Husband, Father, Grandfather, Friend, Mentor or to millions of fans, he went by Coach. Saturday night, basketball lost an icon, but a family lost their leader. And by family, I mean both literally and physically, you see Dean Smith created the Carolina Family and whether he wanted the attention or not, he was the one that started it all.  Dean Smith was and is and will always be the face of Carolina Basketball and Saturday, as he passed away at the age of 83, that fact still remains.

As I have had time to reflect on this, it is hard. It is hard hearing of the lost of someone. It is hard knowing that his family and friends are suffering. It is hard to hear and read countless number of stories being told over the last 48 hours.  Stories from his former players and coaches, friends, politicians, even President Obama released a statement about the death of Dean Smith. But there seems be a lot of common thoughts and memories that are being reflected on, and that is of humbleness.  I had the privilege to have met Coach Smith several times, through his basketball camps and then at a few Ram’s clubs events throughout my childhood. And each time that I got to spend, even just a few minutes with him, he made me feel that I was the only one there. He asked me questions about my family, my interests, my goals in life. And then he gave advice, the advice that any coach would give, study hard, do your best and give your all.

As a kid, Coach Smith was bigger than life. I remember watching him walk the sidelines, teaching his players and encouraging them. These are all things that I hope that I learned through his camps, reading his books, hearing stories and meeting Coach, that I’ve been able to translate into my career. When I refer to my team, it is always “We”, even if I did the work, because we are a team first. If someone on my team makes a mistake, I wait and meet with them privately and we discuss it and discuss how we avoid making the same mistake again. Say thank you to the those that help you most. But one thing that really stands out, do what is right. It is pretty basic actually and for a man that did not want to be in the lime light, today he is and he is being remembered mostly, not for the Wins and Loses, but how he lived his life.

“On what it means that today is more about the person that smith was than his win total: “It means he did it. He was successful. sitting at the cafeteria counter was more important than wins and losses… It means he won.”  Roy Williams, UNC Basketball Coach

 

As I sit and watch this clip, I am immediately taken back to my childhood. As I read stories from Adam Lucas’s post “The Stories Are True“, I can not help be sad. When you read stories about Dean Smith recruiting Charlie Scott, when you read stories about he and the minister taking Charlie to eat to break down the race barriers, when you read that he went to almost everyone of his former players weddings and how he was the father that many of these young mean never had. When you read these stories, how can you not be sad? Coach was a good man. And God just got one helluva basketball coach.

Press Conference from current UNC Basketball Coach Roy Williams.

I will close with two thoughts:

1) Matthew 25:23 – “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

2)  Coach, tonight it is all about you. You gave to others, as though few ever got to see. You gave of your time and of your heart and you changed lives. Tonight Coach, sleep easy and take comfort in knowing that you were loved by millions.