The Alabama Crimson Tide college football team proved it was the top program in the country in January. This week, the players also showed they might be the best example of how to handle a White House visit after their championship win.

Virtually the entire team, which numbers about 100 players, was in attendance for the White House event this year. A major reason? Head coach Nick Saban did a good job of convincing his players to attend the event.

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“Coach Saban addressed it and just said, ‘Hey, we’re doing this regardless of your political thoughts. We’re going, just to celebrate this team. It’s an honor. And just to be able to say that you’ve gone to the White House is something that you can cherish forever.’ So that was basically the extent of that,” offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher told AL.com.

The event went well. The team met with President Donald Trump, presented him with a Crimson Tide football jersey — and they all even prayed together.

The team’s punter, J.K. Scott, requested a prayer with the president and he accepted, according to CBN.

During the visit, Saban reiterated how special the opportunity was for him and his team to make the trip.

“You know, not many people get invited to the White House … not many people get invited to see the president and meet the president. So this is a special day for our team. A team that is being honored here because of their achievements in terms of winning the college football national championship, which makes me very proud,” Saban told the press during the trip. “And a special thanks to the president — our president, to invite us here and make this a special day for us. President Trump, thank you so much.”

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Certainly, it helps that the team plays in one of the redder states in the country; it’s made up mostly of players from southern, conservative states. Yet on a team with so many players from different backgrounds, not everyone is going to agree politically. The chances everyone on that team voted for Trump are slim — but still they made the trip to show respect to the country and graciously accept a unique opportunity.

The Crimson Tide showed class in its White House visit this year.

The Crimson Tide showed class in its White House visit this year; it embodied the attitude that has allowed the team to win five national championships over the past decade. Perhaps it’s time professional sports teams and athletes (see: Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and the Golden State Warriors) take notice and do the same.

Tom Joyce is a freelance writer from the South Shore of Massachusetts. He covers sports, pop culture, and politics and has contributed to The Federalist, Newsday, ESPN, and other outlets.