Sony Michel visits Thomas County FCA

Mar. 8—THOMASVILLE — Two time Super Bowl Champion and former Georgia Bulldog Sony Michel was the guest speaker at the Thomas County FCA Banquet on Thursday night. Players and fans alike were enamored with the Georgia great, stealing glimpses and clutching Bulldogs memorabilia with the hope of getting it signed. But, what Michel had to say to the Thomas County FCA was so much bigger than football.

The evening began with a meal as FCA supporters greeted one another and bid on sports memorabilia like a home plate signed by Braves legend Sid Bream, a Clemson helmet signed by Dabo Swinney and a Georgia helmet signed by Mark Richt, Herschel Walker and Kirby Smart among others.

The night's speaking began as FCA members spoke about the impact of the FCA in South Georgia. FCA members spoke about the 41 active huddles in the Thomas County area, the 2,000 plus Bibles that have been distributed, the over 550 players and coaches that have gone to FCA camps and the over 150 students who have given their lives to Jesus Christ through the FCA ministry.

Thomasville cheer coach Elaina Johnson and Thomas County Central quarterback Jaylen Johnson shared their testimonies, explaining the FCA's impact through the eyes of a player and a coach.

Then, Randy Young and Michel took the stage, engaging in an impactful and fascinating conversation. Michel shared his story about how he grew up playing football in Florida and was the definition of a phenom. Michel played varsity in the eighth grade and before he was a freshman in high school he already had an offer from Florida State. He talked about staying humble and hungry and how he made his college decision. Michel spoke about his legendary run against Oklahoma in the 2018 Rose Bowl that sent the Bulldogs to the National Championship game. Michel took that time to stress the importance of keeping your faith in God and the importance of continuing to believe even when things look bad.

He also spoke about being in the NFL. Michel was drafted to the Patriots in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Of course, he was asked about Bill Belichick, known for his tough and sometimes seemingly brutal personality. Surprisingly, Michel described Belichick as "approachable," saying that the coach's disdain for the media comes from his protectiveness over his players. Michel also spoke about his retirement and his new venture, a fitness company centered around recovery for everyday people and how God led him there.

However, the most impactful moment of Michel's time at the FCA banquet came at the end, when he spoke directly to the high school athletes sitting to his left.

"Be intentional," Michel said. "Set your goal. This is where I want to be and I'm going to do everything I can to get to that goal. Keep God in your life."

Michel went on to advise the athletes to be humble.

"Enter every room, every situation with a humble heart," Michel said. "Keep that confidence, but still be open to learn. Still be open to listen to your peers, to what's going on around you because we don't have all the answers. We're still growing. We're still learning. The last thing would be grace. Give yourself some grace. Give the people around you grace. Jesus Christ gave us grace. In the moment, where I am today, man, I'm thankful."