“Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach – he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it. In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life. My heart goes out to Linnea and their kids. We've lost a great man who had an incredible impact on his players, his staff and the entire UNC family.” MenHeartKidsFatherGamesLostParentTeacherPlayerInfluenceTeachingTaughtNeededMy HeartBasketballBiggerImpactIncrediblesCoachesGreat MenMentorStaffAlways There For MeUnc Author:Michael Jordan
“I didn't miss any games, but Coach Knight came out and spent three days with my family in Chicago when my dad passed away. I came back and played and it was good therapy for me. Having a basketball family and a coach who understood and actually became like a father figure for that time was comforting to me, and I'm sure that will be comforting to Coleman.” ThreeFatherGamesMissingFiguresDadComfortBasketballUnderstoodMy FamilyMy DadCoachesTherapyChicagoComfortingKnightsPassed AwayFather FigureDad Passed Away Author:Mike Krzyzewski
“One of the things I've always said is that if you're given the ability to coach kids, then you're really given the ability to be a father or parent of some sort.” IfsSaidKidsFatherGivenParentAbilityCoaches Author:Ray Lewis
“One thing you try not to do as a father, as a coach, is pressure your son to do something that you've done. You don't just keep saying, "this is what I've done, this is what I've done." You have to take a little piece at a time.” TryingLittlesDoneFatherPiecesOne ThingSonPressureCoachesYour Son Author:Patrick Willis
“I don't think you play for other people's expectations, you know. You don't go and become a lawyer because your mother or father want you to, you don't become a coach because somebody wants you to.” PeopleThinkingKnowsWantPlayMotherFatherExpectationsLawyerCoaches Author:Mike Krzyzewski
“Like a lot of people who get into coaching, I was impacted by the people in my life. Certainly my father (John) who coached me in youth league baseball, and my high school coach, Joe Moore, were mentors and major influences.” PeopleSchoolFatherInfluenceYouthMajorsHigh SchoolBaseballCoachesLeagueCoachingMentor Author:Kirk Ferentz
“He (Tommy Pettitte [father] coached me as kid. He bought all the books and videos and tried to learn as much about pitching as he could. But once I was in high school, he never tried to be my coach.” BookKidsSchoolFatherHigh SchoolCoachesVideoPitching Author:Andy Pettitte