Thursday was considered a light day when Georgia entered the world of football. The Bulldogs had no practice, so it was just a day of exercises and meetings.
But looking at the state of the country after the Kenosha Y. incident, where police officers shot Jacob Blake seven times, turned into a lengthy discussion on Thursday as players shared their stories as their two stories lasted hours and how they felt.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart detailed how he was for himself and the Georgia football program last week. And he encouraged Georgia football fans, alumni and fans to show more empathy and listen to what Georgia’s players have to say.
“We didn’t play any football that day. Football was not important, ”Smart said on Saturday. “They got the voice of their opinions. Emotionally, many of us are in pain.
“When you hear that, it’s easy to sit behind a social media site or social media and post something and get your opinion but you don’t really know until you hear the guys and the pain they cause and what they feel. ”
Smart is credited with helping Georgia’s black assistant coach understand what is being done by his players, as he has coached backs coach Dale McGee, wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton, defensive line coach Tra Tret, defensive backs coach Charlton Warren and Jonas Jennings, director of player development.
“All of our people are really big assets, but we lean on those people, and we lean on their experiences, and they’ve done an incredible job,” Smart said.
Following the NBA players’ decision to sit-out of play-out games on Wednesday, a number of players reached out to Smart and asked to communicate once again. Smart said the team had a similar discussion early in the summer, but not since the start of fall camp, which was August 17 for the Bulldogs.
On Thursday, Smart released a video of some of Georgia’s players, such as Tyson Campbell and Aziz Ozulari, and some of Georgia’s assistant coaches talking about the need to get better.
Let’s use this energy to change our country … our world and together.# Gog Dogs pic.twitter.com/W65jOU8lFU
– Georgia Footb (L (Georgia Footb) L) August 28, 2020
“As a person who goes to the University of Georgia, I can use my voice for change,” Campbell said. “Trying to make the world a better place.”
Related: See: Georgian footballers, coaches talk about social injustice
The families of Smart and former Georgia coach Matthew Stafford donated $ 500,000 to start a social justice initiative at the University of Georgia.
For what comes next, Smart emphasized how the time for action now comes after the conversation and how the players are helping to move forward.
“They want the University of Georgia, in terms of the athletic department, to represent them, they want to do things in the community, they want to give back to their communities,” Smart said. They want change. They want to vote for 100 percent of Georgia’s student-athletes.
“They’re presenting challenges that need to be done and I’m really proud of that.”
Georgia football coach Kirby on smart social justice
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