When Zach Moss ’26 reflects on his time at Pine Crest, he doesn't start with touchdowns, championships or awards. Instead, he talks about people.
He talks about the older players who welcomed him to the football team as a nervous freshman. He talks about teammates who became some of his closest friends. He talks about coaches who challenged him, supported him and helped him grow both on and off the field.
For Zach, athletics were never only about competition. They were about community.
That perspective helped shape his experience as a two-sport athlete, captain of both the football and lacrosse teams and recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award, one of South Florida's most respected honors for student-athletes.
As a freshman entering the football program, he remembers looking up to the senior leaders who helped younger players find their place. "It was definitely intimidating," he said. "But having that support from those older guys who had been in your shoes really helped."
Years later, as a captain himself, Zach tried to provide that same support to the next generation of Panthers. He understood that leadership wasn't only about wins and losses. It was about helping teammates grow closer, build trust and work toward something bigger than themselves.
"Being able to be a captain and be a leader, especially with some of my best friends, was very special to me," he said. Those friendships became one of the defining themes of Zach's Pine Crest experience.
Dr. Jeff Johnson, Athletic Director, presents Zach Moss ’26 with the Bill Rousseau Award
A standout two-sport athlete, Zach excelled on both the football field and lacrosse field. He scored 17 touchdowns during his senior football season and earned the Brian Piccolo Award, which recognizes student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement. He also served as a captain of the lacrosse team and earned Miami Herald First Team All-County honors.
Yet when asked what receiving the Brian Piccolo Award meant to him, Zach's response was less about personal accomplishment and more about gratitude. "It felt like—I was very appreciated by my coaches," he said. "But I like to thank all my teammates for it, too."
He credits many of his closest friends for helping him both on and off the field, noting that much of his community service work was done alongside them. That perspective reveals a maturity that extends beyond athletics.
One of the most important lessons of Zach's athletic career came during the opening game of his senior football season. The team entered the game confident. Too confident, as Zach now admits. A blocked field goal to end regulation and a failure to score in overtime resulted in a disappointing loss and left many players questioning what the season might become.
Rather than allowing the setback to define them, the team used it as motivation. For Zach, the experience reinforced the importance of humility, resilience and accountability. "I personally didn't have the best game that day," he said. "Being able to use that as fuel definitely was a key moment in our season." The lesson would shape his approach to leadership throughout the year.
Among the mentors who helped guide him, two coaches stand out. Quarterback Coach Ivan Reese provided both technical expertise and unwavering support. Lacrosse Head Coach George Harris challenged players to improve every day while making it clear how deeply he cared about them as people.
"No matter how bad of a game I had," Zach said, "I always felt like I had support." That support system extended beyond athletics and into every aspect of life at Pine Crest.
Class of 2026 members of the lacrosse team: Parker Forman, Zach Moss, Brady Andersen, Hudson Schwartz and Max Hazelton
Like many student-athletes, Zach learned to balance rigorous academics with demanding practice schedules, games and leadership responsibilities. He credits his teachers, coaches and advisors with helping him manage those competing priorities. More importantly, athletics became a source of balance.
After long days filled with classes and assignments, practice offered an opportunity to reset. "It wasn't just about playing sports," he said. "It was about being with my friends and doing something that I loved." That daily rhythm helped shape not only his athletic career but also his understanding of community.
As Zach prepares to attend Vanderbilt University this fall, the memories he treasures most are not tied to a specific game or award. Instead, they are rooted in the relationships he built along the way. "I think Pine Crest just has such a great community," he said. Whether through teammates, classmates, teachers or coaches, he found people who challenged him, supported him and wanted the best for him.
Those connections are what he expects to carry forward long after graduation.
The trophies, awards and accolades will always be part of his story. The friendships, lessons and sense of community may prove even more lasting. For Zach, that is what leadership was really about all along.