#LasallianLife
Two Teams, Two Victories
March 6, 2026
Athletics at a Lasallian school are about more than competition. They are part of our mission to form young people of character, compassion, and integrity. While the scoreboard matters, the deeper lessons learned through sports often matter even more.
One of the enduring truths of athletics is that sometimes you can win and still lose, and sometimes you can lose and still be winners.
Over the past several weeks, our CBA basketball teams have reminded us of both sides of that truth.
Our girls basketball team has put together a remarkable season. Their success on the court has earned them a place in the Section III championship game for the first time in six years. Yet their accomplishments extend well beyond the scoreboard. These young women are outstanding students, supportive teammates, and leaders in our school community. They compete with determination while also representing Christian Brothers Academy with humility and respect.
They now move on to face undefeated Utica Notre Dame in the sectional championship on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at the SRC Arena. I hope many in our CBA community will come out to cheer on the Brothers! For those who cannot attend, the game will also be available to watch through the NFHS Network.
Our boys basketball team recently concluded its season in a hard-fought sectional game. While the final score did not fall in our favor, what happened earlier that day offered a powerful reminder of what true victory can look like.
The day after the game, our head coach and athletic director, Buddy Wleklinski, received an unexpected phone call from a woman who had encountered several of our players while they were out to eat before the game. She noticed how respectfully they treated the staff and how kindly they interacted with her and others around them. The players took the time to engage her in conversation and treated her with a warmth and sincerity that clearly left an impression.
During the call she shared something deeply personal. Earlier that same day, she had been diagnosed with cancer. She said that in the middle of a very difficult day, the kindness and respect she experienced from those young men lifted her spirits.
“They were exactly what I needed that day,” she told Coach Wleklinski.
Those players may have lost the game that evening. But in a much deeper way, they won.
Saint John Baptist de La Salle believed that education should form not only the mind, but the heart. Moments like this remind us that the true measure of success is not simply found in wins and losses, but in the character young people carry into the world.
Sometimes you can win and still lose. Sometimes you can lose and still be winners. And when young people bring kindness, respect, and dignity to others, that is a victory that lasts far longer than anything a scoreboard can record.
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
