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Photos by Eric Jones, BCSD Director of School & Community Relations
The "Kirby Copter" touched down on the Baldwin High soccer field last Friday, a mere few days after Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart led the Bulldogs to a second straight national championship on the gridiron.
Ascending to first-name status is incredibly difficult, but at this point Smart has done just that in the state of Georgia. "Kirby" shook a bunch of hands, stopped for pics and toured the school and before jumping back on his chopper and on to the next little country county.
Kirby pictured with Deputy Gail Hollis and Wes Cummings, School Board member.
Kirby snapping a pic with Head Coach Jess Hicks
Kirby with Superintendent Noris Price
Baldwin tailback Micah Welch, a rising senior, currently has a scholarship offer from Georgia. Welch is ranked as the second-best running back prospect in Georgia for the Class of 2024, according to rivals.com, as well as the No. 152 prospect in the country.
Smart, along with Georgia's 10 assistant coaches, split up last Friday and visited 100 different Georgia high schools. Smart began in metro Atlanta before shooting down to middle Georgia, first landing in Greene County before heading to Baldwin, Jones, Peach and Houston counties.
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The phrase "relentless recruiter" often is used to describe Smart.
“Guys, if you don’t recruit, there’s no coach out there who can out-coach recruiting,” Smart said during a press conference in 20212. "Spending time on the phone, spending time with people at your house, spending time with people on your campus, I’m not with my family when I’m doing that. My family sacrifices so that I can go and spend time with other people’s families so that we can have good players. That’s 25% evaluation, 50% recruiting, and the other 25% is coaching. If you don’t recruit, guys, you’ve got no chance.”
