by Ronny Green
Sports prepares us for life off the field of play. After the game ends, the game of life begins. In August 2000, I walked into the highly decorated high school basketball program at Peabody Magnet High School as an ambitious Freshman with big dreams of advancing my basketball career. At the helm of this program was Coach Charles Smith, an already accomplished and revered figure in high school basketball. Since that time, Coach Smith has moved into fifth place amongst high school basketball coaches with 1,204 wins and 214 losses. He is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In August, Coach Smith was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
It’s been 21 years since I graduated high school, and I still carry with me some of the lessons Coach Smith taught us day in and day out. After the Warhorses won their 10th state championship in March an opportunity to give back to a man and an institution that have poured into our community presented itself, and just like a loose ball heading out of bounds, I dove at the opportunity and secured possession. Life has led me away from the basketball court and into the fast-paced world of banking. As a 10-year banking professional, I now work for First Guaranty Bank, recognized as one of the nation’s best community banks. At First Guaranty Bank, we don’t just wear that designation for decoration. In 2023, our community contributions exceeded $692,789.
It was truly a full circle moment when I was notified that we would be making a presentation to Coach Smith and the Peabody Warhorse basketball team for their 2024 state championship rings.
