The Sedalia School district announced  NFL’s New Orlean Saints kicker Blake Grupe, an alumni of Smith Cotton High, took some time during his bye week to provide some inspiration and feedback to students at Horace Mann Elementary School where Grupe himself had attended K-4th grade.

Grupe spoke with students and teachers throughout his visit on Thursday , November 16 and gave words of encouragement and fielded questions from the students and staff.

Grupe said ” What I tried to stress to them was that I was sitting on that gym floor just like they were back then”  Grupe gave advice directing students to “as early as you can, do as much as you can, because you never know what is going to be your path, what you are going to love.”

Grupe posed with a photo with Elementary principal Sara Pannier as she tried on his helmet after.