Why “Why Not Us?”: Leadership Lessons from Texas A&M Volleyball

Cynthia Alfaro
Dec 22, 2025
3 min read

In December, the Texas A&M Aggies delivered one of the most compelling leadership stories of the year—on the volleyball court.

Entering the NCAA tournament as underdogs, Texas A&M faced a steep path. Their journey included a statement-making upset of the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers, a win that ended Nebraska’s perfect season and propelled Texas A&M into the Final Four. From there, the Aggies continued their momentum and sealed the deal with a decisive national championship victory over Kentucky Wildcats.

The result was historic. But the how is where the leadership lesson lives.

At the center of their run was a simple mantra: “Why not us?”

That question unlocked one of the most powerful tools available to any athlete—or leader: the mind.

The Mental Game Is the Game

Athletes often say that 90% of sports is mental, and this championship run made that truth visible. Talent matters. Preparation matters. Strategy matters. But belief determines whether all of that shows up when pressure is highest.

Texas A&M didn’t just execute plays—they executed confidence. They stayed composed against higher-ranked opponents, recovered quickly from mistakes, and played with freedom rather than fear. That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of intentional mental preparation and a shared belief system.

I learned this lesson early.

At 11 years old, as a young tennis athlete growing up in Chicago, I was introduced to visualization—mentally rehearsing success before stepping onto the court. Long before I had language for leadership or performance psychology, I learned that what you see and believe internally shapes how you perform externally.

That lesson has stayed with me across every leadership role I’ve held since.

Why This Hit Home—As a Leader and a Mom

This story resonates even more deeply for me now because my world has shifted.

My oldest daughter is a volleyball athlete.

Which means I’m no longer just watching sports—I’m locked in. I’m watching the mental game unfold point by point. I’m seeing how confidence builds, how momentum shifts, how one mistake can either spiral or sharpen focus depending on mindset.

I’m noticing how athletes communicate under pressure.

How they recover after a missed play. How belief—or doubt—travels quickly across a team.

As a leader and as a mom, the parallels are impossible to ignore.

Watching my daughter navigate competition, expectations, and growth has reinforced something I already knew but now feel even more deeply: mindset isn’t just a performance tool—it’s a life skill. And it’s one we must intentionally cultivate in both our teams and our children.

That’s why the Texas A&M volleyball journey stood out so clearly.They didn’t just train their bodies.They trained their minds.

Leadership Lessons from Texas A&M’s Championship Run

1. Mindset sets the ceiling. Talent without belief stalls. Teams and organizations rarely outperform the limits they accept internally.

2. Language shapes culture.“Why not us?” reframed pressure into possibility. Leaders must be intentional about the words their teams repeat—especially in moments of uncertainty.

3. Preparation plus belief drives execution. Mindset isn’t a substitute for discipline. It’s the multiplier when preparation meets opportunity.

4. Resilience is built, not inherited. Texas A&M’s ability to perform under pressure was the result of repeated exposure to challenge and a culture that normalized adversity rather than feared it.

5. Underdog energy can be a strategic advantage. When teams stop trying to protect a reputation and start playing with purpose, creativity and connection rise.