Penn State’s Malik Moffett One on One Interview with Joe Gaiter

 

Joe Gaiter: What does track and field mean to you?

Malik Moffett: Track and Field for me is an escape. It takes me away from everything else in my life because when I am on the runaway or in my lane nothing else matters but myself and the time.

Joe Gaiter: Did you know you always wanted to do track and field growing up or did you naturally find this path?

Malik Moffett: I didn’t know I wanted to run until my freshman year of high school. My father Chet Moffett was the track coach at my high school since I was a little boy. I would go to practice with him and around when I was about five years old I would be doing the drills with the team and this continued until I was in high school. So, I guess you can say I was training for this my whole life.

Joe Gaiter: You were captain and MVP for your highschool team both junior and senior year. How did you handle the pressure to always being the best?

Malik Moffett: It wasn’t that hard at the time because we only really didn’t have any older experienced teammates. At the time, it was a very young team so it was very easy to lead my peers. Honestly, I really didn’t think about “being a leader” when I was on the track. I was trying to go D1 for the sport because I only know about three people that went D1 for track in my area. That was motivation for me to succeed.

Joe Gaiter: Why did you transfer from Transfer from PSU – Behrend to Penn State?

Malik Moffett: I wanted more opportunities for myself like better coaching and facilities and I needed more competition. I didn’t feel like I could reach my longtime goals at Behrend.

 

Joe Gaiter: What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?

Malik Moffett: I think winning the two gold medals at Big Tens and breaking two school records to help my team win its first ever Big Ten Championship was by far my biggest accomplishment.

Joe Gaiter: What is your favorite Track & Field event to compete in?

Malik Moffett: Big Ten’s was definitely my favorite especially because we won!

Joe Gaiter: How often do you train?

Malik Moffett: During pre-season we train everyday besides weekends, in-season depending on the travel schedule we get about 4 full days of training then we compete on the weekends.

Joe Gaiter: Do you feel track and Field gets the publicity it deserves?

Malik Moffett: In all honesty, it does not get the publicity it deserves. I believe it should be on advertised on TV more often, not just during the Olympics or Worlds. It should be easily accessible for everyone to view just as they can view a basketball game or football game. During the Olympics, Track and Field is one of the most watched sports. Everyone is glued to the TV in excitement.

Joe Gaiter: What does the future look like for you in Track & Field?

Malik Moffett:  After I complete my final year at Penn State, my hope will be to go professional with this sport. I want to be the first one to do it from my area.

Joe Gaiter: What advice do you have for a high school athlete just getting into the sport?

Malik Moffett: Never give up! I know it sounds cliché because everyone says it but it’s so true. My first time long jumping I jumped a 14.7 and now I jumped a 26.3 and have a record at Penn State University. That’s my daily motivation to keep going!

Joe Gaiter: Final Words?

Malik Moffett:  I’m looking forward to my last year as a Nittany Lion and trying to bring as many championships to my school as possible!

Joe Gaiter: Where can we find you on social media?

Malik Moffett:  Twitter & Instagram @Trackboymeek