Cardinal Dougherty High School opened in 1956 and grew to be the largest Catholic high school in the world, with nearly 6,000 students at its peak—before closing in 2010 due to declining enrollment. A few years back, in 2016, the doors were opened again to allow alums to tour the school, so I went…and headed for the sports locker room, where I prepped for baseball practice and pre-game rituals with my teammates.

Stepping into the locker room at Cardinal Dougherty for the first time in over 30 years was like a punch in the gut and a wave of nostalgia washing over me all at once. That space––peeling paint, old benches, lingering echoes of locker slams––held a world of memories: the laughter, the adrenaline-fueled debates, the camaraderie before stepping onto the diamond. As I stood there, I realized that room wasn’t just where we got dressed—it was where our team became unshakeable.

The Locker Room: Where Bonds Became Bedrock

Back then, the locker room was more than functional—it was ritualistic. We’d crack jokes to cut the tension, challenge each other’s mentality, and draw on that collective energy before practice and games. The noise, the unity, the shared anticipation—all of it forged bonds that carried through thick and thin.

I didn’t know it then but I know it now: those moments taught me the power of building culture before performance. We didn’t need extra motivators—we had each other. We didn’t need perfect preparation—we had each other. The spirit in the room was our launchpad.

Pre-game Rituals = Pre-pitch Business Alignment

In the corporate world, we also have pre-launch huddles, leadership syncs, and campaign kickoff sessions. Like those pre-game moments in Dougherty’s locker room, these times are where trust is built, priorities are clarified, and teams rally behind a shared objective.

There was no stronger feeling than walking out from Dougherty’s locker room knowing everyone had my back—and me theirs. In today’s marketing strategy sessions or cross-functional meetings, replicating that trust and focus makes all the difference between a transaction and a triumph.

Laughter, Debate, Unity = Honest Dialogue & Cohesion

Our locker room banter wasn’t just entertainment—it was honest communication. We challenged each other, sometimes fiercely, but always from a place of mutual respect and shared purpose. That tradition of transparent, respectful exchange lives on in my executive leadership.

Whether it’s debating creative direction, calling out misaligned metrics, or debating the equity of roles, creating a space where everyone can speak their truth with respect amplifies collective intelligence and alignment.

Preparation, Accountability, Momentum

Before every game, we’d revisit our roles, own our weaknesses, promise accountability. If someone needed support—or earned praise—that was publicly given. That pre-game accountability culture reinforced our commitment and sharpened our resilience.

In business, I bring that same mindset to posture for critical launches, campaigns, or organizational change. We clarify responsibilities, hold each other to commitments, and celebrate wins together—because we remember deeply what happens after the locker-room talk.

Closing Thoughts from the Empty Room

Standing there that day in the shutting-down locker room, I realized: the physical space may be gone, but its spirit remains alive—in me and in every team I lead. The locker room lessons taught me to: cultivate connection before focus, encourage honest discourse and challenge, Build accountability into culture, celebrate unity and not just results.

That scrappy, spirited energy we created “in the room” at Cardinal Dougherty taught me more about leadership than any textbook—or boardroom.