Faces of a franchise
"If we weren’t in school we were out playing soccer," Moulton said. Moulton and his family returned to the states and made Montgomery, Ala., home during the mid-70s. But at that time—in 1979—soccer was not played as a high school sport, so he ventured into other sports. "I really loved playing football. I’ve always said that when it comes to soccer I was probably the worst player there ever was," Moulton said. Moulton wrestled for a few years of high school and played some baseball, but not for high school team. He also tried playing basketball. "I attempted basketball and it was hideous." During his high school years, the local YMCA approached Moulton and his brothers about coaching in a youth soccer league that was being put together at the time. He began coaching youth soccer in the spring of 1979. Moulton would take a few years off, before starting back up again as he traveled the country as a member of the Marine Corps, where he worked in air-traffic control. He spent time in Arizona and Wisconsin, before he ended up in Indiana in 1989. Unlike brothers, Chris and Sean, who were in the Air Force over 20 years before their recent retirements, Moulton opted out of the service after four years. He then took a job with the government still doing air traffic control. Working in the Warren Central school district, he got involved once again in youth soccer leagues and eventually moved to Franklin in 1991. In 1994, he—along with Franklin College men’s soccer head coach Shaun Mahoney—started a youth travel team in Franklin. "We built it from there," Moulton said. "And then I started working with the high school." He then served as the assistant coach to both men’s and women’s soccer at Franklin Community High School until his daughter’s freshman year. "She asked me to be her father instead of her coach, so I stepped aside and took a couple years off," Moulton said. He took a few years off before taking the job as men’s head coach at Roncalli High School. He coached there for just two years, but managed a sectional championship—one of two in school history—and the school record for most wins in a season in 2006. Following his stint with Roncalli, Moulton took over the assistant job at Franklin, where he worked with Mahoney for two years. At the start of this season, Moulton was happy to take over the head coaching position for the women’s team. "I try to treat them the same. I really do. Soccer’s soccer whether it’s the men or the women playing," said Moulton. "I try to push them equally as hard… A true soccer player wants to be pushed and I’m going to push them equally." "I enjoy practice sessions. Of course, I love games. I would do this no matter what. I’ve been doing it for so many years I can’t imagine not doing it." Moulton and his wife look forward to the day when they are both retired. "When I retire, she’ll retire. And then we get to traveling at that point, just go watch soccer games all over the country as opposed to just here Indiana," said Moulton. He sees his retirement approaching and would like to see his career end at Franklin College. His favorite league to watch is the English Premiership, other than the World Cup, of course, which he considers better than the Olympics. Junior Shay Skene, a member of the soccer team, understands his demand for effort. "As soon as we step on the pitch it’s his time," she said. "His aggressiveness and his type of coaching is what we needed this year….he’s definitely laid down the law and gotten his points across so I think a lot of people have stepped it up this year." If you happen to walk out to one of their practices and see the whole team down on their hands and knees, mooing like cows, there is actually a reason. "It gets the point across though, we usually start spreading out because we’re too embarrassed to graze for long periods of time," said fellow junior Rachael Whipker. "He threatens that we have to eat grass. He hasn’t made us yet, though," said Skene. Grazing the fields is not the only change that’s been implemented by Moulton. "This year, he’s pretty much laid down the law and so no excuses, no matter what. So unless the trainer says sit out you are running," Whipker said. Moulton’s conditioning drills include lunges, mountain climbers and intense ab workouts. He also has a few catch phrases. Some of Jessica McElvoy’s favorites: "We’re burning daylight, people," "right between the eyes," as a playful threat to punch players in the face and "Great googily-moogily," are often hurled from Moulton’s mouth. Whipker added, "Get out of her butt cheeks," as a way of telling players to stay spread out during drills. The women say that off the field he is different. Whipker said the two are, "best buddies." He often has the team over to his house for dinner and a soccer games. They watch either live soccer games or games that he has previously taped for them to view. Moulton is an understanding coach, both of his players and the game itself. "We’re learning a lot more about the game of soccer and formations than I’ve ever [learned]," Whipker said. "I haven’t played soccer before…and considering that I am probably the most frustrating person to work with because I don’t have, like, any soccer experience he’s been really good about helping me," McElvoy said. Moulton also wears a sweatshirt to every practice so that his players cannot complain about the heat. "To me, it’s fun watching programs develop, watching teams get better, watching players especially improve, watching them as individuals grow I think is the neatest thing," Moulton said. "Coaching isn’t just about the sport, it’s also about teaching the young people about life. And whether it’s out on the field, in the classroom, wherever it is, it’s all about teaching them."
"As soon as school got out you’d run home, change your shoes, and you get out on to the field or the yard—where ever you can get— and you start kicking a ball around," said Scott Moulton.
And thus began the new Franklin College women’s soccer coach’s obsession with the sport. Though he is American, he grew up in the village of Godmanchester, England. He is one of five siblings, along with three brothers, Chris, Greg and Sean, and a sister Serena. He and his brothers were the only Americans at the English schools they attended throughout their childhood.
