On February 27, Stratford Academy Athletic Director Emeritus Grady Smith was the first independent school athletic director inducted into the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame. GADA describes its Hall of Fame as a recognition of those who laid the foundation for future generations of athletic leaders through dedication to coaches and student-athletes. This honor is reserved for leaders whose work has shaped athletic administration across our state.  

Grady began his career at Stratford in 1970 on the school’s original campus atop Coleman Hill.  As a recent University of Georgia graduate and a Jones County native, he came on board as the girls basketball coach at just 22 years old. What began as just a coaching job became a lifelong calling. After assuming the role of athletic director in 1977, he went on to spend 44 years at Stratford before retiring at the end of the 2014 school year. Upon his retirement, Grady was named Athletic Director Emeritus in honor of his service to the school.  

His coaching resume alone is extraordinary. Grady coached the girls basketball team from 1970 to 1980 and the boys basketball team from 1975 to 1995. He led the girls to four state championships and the boys to three more. In 1978, he accomplished something few coaches at any level can claim, guiding both the girls and boys teams to state championships on the same night. Beyond basketball, he coached golf from 1971 to 2005, winning 10 state championships, and coached girls softball from 1982 to 2000, winning three state titles. Smith was also head coach of the boys soccer team from 1979-1981. In all, Grady is credited with bringing home 20 state championships. He’s been the recipient of the GISA Distinguished Service Award, named State Basketball Coach of the Year seven times, State Softball Coach of the Year three times, and State Golf Coach of the Year ten times. He’s been inducted into the Stratford Athletic Hall of Fame and the Macon Sports Hall of Fame.  

But Grady’s legacy isn’t just championships and awards. Under his leadership the school expanded its athletic offerings significantly, adding volleyball, softball, cross country, wrestling, soccer, swimming, shooting sports, and lacrosse. He supported other emerging opportunities, including a brief equestrian program.  

Stratford’s Assistant Athletic Director, Terry Sowell, started working for Grady in 2000. During the GADA induction ceremony, she shared that Grady understood the importance of providing opportunities to our student-athletes to play the sports they desired but that he “also encouraged them to play multiple sports to ensure our athletic program remained competitive.” 

Grady was also instrumental in developing Stratford’s state-of-the-art facilities as the school began its transition to the current campus on Peake Road in 1974. The facilities were imagined with a long-term vision for excellence that has allowed Stratford to host major postseason and community events. The spaces our students and families enjoy today reflect his deep commitment to giving Stratford student-athletes a place to compete with pride.  

That instinct to create opportunities came from his desire to serve the mission of the school. Grady viewed athletics as an integral part of the Stratford experience. He held high expectations of his student-athletes, making sure they did the hard work in the classroom before they ever stepped onto a field or court.  Academics and athletics were both part of forming disciplined, responsible, life-long learners.  

He held his staff to those same standards of excellence and, because of that leadership, had remarkable retention among his team.  Six of Grady’s coaches have served Stratford for more than 25 years and are still coaching at the school today. That buy-in does not happen by accident. It grows in cultures where people feel trusted, challenged, and supported.  

During his leadership, Grady established the motto Pride, Tradition, Excellence, that still inspires the athletic program today. Pride can be seen in the way Stratford teams carry themselves and care for our facilities. Tradition honors those who came before and values the legacy entrusted to the next generation. Excellence means pursuing the very best in every area of school life and shaping the expectations held for our student-athletes.  

In late 2013, Stratford announced that the school would permanently name its gymnasium in Grady’s honor, and the dedication followed during basketball season. The Grady remains more than a venue for competition. It is a place where our community gathers for celebrations of excellence—a place where traditions and memories are kept alive, and new ones are made.  

At Stratford, we often talk about helping our students soar. Grady’s life offers one of the clearest examples of that mission in action. His induction into the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame affirms what generations of students, coaches, parents, alumni, and colleagues have experienced firsthand. Grady Smith helped define what Stratford athletics would become. He cleared the path for student-athletes, raised the standard for coaches, and protected traditions while embracing growth. He laid the foundation that continues to serve Stratford today.  

Congratulations, Grady, on your induction into the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame. Stratford Academy is proud, grateful, and blessed to call you one of our own. Eagle Pride.