06/16/2026
**Championships are won on the field, but they’re built everywhere else.**
Today we had the privilege of watching Madelia bring home a State Championship, and while the trophy is incredible, I think the bigger story is what these young men taught all of us along the way.
They reminded us that passion matters. When you care deeply about something, your energy spreads to the people around you.
They reminded us that winning with a team is better than winning alone. Success isn’t about one person. It’s about who’s on your left and who’s on your right—people who challenge you, support you, and help you become better than you could be on your own.
They reminded us to stay coachable. To accept mentorship. To listen to people who have gone before us and allow them to help shape who we become.
And maybe most importantly, they reminded us what can happen when a community believes in something together.
Throughout this entire journey, the players and coaches continually thanked those who supported them. It was a reminder that behind every championship, every milestone, and every accomplishment is a group of people who believed, encouraged, sacrificed, and invested long before anyone was celebrating the outcome.
That’s one of the greatest gifts of living in Madelia. This is a community that knows how to show up for one another. My hope is that these young men carry that with them wherever life takes them, because the roots they’ve built here—the relationships, the support, and the understanding that nobody succeeds alone—will take them farther than any trophy ever could.
Congratulations, State Champions. Thank you for reminding all of us what hard work, humility, teamwork, mentorship, and community can accomplish.
