Coach Terrence Moore is from Amarillo, Texas, where most of his family still resides. He moved to Boulder in the winter of 2013. Since arriving here, he has built his life around ETC Boulder, first as a student, and now as a coach. You can find him in the academy nearly every day, pushing himself, his teammates, and his students to be the best they can be. To him, martial arts is about loyalty and cohesion. You can't learn by yourself; you need teammates and training partners, and without their support, it's impossible to get very far.
Terrence got his start in martial arts in Amarillo in 2012. At the time, he was working as a DJ, and not putting much effort into his health and fitness. He decided to make a change, and started looking into adopting a more active lifestyle. He found a gym called Elite MMA in Amarillo, and began training there in hopes of becoming an MMA fighter. For Terrence, martial arts training immediately felt right. Though the rigorous training sessions were difficult, he stuck with it because he is the type of person who must see their commitments through. He remembers watching The Ultimate Fighter around this time, and being told by several friends that he could be on the show, and feeling as though he'd chosen the right path.
Terrence feels like teaching wasn't something he consciously chose to pursue, but something that chose him. After being in this environment for so long, it felt natural to him to want to pass on the knowledge he's gained. It's a way of giving back to the art. Terrence is always trying to help other people, and coaching is a way to help them better themselves through something he loves. As an instructor, he tries to have fun with his students, and make sure they enjoy classes, all while encouraging them to give their training their all every day. He does his best to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome, especially newcomers. Terrence wants students to leave every class with a smile on their faces and the sense that they've achieved something. He tells them to set small goals for improvement because he believes that everyone needs something to look forward to. Seeing progress every day keeps them motivated to continue to learn.
As a martial artist, Terrence wants to pursue competition at the highest levels in Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA. In the short term, he wants to get more fights, get stronger, and gain a better understanding of the arts he practices. He would love to someday open his own gym, and isn't daunted by the hard work and time necessary to make it happen. He's learned patience from his training, and knows not to be dissuaded by small roadblocks.