I love march madness because I love watching a Cinderella team shock the world. This year Saint Peter’s (a team, I honestly had never heard of) shocked the world by doing what no other 15 seed had ever done..make it to the elite 8. The magic run consisted of defeating the always-elite Kentucky Wildcats, Murray State, and Purdue (all ranked far ahead of Saint Peter’s).
What impressed me after this weekend’s loss to North Carolina was something Saint Peter’s coach said. The coach, Shaheen Holloway, who is expected to take a much more high-paying job next season at his Alma Mater, could have been celebrating the historic season he put together. He could ride the wave of praise bestowed upon him for the record-breaking achievements his team had….yet he didn’t do that.
When asked about his future, his success, and his next move, he said, “None of that matters right now. Right now, I’m worried about those 15 young men whose hearts are broken and are really down.”
Great leadership is putting others’ needs ahead of your glory.
