Kirby: The Georgia Way Gets “Amped Up”

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Kirby: The Georgia Way Gets “Amped Up”

Kirby Smart – fall camp 2017 – August 2
Kirby Smart – fall camp 2017 – August 2

 
 
Georgia’s intuitive to help athletes prepare for life after their playing days are over, The Georgia Way, added a new avenue to its outreach when players, including underclassmen, were given the opportunity to network with potential employers at an expo in Atlanta. Coach Smart was asked about the program during his Saturday press conference:
 
 

“I’m sure a lot of you have heard about it. If not, you have probably seen it on the internet — The Georgia Way. Leigh Futch, Carla Williams helps Leigh out. They do a tremendous job. We have kind of amped that up because the only thing we can give back to our players outside of just a degree and great intangibles of being part of an organization is the ability to go out and get jobs. So, we want our guys more prepared for that and most colleges start that at year four – senior year, junior year. We are taking freshmen, we are taking sophomores because there is no experience like walking in to a place like we did that night at the expo where every employer is there and they are introducing themselves and interacting with them. We had each guy take a class on how to act in the interview, how to behave, how to introduce yourself because those are things we are giving back. I’m getting a lot of feedback from old lettermen who call and say ‘this is the way it should be; you need to do this because maybe I was not prepared.’ We want them more prepared and that was an unbelievable event that we have had so much positive feedback. We had two or three guys offered jobs at the event and it was a great networking opportunity. Some of these players that may be NFL players are already in communication with an employer hoping to get a job when they are done. That’s what it is all about — giving back to our guys when they are done.”

 
 


 
 
 
 

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Greg is closing in on 15 years writing about and photographing UGA sports. While often wrong and/or out of focus, it has been a long, strange trip full of fun and new friends.