Seems like Nick Saban, Alabama’s GOAT, cannot escape the spotlight. From building rosters to nurturing talents, he has done it all for the Crimson Tide, and with ease. Saban is often judged through the lens of trophies and titles, and we all know how invested he still is in college football even after retirement. But behind the modern-day genius, there is a son who still carries the promise he made to his mother decades ago.

We are all aware of Saban’s heroics on the field, but the more emotional, lesser-seen foundation success is the one that started at a humble service station in West Virginia, and not on a field. His father, Nick Saban Sr. owned a service station and coached a youth football team. That’s where Alabama’s former head coach got his passion from. Years after his father passed away due to a heart attack, Saban started ‘Nick’s Kids Foundation’, a charitable trust, in 1998. This was his way of paying respect to his late father.

Recently, Nick recently featured in the Pure Athlete Podcast, where he spoke about the inspiration behind the charitable initiative. He said, “Well, you know, my dad [coached] football in West Virginia. Kids all lived in a coal mining town. A lot of them didn’t participate in sports because they couldn’t get back and forth from school, because they lived in these hollows. He bought a school bus. Wanted to pick guys up, took them to practice, took them home.” Nick Saban Sr. was devoted to the kids. Whenever they needed to buy sports stuff, he used to take them to the sports shops to buy it. He promoted sports and the lessons one can learn from them.

Nick Saban continued, “And so my mom said, when my dad passed away, when I was, like, 21 or 22 years old, you know, if you ever get an opportunity to be in a position to help kids, that’s what your dad would be most proud of.” It wasn’t about publicity. Neither was it about branding. It was simply about honouring his father, who believed that sports have the power to change lives. And this wasn’t just about football; it was him giving kids structure, purpose, and the belief that they mattered. Nick’s foundation has raised millions and has helped schools, families, and children around Alabama. They have given first-generation scholarships to many kids every year.

Nick Saban’s wife, Terry, hasn’t stayed back to help her husband in this matter. The couple raises awareness and resources for the organisations. They host several events like luncheons, golf tournaments, and others. The Foundation has given more than $13 million to local and regional people since 2007. While Nick Saban is known for his records, perhaps his most enduring achievement is the promise he has kept, which he made decades ago.

Nick Saban reveals valuable lessons learnt from his father in childhood

Becoming a responsible man takes time, and it seems like Nick Saban’s father was preparing him to become the best in the sport since his early years. While reminiscing about childhood memories, Nick stumbled upon the lessons that he learnt from his parents, especially his father. Nick Saban Sr. taught his son to be compassionate about others.

The former Alabama head coach accepted that this helped him build a strong relationship with the players and family he was associated with in the latter half of his life. He also revealed the time when he was just 11 years old and worked in his father’s service station. Holding accountability for his work is something that his father instilled in him from early childhood.

“When I was growing up was, we won like, 26 games in a row that we were even unscored on when we played softball and football, and I got on the green dial every day when I pulled him after the game, and then we went to high school, we lost the game. Then we won about 30 more games in a row, and it was never good enough. I can never understand that. And he always said it’s not about beating the other guy. It’s about making sure you’re being the best that you can be. So, I think that was one of the key things that, through all the years, 17 years at Alabama, that was always what I was able to instill into my players,” said Nick Saban.

His father’s lessons weren’t just about hard work; it was about building a life for himself. And, the mantra to compete with yourself more than the scoreboard became the guiding light for the former head coach.