As the head coach of the University of Georgia, Kirby Smart is supposed to root for all the state's teams equally. But he feels an extra affection for one school, his alma mater Bainbridge, and last week he returned to his hometown to speak to Georgia's Class 5A state champions. "I’ll be honest, I get asked to speak a lot, but I asked to speak at this event," Smart told Bainbridge head coach Jeff Littleton, via the Post Searchlight.
Development was the key to Smart's speech, including this quote:
“You don’t have to be sick to get better. I believe in professional development. I don’t care what you do. I don’t care what field you’re in. I don’t care what service you do. You don’t have to be sick to get better.”
Smart was very much in his element, representing his collegiate alma mater while he honored his high school alma mater. He spoke about the meaning and the pull of home, of honoring the people that helped him get to where he is today. And on that note, he was asked by an audience member if he ever planned to leave Georgia.
“Why would I leave home?” he asked.
“I have more passion and energy in my heart for the University of Georgia than you’ll ever realize. Because it did more for me than anything I’ve been to in my life. I had the great fortune of going. Probably would never have gotten there without some of the great people in this room. I assure you, it was what drove me to success.”