On Wednesday, Marion Military Institute hosted Bill Curry, three-time NFL champion, University of Alabama head football coach and former ESPN analyst as its Coleman Keynote Speaker at the junior college’s 2016 Capstone Leadership Symposium.

The event drew attendees from each of the nation’s five military junior colleges, including visitors from Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Georgia.

Curry’s theme was “Unleashing Your Personal Magnanimitas,” which Curry defined as greatness of spirit and soul that is unique to one person.

He engaged the audience with memorable moments from his football playing career and coaching career. Curry spoke about mentors and teammates who he believed had fully developed their “magnanimitas,” including Green Bay Packers players Bart Starr, Willie Davis, Ray Nitschke and legendary coach Vince Lombardi.

Curry was a 215-pound center from Georgia Tech who was drafted in the 20th round by the Packers.

On Wednesday, Curry spoke about how much of a change it was going from his southern upbringing and moving to Wisconsin.

The coach recounted some personal mistakes and hard lessons learned. In between laughs, he asked the young leaders in the audience to seriously consider six characteristics of champions: showing up, singleness of purpose, unselfishness, acts of kindness, being prepared and never quitting.

In Curry’s later years in his career, he was the head football coach at Alabama from 1987-1989, where he led the Crimson Tide to a Southeastern Conference Championship.

One question Curry fielded from an Alabama fan related to his disciplining of wide receiver Prince Wimbley on the sidelines for dancing during the 1990 Sugar Bowl.  Curry took it in stride and retold the story with a sense of humor.

Following his presentation, the MMI Corps of Cadets honored Curry with a pass in review on the quadrangle. Graduating cadets and guests then joined him in the Ireland Athletic Center for a luncheon and book signing of his “Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle.” Proceeds from books sold at the event were donated to his wife Carolyn Curry’s nonprofit foundation, Women Alone Together.