Brandt Moser of American Heritage got the call via email. He is an FHSAA Hall of Famer
Good thing long-time American Heritage coach Brandt Moser received a call from his athletic director, who alerted him to check his email.
That’s how Moser learned he was selected as one of the eight newest members to the prestigious FHSAA Hall of Fame.
Moser began his tremendous coaching career in 1985 at American Heritage, before the advent of email and social media; so checking email is not his forte. Coaching, leading is.
Moser said: “My athletic director [Karen Stearns] called me up and asked if I read my email. I said, ‘Yes.’ She then asked if there is anything in there that I’m excited about. I said, ‘No.’ She said, ‘Brandt, check your email.’ I looked in my trash. Sure enough, it was there.”
Moser was not only excited but stunned.
“I’m still floored,” he said. “To get into the [FHSAA] Hall of Fame is really hard. I didn’t think my resume was comparable to other honorees. I’m overwhelmed.”
Moser’s resume is very deserving of this accolade.
During his tenure at American Heritage, Moser coached state championship teams, state champion individuals, multiple sports, received state and national golf coach of the year honors and numerous Miami Herald All Broward Coach of the Year awards.
American Heritage Athletic Director Karen Stearns said: “This [FHSAA Hall of Fame] is one of the greatest honors a coach can receive, and Coach Moser is truly deserving of it. Our Heritage family is beyond happy and proud of all that Coach Moser has accomplished over the past 35 years.
“Brandt has been an anchor for our school and our athletic program. Years ago, he was instrumental in building our girls’ soccer and golf teams because he believed the girls deserved the same opportunities as the boys to play and represent their school.
“Brandt has always put the interest of the player, regardless of whose team they played for, first. He truly is a champion of high school athletics and has given so much time and dedication to supporting student athletes. We are absolutely thrilled Coach Moser has been awarded this high honor.”
Moser, 60, is the first person from American Heritage to be inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame.
He started the girls’ soccer program at American Heritage in 1985, taking the Patriots to the state Final Four twice. In 1987, he coached girls’ volleyball through 1994, a year when the Patriots were state runners-up. From 1997-2001, he coached boys’ soccer, nabbing state runner-up finishes twice.
In three sports (girls’ volleyball, boys’ soccer, boys’ golf), Moser’s teams were state runners-up 12 times, nine times in boys’ golf. His boys’ golf teams also won three state titles (2012, 2014, 2016), earning him NHSACA 2017 National Golf Coach of the Year. He coached girls’ golf, too, and those Patriots’ teams won two state titles. (2007, 2008).
Moser served as a member of six committees for the FHSAA -- three for golf, three for soccer -- as a representative for boys’ and girls’ golf and also boys’ and girls’ soccer. He was instrumental in two rule changes: 1) making it mandatory for student athletes to play a certain amount of games to be eligible for the post-season; 2) evaluating the severity of a foul in soccer before automatically issuing a red card.
Moser is a 1979 graduate of South Plantation High School, where he competed in soccer for Coach Gary Coleman, who later coached boys’ soccer at Western High School. Moser played two seasons of soccer at Andrew Junior College in Cuthbert, Georgia and then two seasons in St. Augustine at Flagler College, earning a degree in psychology.
Currently, Moser is the Director of Golf and the boys’ golf coach for American Heritage. He and his wife, Michele, have two sons. Their son, Brady, wrestled for the Patriots, placing fourth at state and third at state his junior and senior years, respectively. Their son, Zane, was in the Fine Arts program at the school.
State basketball honors
The Florida Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) and Source Hoops presented the 2020-2021 Boys’ Class 7A All-State Teams.
Including four from Broward and Miami Dade counties, 15 players (first team, second team, third team) represented the best of the best for schools that participate in Class 7A.
Those players were selected based on in-person evaluations, a review of all-area teams selected by media from around the state and recognition from the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches.
FIRST TEAM
R.J. Luis, 6-6 Sr, Columbus; Khamaury McMillan, 6-1 Sr, Miramar; Denzel Aberdeen, 6-3 Jr, Orlando Dr. Phillips; Mike James, 6-5 Sr, Orlando Oak Ridge; Trey Moss, 6-2 Sr, Windermere.
SECOND TEAM
John Latimer III, 6-1 Sr, Apopka; Desmond Romer, 6-1 Sr, Coral Gables; Gary Adam, 6-2 Sr, Western; Donovan Draper, West Palm Beach Forest Hill; Kanye Jones, 6-3 Sr, Windermere.
Submit postseason results
For high schools in Broward and Miami Dade counties, if you have postseason game results and stats for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com. Varsity only.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
