Maddux Burks is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Valley Vista High School for AZPreps365.com

Aliyah Moore is not the first Moore to play on the Valley Vista court. After 2018, though, she became the only Moore to currently play on the court, taking the baton from her older sister Tiyana, beginning a new chapter in her ongoing journey to prestige. Soon, she will trade her high school uniform for a cap and gown, handing the baton to her younger sister, Olivia. Although she is a link in the Moore family chain, Aliyah is determined to leave her own lasting impression before she departs.

On and off the court, Aliyah makes her presence known. But her confidence took time to grow. As a little girl, Aliyah watched her life transform into one centered around volleyball. College games flashed on the television, bringing her mother back to her college days. Before she knew it, the entire family possessed the competitive drive of athletes.

“Getting to see that atmosphere and then getting to join that atmosphere with [Tiyana]… it was definitely exciting,” she said, laughing.

At 10 years old, Aliyah began playing volleyball for the City of Surprise at the 12-year-old level, her starting point. She was shy and sensitive and stood at “five foot nothing.” Junior Samantha Baer played alongside her then and plays alongside her now on the Valley Vista court. “She was my best friend,” she said. Baer got to witness young Aliyah blossom into the fiery leader and captain she is today.

“I’ve watched her develop into a Division I player," she said. "It’s just amazing to be able to play on the same court as her.”

At the start of her high school career, Valley Vista head coach David Chavez had no idea the kind of player Moore was going to be. She continuously got more confident, more athletic and more respected on the court, he said. She took on the role of the leader like the changing of an outfit: new, but a perfect fit.

“I didn’t want to stand on the sidelines,” Moore said. “I was tired of standing around and watching.”

Of course, the metaphorical sidelines would be the only sidelines Moore would stand. According to MaxPreps.com, Moore has played in more than 300 sets so far, this number only to rise as the season continues. Surely, being a future-collegiate athlete has its perks — the opportunity to play at Illinois State University being one of them. But when the cheers die down, the pressure to perform can be overwhelming.

“Everything you do matters. Every point matters,” she said. “You can’t just half-play.”

But Moore isn’t concerned with opinions. Her purpose remains rooted in her own happiness. “In the future, I can say I have done the things that make me happy,” the senior said proudly.

Besides volleyball, you can often find Moore smiling as she plays the piano or sings, or as she admires her all-time favorite painting of Nike and Jordan-brand shoes: an Aliyah Moore original.

She took piano lessons in the first grade and discovered it clicked. Her long fingers were her secret weapon and worked in her favor. So she joined the school band as a flautist and bought a guitar and kept her musical love alive, all while balancing her athletics, academics, and friendships perfectly so that none felt like a chore. Instead, they live as outlets in Moore’s life, each another opportunity to express herself.

“I can spend hours [playing] and I won’t even notice because I’m just so lost in it,” she said. When her voice joins in with the melodies her hands are playing, Moore “just feels great.”

This feeling spans across all facets of Moore’s life: volleyball, music, art, family. Whether she’s cracking up at junior Rylee Brown’s on-court grunts or singing her favorite R&B tune, Moore spreads that greatness to those around her. “She brings the whole team together,” Baer said. Athletic, strong, caring, strong-willed, passionate, smart, goofy, driven, competitive: Baer and Chavez agree that senior Aliyah Moore is more than just another good player.

Moore continues to compete despite her concrete future. Her competitiveness is the best quality she brings to the court, Chavez said. “She wants to win, she wants to give 100% of the all the time,” he said.

Illinois State University feels like her “home away from home,” but Moore still has unfinished business with the Monsoon.

“I hope I am remembered as someone who inspired other people… to try new things and do the things that [they] are passionate about,” she said. “If you want to go play [sports]… you go do that, and you don’t care what other people think.”