George: The Lovett School is a private school. It’s a very wealthy school, 30 minutes on the other side of town from my house. I did go to private school in kindergarten and first grade, and it got really expensive. I wasn’t the private school-type person; my mother got me out. Never thought I’d go back. And I got in eighth grade and my middle school coaches knew the coaches over at another private school. So, I went over there, interviewed with the school, met the whole football team, the coaches, and they said that I was probably the type of person that would fit in well. It did more for me than I think any public school would have ever done at that time, because they just have so many connections and great teaching. Lovett was great, but with very high academic standards. It’s tough – difficult. I’ve always been one that gets along with all my teachers. So, they were there helping me out. With just my dad raising me and being the only parent we had coming up, I had teachers there that were like that other parent. I mean, one time I had a football coach come pick me up because I didn’t have a ride to school. I mean, you know, that’s a 30-minute drive and he had no idea where he was going. And teachers just spent a lot of extra time helping me with my grades and the students made me fit in at the school. I made the varsity football team my freshman year and had a great time. After that I was ineligible – I’d never really struggled with my grades, but I was ineligible for the rest of the year, so that’s when I first started lifting weights and got stronger and I got my grades going back. The following year, I played four sports. I did football, baseball, track and basketball. So, I’ve always been athletic. I’ve always played every sport growing up. Royce: Did you go on some sort of scholarship or – George: Well, in high school they don’t give sports scholarships, but I fit in as financial aid because of our money situation. And then the scholarships are presented by the alumni of the school. Royce: But, they seek out certain kind of people that they think will thrive there? George: Yes, and I think it really takes a certain type of student, especially as a minority student coming into that school. Because I know a lot of good athletes and good people that probably couldn’t make it at that school. It’s tough at times and you do have to fit in and be strong when you’re at the school. I couldn’t have asked for anything better, and I really enjoyed my time there. Royce: So, in football, what did Lovett School do for you? George: You just get well-publicized at that school. And I turned out to be one of the most publicized athletes coming out of Atlanta in probably 10 years or 15 years. So, that just helped me out. I ended up doing a lot of interviews. I got to do the ESPN Scholastic Sports and stuff. We probably had the best coaching that I could have asked for in high school. We had excellent – we had the best equipment. You know, when I first walked in there, in the eighth grade, in the football locker rooms, I’m looking at the helmets, and we had $500 shoulder pads and every year I’d have a new pair. You’d just have all the top-of-the-line stuff. The best practice facilities. In fact, they used our field as a practice field for the Olympics – Olympic soccer – when the Olympics came. NFL teams, when they would come in to play the Falcons a lot of times they would work out at our field. Rankin Smith, who was the owner of the Falcons, and Taylor Smith, all their kids go there. And actually, John Schuerholz’s, the general manager of the Braves. Royce: What were some of your football accolades? George: I was first team All American on pretty much every list. I was on the Reebok All-American Team where we did – Royce: – as a running back – |
