The Hinesville Rotary Club got an inside look of the upcoming football season when Liberty High football coach Kirk Warner spoke at the club's July 15 meeting.
The head coach highlighted progresses and outlined some of his plans for the future.
Warner said Panther fans should expect a lot from the "senior leadership," this year.
"This year we've got 17 (seniors)," he said. "So, hopefully, that'll give us the experience needed to pull out some more of those close games."
While enjoying training sessions in their new, "immaculate," weight room, Warner also said he and his team are also looking forward to playing games on their own field, telling Rotarians he "checks it everyday."
"Slowly, I think we're building a program," he said. "My goal is to have a winner on both sides of the county...have everybody filling the stands Friday nights, whether it's for Bradwell or Liberty."
Warner also shared some of his experiences playing college football for the University of Georgia and practicing professional football with the New England Patriots in 1990-91. He came to LCHS six years ago from Cochran, Ga.
As a coach, Warner said his goal is "to be that coach that gives you that little glimmer of hope."
Admitting he "didn't do it on my own," Warner explained how he grew up as the youngest in a single-parent household.
He had his mother and older siblings to demonstrate how "education was going to be the way out of the system."
So he encourages his players not become too hard on themselves because "adversity is going to be a lifelong problem."
"Whether you got two cents or $2 million, you're going to be worried about something," Warner tells them. "How you deal with adversity will shape the person that you will become."
"That's the attitude I always take in life," he said. "I tackle stuff, head-on. I don't shy away from anything. If there's a challenge in front, I try to accept it."
Warner mentioned a plan to help players just as much in the classroom as on the field by creating an academic tutoring program led by teammates.
"The athletic ability is here in Liberty County, we just got to bring the academic portion up," Warner explained.
The coach has also seen some college prospects for this year.
"I'm very proud of the young guys we have now," Warner said. "In a nutshell, I think we're going to be very, very competitive this year."
The head coach highlighted progresses and outlined some of his plans for the future.
Warner said Panther fans should expect a lot from the "senior leadership," this year.
"This year we've got 17 (seniors)," he said. "So, hopefully, that'll give us the experience needed to pull out some more of those close games."
While enjoying training sessions in their new, "immaculate," weight room, Warner also said he and his team are also looking forward to playing games on their own field, telling Rotarians he "checks it everyday."
"Slowly, I think we're building a program," he said. "My goal is to have a winner on both sides of the county...have everybody filling the stands Friday nights, whether it's for Bradwell or Liberty."
Warner also shared some of his experiences playing college football for the University of Georgia and practicing professional football with the New England Patriots in 1990-91. He came to LCHS six years ago from Cochran, Ga.
As a coach, Warner said his goal is "to be that coach that gives you that little glimmer of hope."
Admitting he "didn't do it on my own," Warner explained how he grew up as the youngest in a single-parent household.
He had his mother and older siblings to demonstrate how "education was going to be the way out of the system."
So he encourages his players not become too hard on themselves because "adversity is going to be a lifelong problem."
"Whether you got two cents or $2 million, you're going to be worried about something," Warner tells them. "How you deal with adversity will shape the person that you will become."
"That's the attitude I always take in life," he said. "I tackle stuff, head-on. I don't shy away from anything. If there's a challenge in front, I try to accept it."
Warner mentioned a plan to help players just as much in the classroom as on the field by creating an academic tutoring program led by teammates.
"The athletic ability is here in Liberty County, we just got to bring the academic portion up," Warner explained.
The coach has also seen some college prospects for this year.
"I'm very proud of the young guys we have now," Warner said. "In a nutshell, I think we're going to be very, very competitive this year."