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For ten years, Lead ‘Em Up has worked to develop leaders and build cohesive teams. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re looking back at some of the championship teams that exemplify the power of culture and leadership.
Next up in our series is the Calvert Hall Lacrosse team, a program that built a championship legacy on a foundation of servant leadership and total buy-in. In 2025, the team defeated some of the nation’s best to secure the championship. According to Head Coach Bryan Kelly, their success was the result of a culture as strong as any he’d ever seen, with every player understanding their value and their role.
We sat down with Coach Kelly and senior leaders Ben Cuomo, Max Murray, and Clay Stauffer to get their perspective on what made this team so special.
A Foundation of Servant Leadership
Culture has always been a priority at Calvert Hall, but this particular team elevated it to a new level. From the coaching staff to the seniors, there was a complete buy-in that created an environment of trust and mutual respect.
“The culture that year was as strong as it’s ever been, especially with the added support from Lead ‘Em Up,” Coach Kelly said. “We had total buy-in from top to bottom, regardless of how much a player was on the field, every guy felt valued and understood their role.”
This deep-rooted commitment was most evident in the team’s senior leaders. They didn’t just direct, they served. They supported, guided, and mentored the younger players, setting a selfless example that became contagious. As senior Clay Stauffer perfectly put it, “This team had a bond like no other. We truly cared for one another.”
The “Bass and Treble” of Performance
A championship season is rarely a straight path to success, and for Calvert Hall, it was a journey filled with highs and lows. To navigate those challenges, Coach Kelly relied on a key Lead ‘Em Up teaching he called “bass and treble.” The concept helped the team learn when to bring calm energy (bass) versus when to turn up the emotional intensity (treble).
“That visual helped the team reset, and we referenced it throughout our playoff run,” Coach Kelly said. “It became a tool I could use in real time with the team, ‘we need more bass’ or ‘it’s time for some treble.’ That helped us stay emotionally balanced when it mattered most.”
For senior Max Murray, this lesson was a game-changer. “I loved the treble and bass teaching,” he said. “Being able to maximize energy without sacrificing our focus and attention to detail elevated our standards for how we show up each day.”
Unshakeable Under Pressure
The team’s culture of unwavering focus was most visible in clutch situations. They were a team that refused to be rattled.
“We won four overtime games, including one in double OT, against some of the best teams in the country,” Coach Kelly recalled. “Whether we were down a goal or up five, the group stayed incredibly steady. There was a maturity and focus that never wavered.”
This consistent composure was a direct result of their team-wide commitment. Every player, regardless of their role, knew they were important and showed up every day ready to contribute. According to senior Ben Cuomo, this buy-in was rare and made a huge difference. “The team culture was the strongest I’ve ever seen,” Ben said. “Everybody was all-in, giving 100% whether they were a starter or not.”
Embodying the “Green Team”
A major factor in maintaining that consistent level of buy-in was the Green-Gray-Red model. It gave the team a shared language to identify and address behavior.
“The program helped us understand what it really means to be a ‘Green Team’, where everyone stays positive, accountable, and focused on lifting each other up,” Ben Cuomo said. “It also gave us a common language to call out bad habits. It definitely helped us stay united and avoid the drama that used to hold us back.”
The concept was so simple, yet so powerful. As Coach Kelly put it, “When someone was drifting into ‘gray,’ we could challenge our leaders to bring them back to ‘green.’ It created accountability in a really healthy, constructive way.”
Leadership by Example
There were countless moments of leadership throughout the year, but one that stands out involved Max Murray. A high-impact player, Max suffered a midseason injury and missed significant time. When he returned, a teammate had stepped up and earned a starting role in his place.
“A lot of players in Max’s position would’ve been frustrated or disengaged, but not Max,” Coach Kelly said. Instead of pouting, Max became the guy who fired up the team from the sidelines. “His attitude, despite the setback, never changed,” Coach Kelly said. “Everyone knew how good he was, and because of the way he carried himself, he earned even more respect from the team.”
Max embodied what it means to stay “green” no matter the circumstance, and his leadership by example was a huge part of what made the team so strong. As Max himself reflected, “I have never been part of a culture so together and rooted in the standard.”
Ultimately, Calvert Hall’s championship was the culmination of selfless leadership, emotional intelligence, and unwavering commitment. The team proved that true leadership is “caught,” and when it spreads, it’s a contagious force that can’t be stopped.
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