cup moments from this World cup was going to the Nether, the Netherlands game and jumping in the army of 20,000 orange double decker bus. And it was, it was a really cool, nice experience. Yeah, I mean, nobody around us was really speaking English and it was awesome and everybody was hot and nobody cared. It was just fun. [00:12:22] Speaker B: It was just a good time. [00:12:23] Speaker A: Yeah, it was. And that was the kickoff game in Arlington. [00:12:26] Speaker B: So was that the one against Japan maybe? [00:12:28] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, that's the first Japan one. [00:12:30] Speaker B: Nice, nice. That was a good game too. Was like what, two. Two. [00:12:32] Speaker A: Yeah, it was a tie. Yeah. Yeah. And then I got to see the, the, the PKs for Egypt. Like that was a fun. [00:12:39] Speaker B: Yeah, you know, nerve wracking. Like it was going to win, right? [00:12:42] Speaker A: Yeah, it was, it was really cool. We, we loved it. So I also saw you talk about before, before World cup started. Somebody on a podcast asked you about predictions. Do you remember what you said? I mean, you might have been asked [00:12:55] Speaker B: this a lot, but did I say Argentina? [00:12:57] Speaker A: You said Spain. [00:12:58] Speaker B: Did I say Spain? [00:12:59] Speaker A: And then you said Argentina and then you went with Argentina. [00:13:03] Speaker B: But your first, the first one was Spain. Right. Tell you, I played in Spain. Right. It's crony because a lot of the players that actually won the World Cup, I played against a lot of them. [00:13:12] Speaker A: Really? [00:13:12] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. When I was over there. [00:13:13] Speaker A: So who are some of those guys? [00:13:16] Speaker B: The Rodri Ferran Torres. Basically the whole team, honestly. [00:13:20] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:21] Speaker B: We're around the same age. So when they started to come up, I was starting to come up. So we played a lot, a lot against each other. [00:13:26] Speaker A: Except baby. Lamina Mall was probably too young. [00:13:29] Speaker B: Yeah, Lamina Mall was still crawling. He was still probably a baby. But. But yeah, Spain for sure. They, they had a great workout, man. They, they. You can tell like they're by far probably, you know, the best team, the best team in the world. [00:13:40] Speaker A: So, yeah, I mean, I know you get asked about like Messi in that style of being a defender and somebody that plays like him. But what about, what about playing against Spain and somebody with like Lamina Mall's talent and the way he plays. [00:13:53] Speaker B: Yeah, you got to get a good night's sleep before. For sure. [00:13:56] Speaker A: You've never played against him, right? [00:13:57] Speaker B: No, when I was, when I left, he was out. He wasn't there yet, so. But yeah, those, those good teams, man, is always a tough night because they have so much talent just all over the field and even producing. Like you look at their bench, like they have world class players on their bench that are anytime ready to come in and sub in. So those countries are always difficult to play against. [00:14:16] Speaker A: Yeah, Deep, deep talent. Tell me a little about just last question. Shackmore Foundation. [00:14:25] Speaker B: Yeah, so it's the foundation that I made with my, my parents. My dad is big on giving back to, you know, less fortunate. Whether that's here in the States, in Florida, Atlanta, where my home bases are, as well as Trinidad Tobago. So we do camps there for the kids. We've done a turkey drive during Thanksgiving. We've done little other events like back to school, school kind of supplies and stuff just to, just to give back, you know, something I've always wanted to do. Been doing. I've been doing it for a while, probably for like six, seven years right now, but it just officially got the, the title, you can say when I moved back from Spain to come play stateside. So. [00:14:57] Speaker A: Okay. [00:14:58] Speaker B: But yeah, just trying to get all the official. All the official, yeah, was probably like 23, 22, 23 when we finally put a name on it and all that stuff. [00:15:05] Speaker A: So. Something you work on with your family? [00:15:08] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just giving back and try to, you know, help less fortunate. You know, we give them boots out even after season when there's boots here, you know, them out, send them to the, to the island or less fortunate. So something probably I'm most proud of other than playing, obviously probably something I'm most proud about. [00:15:23] Speaker A: That's great. And it sounds like it's only the beginning, right? Yeah, like, you know, as your, as your career, you know, on the field will, you know, end at some point, that will be a legacy that you have built up by then. Right. And you can continue it on, continue [00:15:38] Speaker B: do that, continue to give back. And it's grown so much. Right. Even from the, some of the first events I did to now, like some kids still kind of bring like the card that I had, like the autograph card. [00:15:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:15:48] Speaker B: So now you gave me this two years ago, I'm like, wow, you still have that. So imagine 510 years right from now. Right. So, like you said, the legacy that you, you know, you affect these kids with will, you know, live on. [00:15:57] Speaker A: Absolutely. Like, they're all, you know, watching and watching you on the field, obviously, but, you know, how you, how you treat people. And when you have those little encounters, if it's at a camp or just [00:16:08] Speaker B: on the street, that's where they remember you, you know, like you said, because on the field, you know you're going to finish one day. Right. [00:16:13] Speaker A: So, yeah. What do you want to be? Remember before especially. I don't know if you live around here, but living around here in Frisco, my lucky kids grew up here. And they. When they see you guys out in the world, you know, they. They try to say hi or if they're not too scared, but they remember those. They remember those moments when they see you at Chipotle. Like, they remember that years later. Oh, yeah. I remember when I saw him at the Apple Store or whatever. And so it leaves the mark. [00:16:38] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Man, I wish I had, you know, some of those things come growing up because we didn't really. There was no team and there's no really, you know, role models close by that played, you know, soccer like that. So. [00:16:48] Speaker A: Yeah, to see up close. [00:16:49] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:16:49] Speaker A: Is really inspiring. But that's also part of what I think. Having this club here is what makes this region strong with soccer for. For so many years now. I mean, you're sitting, you know, in front of this logo about, you know, this MLS charter team. They've been able to see it up close. [00:17:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:04] Speaker A: See the players. And so the system grows, develop, like if that's why so many people are here playing. [00:17:09] Speaker B: So beautiful to see. So beautiful to see. [00:17:11] Speaker A: Yeah, it's. It's important to help the sport continue [00:17:15] Speaker B: to continue to grow. That's, that's, that's why. [00:17:17] Speaker A: And to be better, Right. To just keep putting even better national team players on the field as we. Every decade, we get better and better, better and better. [00:17:25] Speaker B: That's the goal, to leave it better than when you found it, so. [00:17:27] Speaker A: Exactly. Okay, well, that's all I got for you today, but thanks for your time. I know you're busy. I know it is a match week and. But we're coming off of clinching the playoffs, so. All good here? [00:17:39] Speaker B: Yeah, all good, man. You want to keep on going? Hopefully we clinch the top four, even top three. We'll see. Top two. [00:17:44] Speaker A: We'll see. Right. Get that high seed. [00:17:46] Speaker B: Yes, exactly, exactly.