[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E102-E103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF COACH KIRBY PAUL SMART

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 3, 2022

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor, commend, 
and extend personal congratulations to the University of Georgia's 
(UGA) Football Head Coach, Coach Kirby P. Smart. Coach Smart recently 
led the UGA Bulldogs to their 2022 College Football Playoffs National 
Championship win on Monday, January 11, 2022.
  Kirby was born on December 23, 1975, to the union of Sonny and Sharon 
Smart. He was educated in the Decatur County School System, and he 
began his playing career at Bainbridge High School under the tutelage 
of his father. During his high school career, he was a three-year 
letterman in football, basketball, and baseball and a first-team Class 
AAAA All-State as a senior. Upon his graduation from Bainbridge High, 
he enrolled at and played for the University of Georgia, where he was a 
four-year letterman at defensive back and a first-team All-SEC 
(Southeastern Conference) selection as a senior. He finished his 
college football career as a four-time member of SEC Academic Honor 
Roll, with 13 interceptions, ranking fourth-all time at UGA, and led 
the Bulldogs with six interceptions in 1997 and five in 1998 before 
graduating in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in Finance. Kirby later 
obtained his master's degree in Physical Education from Florida State 
University in 2003.
  Kirby began his impressive coaching career in 1999 as the 
Administrative Assistant Coach for UGA. Since then, he has served as 
the Assistant Coach for Defensive Backs (2000) and Defense Coordinator 
(2001) at Valdosta State University, a Graduate Assistant (2002 through 
2003) at Florida State University, the Assistant Coach for Defensive 
Backs (2004) at Louisiana State University, the Assistant Coach for 
Running Backs (2005) at UGA, and the Assistant Coach for Safeties 
(2006) with the Miami Dolphins. He also served as the Assistant Coach 
for Defensive Backs (2007), Defensive Coordinator for Inside 
Linebackers (2008 through 2013 and 2015), and Defensive Coordinator for 
Inside Linebackers (2014) at the University of Alabama, before coming 
back to UGA to serve as the Football Head Coach (2016). Since returning 
to UGA, Kirby and the Bulldogs have amassed championship titles at 
several levels including four in the SEC Eastern Division, one in the 
SEC, and one at the national level.
  Coach Smart has received countless awards and commendations for his 
achievements and accomplishments as a coach including the Broyles Award 
(2009), American Football Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the 
Year (2012), SEC Coach of the Year

[[Page E103]]

(2017, 2021), and most recently, a bipartisan and bicameral resolution 
on January 11, 2022, endorsed by the entire Georgia Congressional 
Delegation honoring the UGA Bulldogs' recent 2022 College Football 
Playoffs National Championship win.
  Coach Smart has accomplished much in his life, but none of it would 
have been possible without the grace of God; the love and support of 
his wife, Mary; and their children; Weston, Julia, and Andrew.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to 
join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people 
of the Second Congressional District and the Georgia Bulldog Nation, in 
extending our thanks, our heartfelt congratulations, and our best 
wishes to Coach Kirby P. Smart for his monumental achievement in 
leading the UGA Bulldogs to their 2022 College Football Playoffs 
National Championship win.

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