Alabama Football: A personal look at Nick Saban’s real legacy

Alabama football, sorry Tide fans, is only part of Nick Saban’s legacy. Our own Meredith Hornsby gave us insight into his foundation of pride.

When the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide goes home, the ‘Process’ does not stop there. Not even after endless press conferences, interviews, and other media spots. Discipline, Commitment, Toughness, Effort, and Pride are not just pretty terms that are grouped into some kind of brand for Saban; they are life, itself.

Pride, in particular, is his legacy that Saban works on every minute of every day.

Often, Saban has asked his university players, how good do you want to be?  Pride in one’s character and accomplishments is the driving force to answer that question. For Saban, that type of pride takes the form of giving back, just like his father Nick Saban Sr. did, helping young people become the best that they can be and giving the care and support that they need to accomplish that goal.

Nick’s Kids Foundation is “the official charity of the Nick Saban Family, Nick and Terry invest their time in hosting luncheons, golf tournaments scrimmages, and other events to benefit the cause. ”

Since 1998, when Saban was the head coach of Michigan State University, Nick and Terry established the Foundation in honor of Nick’s late father, who helped local children in their hometown in Virginia with Pop Warner football. He also gave them life lessons that they kept throughout their lives.

Saban Jr. was also one of those children, and he has followed in his father’s footsteps admirably.

Throughout his career at different locations, now at Alabama, Saban stayed committed with his wife to carry on his father’s work by giving back, not just by donating their own money or raising money in the communities but by giving their own free time to the cause. They meet with other organizations and the people behind them who are doing their part in helping young people take pride in their own lives, no matter who they are or what the struggles.

One such encounter was this August 3rd, at the Annual Giveaway Luncheon, “which serves to distribute grants to support children, family, teacher, and student causes.”

With that in mind, we learned that Bama Hammer contributor Meredith Hornsby was at the Luncheon at Bryant-Denny Stadium with her beautiful, 5-year-old daughter Caroline, who has cerebral palsy. Saban and his wife met Meredith and Caroline, as well as 700 other guests from non-profit organizations.

Since today is World Cerebral Palsy Day, where people wear green to spread awareness of CP, we put Meredith in the proverbial ‘hot seat’ and asked her questions about the event.

Check out the link to video about the Luncheon, especially at the very end of the promo video; Caroline’s waving to everyone at the end: Nick’s Kids Annual Giveaway Luncheon Video. There’s also a picture of Meredith and Caroline with another youngster giving Mrs. Terry a big high-five for coming.