I’ve always loved a good underdog story. So it’s no surprise that Saint Peters’ run in this year’s March Madness basketball tournament captured my heart just as it did millions of others who may first have asked, “Where’s Saint Peter’s?”, or as the coach of Duke flippantly said, “What’s Saint Peter’s, a hospital?”

Indeed, Saint Peter’s is a hospital in Jersey City, NJ but after their 11-day fairytale run for the final four, it’s safe to say that folks may now know this under-the-radar, under-resourced, and largely commuter school with an enrollment of just over 3,000 as the “little school that could.”

Henry Bushnell at Yahoo Sports called Saint Peter’s the “ultimate underdog— a team of overlooked players representing an overlooked school and a student body of overlooked kids…75% of those students are minorities.” He went on to explain, “Nearly half are Hispanic. Almost all, 99%, receive financial aid. Many are first-generation college students. Many have been disadvantaged, to some extent, by an unjust society. The university became their pathway to a more prosperous life.”

If you’re even a little tuned into sports, you’re not overlooking the school, or its basketball team, today. And while their March Madness run has ended, their story will certainly not fade fast, because their story represents the very best of us.

The Saint Peter’s Peacocks represent what can happen when we give something our all, when we bring our very best, when we do the work, and believe in one another: when we make a run for what we believe in, even if all odds are against us.

Folks who have been in a facilitated session of mine know that I love the book Scaling Up Excellence, by Bob Sutton and Huggy Rao. I use it as a teaching tool whenever I can because of one very simple and profound lesson in its pages: before scaling up an organization or team, focus on who you are at your most excellent. Know who you are at your core. Know what you stand for, and what you don’t. 

Chin up, shoulders back, head high.

In just 11 days, a little-known team of basketball players from Saint Peters University reminded us who we can be, at our best.

Strip away the pep band, the cheerleaders, the fancy uniforms (Saint Peter’s didn’t have or need any of those things to get them to the tournament), and you’ll see the real heart of the game; you’ll see what really matters. In basketball, and in life, it’s not about the flashiness of the show, and you won’t win by hoarding the ball. In basketball and in life, everything works better when you’re in it as a team — when your head and your heart are aligned.

The beauty of this life is that it gives us opportunities to see what we’re capable of in the unlikeliest of places. Sometimes even in the unlikeliest of basketball games.  But you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t make a run for it.

This is week 13 of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe  to ensure you receive this each week.