Jessica Wright-Moore, 39

"Good idea." It's a refrain that Jessica Wright-Moore of Winchester is wont to use while coaching a competitive indoor soccer team of 13- and 14-year-olds at The Fieldhouse in Swanzey. And it often echoes off the walls right after an exciting play that maybe doesn't end up with a goal, according to Jenny Wooster, whose son, Jesse, is one of Wright-Moore's players. "You can imagine when she uses it," Wooster wrote in nominating Wright-Moore for a Trendsetter award, "following a nicely executed play that doesn't attain the hoped-for result. In that instant, those words carry the developing players through the complexity of feelings in the moment: disappointment, pride, reflection, moving on. Those authentic words and natural encouragement advance the game for the better." Wright-Moore, who has played soccer for most her life and currently plays in a women's league at The Fieldhouse, said she likes to use the phrase as a form of positive reinforcement before players even get a chance to hang their heads. "I like encouraging the effort just as much as the success," said Wright-Moore, 39. "You're impressing the idea that what you did, although it didn't come out with a goal or didn't exactly happen the way you wanted it to, the idea behind it was right and now it's just about executing it." For Wright-Moore, success is achieved through many steps, trial and error. She believes it's important to recognize good footwork, a sharp pass and teamwork, even if the shot at the end of the play is a little off-target. Once her players gain that confidence, the goals become more frequent. Wright-Moore says she likes to act as an inner voice for her team, and help them identify which "tools" are right for the job. "When you say, 'good idea,' it's reinforcing that that was a smart play, that was impressive, and when you see them do it again and they score, it's just a whole other feeling because you've reinforced that confidence and creativity," she said. But "good idea" also transcends the turf for Wright-Moore. It's a motto central to her character, and she employs it in her job as executive director of the Winchester Economic Development Corp. A local nonprofit, the WEDC's focus is to support local businesses, attract new ones and promote economic growth for Winchester, according to its website. Before stepping into her current role in 2023, Wright-Moore served on the WEDC board of directors since 2015. As director, she's leading the corporation's efforts to sell and convert 62 acres of commercially zoned land into a robust industrial park and add it to the tax base. By doing so, WEDC aims to create more local jobs, boost the economy and alleviate some of the tax burden on town residents. A former gravel pit, the Stone Mountain Business Park is the "good idea," according to Wright-Moore. And now, she says, she just needs to score the goals. "The concept behind it is fantastic and now it's just about executing it, and it's not always a straight line," she said. "As long as you're continuing to work towards that goal, eventually it will happen ... and when it does it will have a huge impact." So far, two of the six available lots have been sold and she believes it's only a matter of time before the rest are, too, because of the park's prime location. "It's right in the heart of town." Under Wright-Moore's leadership, the WEDC secured an $800,000 federal grant last year. In her nomination letter, Wooster, also a WEDC board member, commended Wright-Moore's efforts to sell the lots and work closely with WEDC's regional partners. "Under Jessica's guidance, the future of the WEDC and of our town looks brighter," Wooster said. Wooster said Wright-Moore is making a huge impact on Winchester, a community far from where she grew up, in Carrollton, Ga. In 2008, Wright-Moore completed a bachelor's degree in marine biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she met her husband, Walker, another marine biology student. The two lived in Wilmington for a few years, during which they had two kids, Lyla and Grady, now 15 and 10. Wright-Moore also began her own photography business in 2009, taking photos of weddings and portraits. She, Walker and their children made the move to Winchester in 2014, as Walker began working at a fish farm in Turner Falls, Mass. From 2018 to 2021, Wright-Moore was the director of Winchester's ELMM Community Center, where she organized youth athletics. Wright-Moore said her job and her work as a coach are united through her desire to help others. "The whole goal is to support people in their lives," she said. "With soccer and youth sports you're trying to do that by shaping these kids into being well-rounded, empathetic and competitive. At the same time with nonprofit work, you see there's a need in the community and you want to fill it."