High School Basketball Coach Gives One Of His Players The Shoes Off Of His Feet During Game

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You've heard the expression 'he'd give you the shirt off his back,' but a high school basketball coach recently took things to a new level -- giving one of his players the shoes off of his feet.

Last week, during a high school basketball game between North Clarion County and Freeport, junior Zeelan Hargenrader ran into a little bit of an issue, or should we say he ran out of an issue.

North Clarion County's Hargenrader blew out his left shoe during the game, and assistant coach Michael Brown didn't think twice about doing what needed to be done to make sure his player was taken care of.

Brown, who has been coaching for nearly 50 years, took his own shoes off, and gave them to Hargenrader to wear for the rest of the game.

Brown sat on the bench coaching for the rest of the game, shoeless, just so that one of his players was able to continue playing in the game.

Brown's daughter, Cari Brown Harmon tells KDKA "that's the kind of guy my dad is -- caring, kind, and selfless, without even realizing it."

The social media post pointing out Brown's selflessness has been shared nearly 100 times and liked by hundreds more than that.

One commenter on the post said "This guy has had such a positive and profound impact on thousands of people. He deserves a shrine in the halls of RVHS (Redbank Valley High School).

WATCH: More With Coach Brown

Brown was repeatedly called a great guy, an amazing man, and an awesome role model by dozens of other commenters.

"Some people talk a lot about doing good things. Others like (Brown) DO good things. You must be very proud of him," said another person.

During his near 50 years in coaching, Brown spent time as the bench boss in the Jewish Congregational League in Pittsburgh, with the majority of his coaching tenure spent across a 25 year span at Redbank Valley in New Bethlehem, Pa.

Brown also has served as an assistant football coach, track and field coach, and a basketball manager.

Before arriving at North Clarion as an assistant coach, he served as the manager for the Clarion University baseball team.