As football practices get into full swing, some players may take more encouragement than others to get back into the groove of the sport. At GMC, the Bulldogs decided the best way to help everyone ease into the season was to bring in Macon native Tony Gilbert, a former coach at the school and current inside linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL, to be the keynote speaker at the school’s first annual “Seminar on Leadership and Character.”
As a former player at UGA and an eight-year veteran of the NFL, Gilbert knows how difficult it can be for young players to balance the demanding parts of football with the equally demanding parts of everyday life. Classes, relationships and other parts of growing up require dedication to properly maintain, and Gilbert was encouraged at how well the students received the speeches from each member of the coaching staff as well as himself.
“I think the coaches put on a great leadership conference, I just hope they [the students] took away some great traits to use in their everyday life,” said Gilbert after his speech.
One of the main points Gilbert made in his speech was the importance of working hard every day in order to be fully prepared when an opportunity presents itsel to you, as there are many times in life where the first impression ends up being the only impression To emphasize this, he told the stories of how he got his start in each major part of his life, from being a starter at UGA, getting drafted and playing in the NFL and coaching for the same team he used to play for.
“You can’t be waiting for your opportunity; you have to be preparing for it. So while you are behind somebody, you’re preparing so that when your time comes, you can immediately step in and you won’t miss a beat,” said Gilbert.
To wrap up the speech, before opening the floor to questions from the players, Gilbert emphasized that the most important part about deciding to do something requires asking yourself if it is something that you would be dedicated to, or if it is something you have a passing interest in. That that will often determine how you approach most ventures you undertake. After the question-and-answer period, Bulldogs’ Head Coach Rob Manchester brought each player up on the stage for a picture with Gilbert and to receive a pin. Manchester told them to always keep the pin with them to remain motivated in everything that they do. He suggested that the students place the pin in a location they are always near so there is a constant reminder to never give up. According to Manchester, the pin also marks as a reminder of the seminar and what they have learned from an individual who had made it to the highest level of competition.
“For him [Gilbert] to come in and talk about leadership and how it’s important in all aspects was really key to this seminar, because we really wanted to have something that would impart things into these young men and make them successful in life,” said Manchester.
The seminar was the first of four that are currently planned. Manchester says he hopes that by the end of the final meeting, each player will have heard something they will instill in themselves to help them with whatever comes their way, whether it be on or off the football field.