'71 title team helps name Fairbury basketball court after Chuck Moore

FAIRBURY, NE — 50 years ago the Fairbury basketball team won a pair of thrilling, one-point tournament games to capture the school’s first boys state basketball championship.

Now, all that future Fairbury High athletes will have to do to know who coached that team… is look down. On Friday, the school officially dedicated the basketball court in Chuck Moore's honor.

Moore coached high school sports for 50 years, spending 23 years as the head boys hoops coach in Fairbury. He coached three teams to state championships and another to a runner up finish. It was his original title team that spearheaded the effort to dedicate the court in his name.

“Coach, you may never divulge your best championship team, but this is indisputable: the ’71ers, we were the first.”

Garth Gibson came up with the idea after the ’71 team was honored as the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame golden anniversary team. Gary Rose and the other seniors got approval from the school, got coach’s signature, and helped organize the dedication ceremony.

Dozens of Moore’s family members and former students attended. He says he’s grateful.

“Probably the main thing is all of these players I coached came from a long ways to be here. And there’s a lot of them here.”

Rose says Moore’s coaching style included a focus on conditioning.

“When we were juniors and seniors, he ran us, he worked us really hard. Without a doubt, playing at state three days in a row against top competition, whipping us into shape was I think the best thing he could do.”

After 50 years of coaching, the 80-year-old Moore says he still loves the profession.

“I love being around young kids. I stick up for them. Everybody complains about kids today, don’t tell that to me because I stick up for our youth.”

And you can’t keep him away. Moore still substitute teaches in Lincoln.