---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Other than my parents, no one had a…"
description: "\"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 fa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg"
---

#  Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my…

![“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…” quote by Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg)

> “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.”

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker honors a coach who profoundly shaped his life, emphasizing mentorship, support, and life lessons beyond sports.

**In simple terms:** A coach can be a mentor and father figure, teaching life values.

Key Takeaway

Cherish and emulate mentors who guide you.

Themes

mentorship legacy gratitude

Mood

respectful reflective

Type

tributeorial inspirational

When to use this quote

- team sports
- personal development
- grieving a loss
- celebrating a life

Key Concepts

Leadership personal growth community

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you honor those who mentored you?
- What lessons from mentors can you pass on?

A Different Perspective

None; the influence may not be universally known.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Always there for me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-there-for-me/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mentor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentor/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/)

## Related quotes

> [“Coach Smith poked his head into the dugout. “If you ladies are done with the warm and fuzzies, I’d like you to get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/coach-smith-poked-his-head-into-the-dugout-if-you-ladies-are-done/)

[J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/)

> [NC LIVE has the potential to give citizens across North Carolina immediate access to the rich array of information resources housed by the libraries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-corbett-broad/nc-live-has-the-potential-to-give-citizens-across-north-carolina/)

Molly Corbett Broad

> [“People can talk all they want about the Big Ten. About Michigan and Ohio State and Indiana and Kentucky or whatever, but there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-menzer/people-can-talk-all-they-want-about-the-big-ten-about-michigan-and/)

Joe Menzer

> [If there is a defining aspect of UNC women's soccer, and its success, it is what we call the competitive cauldron. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-dorrance/if-there-is-a-defining-aspect-of-unc-women-s-soccer-and-its-success/)

[Anson Dorrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-dorrance/)

> [“Having a coach or mentor is nothing more than sharing life’s experiences, no amount of education can substitute true life experience”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lachlan-mcpherson/having-a-coach-or-mentor-is-nothing-more-than-sharing-life-s/)

Lachlan McPherson

> [Many athletes, student-athletes in particular, really look to their coach as a mentor, someone that can help guide them. And I think that role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/many-athletes-student-athletes-in-particular-really-look-to-their/)

[Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/)

> [Basketball, and the people I have met through the game have far and away had the largest impact on my life. Almost every positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/basketball-and-the-people-i-have-met-through-the-game-have-far-and/)

[Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/)

> [“If today's churches, companies and organizations want to be thriving tomorrow, they have an obligation to coach and mentor the new generation of leaders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayde-goodall/if-today-s-churches-companies-and-organizations-want-to-be-thriving/)

[Wayde Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayde-goodall/)

> [“Never be disobedient; take a coach, take a mentor and be instructed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/never-be-disobedient-take-a-coach-take-a-mentor-and-be-instructed/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [My Daddy was my hero. He was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/my-daddy-was-my-hero-he-was-always-there-for-me-when-i-needed-him-he/)

[Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/)

> [Whenever you want to see me, always look at the sunset; I will be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-ogot/whenever-you-want-to-see-me-always-look-at-the-sunset-i-will-be-there/)

Grace Ogot

> [All my life, I have been in love with the sky. Even when everything was falling apart around me, the sky was always there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/all-my-life-i-have-been-in-love-with-the-sky-even-when-everything-was/)

[Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/)

> [I owe a lot to this club and the supporters who were always there for me. They supported me even when I was suspended.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hristo-stoichkov/i-owe-a-lot-to-this-club-and-the-supporters-who-were-always-there-for/)

[Hristo Stoichkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hristo-stoichkov/)

> [She's always there for me when I need her; She's my best friend; she's just my everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/she-s-always-there-for-me-when-i-need-her-she-s-my-best-friend-she-s/)

[Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/)

> [My mother helped me to get past that. She was always there for me, until she dies. I remember she told me once, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/my-mother-helped-me-to-get-past-that-she-was-always-there-for-me/)

[Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/)

## More by Michael Jordan

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I dont take pictures with Niggas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-dont-take-pictures-with-niggas/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether its proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/the-minute-you-get-away-from-fundamentals-whether-its-proper/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-will-be-true-to-you-if-you-try/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [Work ethics eliminates fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/work-ethics-eliminates-fear/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I can accept failure everyone fails at something but what I can't accept is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-can-accept-failure-everyone-fails-at-something-but-what-i-can-t/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [Even though, physically, I can't do it, the mind says, 'Yeah, I can still do it,' and I still think I can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/even-though-physically-i-can-t-do-it-the-mind-says-yeah-i-can-still/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I wasn't really a work-conscious type of person. I was a player. I loved to play sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-wasn-t-really-a-work-conscious-type-of-person-i-was-a-player-i/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-you-are-confident-you-have-done-everything-possible-to-prepare/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/sometimes-you-need-to-get-hit-in-the-head-to-realize-that-you-re-in-a/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/you-have-competition-every-day-because-you-set-such-high-standards/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [All I knew is that I NEVER wanted to be AVERAGE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/all-i-knew-is-that-i-never-wanted-to-be-average/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [“He fallado una y otra vez en mi vida, por eso he conseguido el éxito.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/he-fallado-una-y-otra-vez-en-mi-vida-por-eso-he-conseguido-el-xito/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I'd take 12 guys who had a strong passion for the game over 12 guys who don't respect the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-d-take-12-guys-who-had-a-strong-passion-for-the-game-over-12-guys/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [The NBA is the strongest professional sports league in the world. The league and the game is bigger than any one person, Michael Jordan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/the-nba-is-the-strongest-professional-sports-league-in-the-world-the/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

[Explore all 299 Michael Jordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

## More Always there for me quotes

> [My mother helped me to get past that. She was always there for me, until she dies. I remember she told me once, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/my-mother-helped-me-to-get-past-that-she-was-always-there-for-me/)

[Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/)

> [I owe a lot to this club and the supporters who were always there for me. They supported me even when I was suspended.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hristo-stoichkov/i-owe-a-lot-to-this-club-and-the-supporters-who-were-always-there-for/)

[Hristo Stoichkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hristo-stoichkov/)

> [My Daddy was my hero. He was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bindi-irwin/my-daddy-was-my-hero-he-was-always-there-for-me-when-i-needed-him-he/)

[Bindi Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bindi-irwin/)

> [Whenever you want to see me, always look at the sunset; I will be there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-ogot/whenever-you-want-to-see-me-always-look-at-the-sunset-i-will-be-there/)

Grace Ogot

> [All my life, I have been in love with the sky. Even when everything was falling apart around me, the sky was always there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/all-my-life-i-have-been-in-love-with-the-sky-even-when-everything-was/)

[Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/)

> [She's always there for me when I need her; She's my best friend; she's just my everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/she-s-always-there-for-me-when-i-need-her-she-s-my-best-friend-she-s/)

[Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/)

> [My father was always there for me when I lost. But, then, I never really lost when my father was there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/my-father-was-always-there-for-me-when-i-lost-but-then-i-never-really/)

[Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/)

> [I see God as my heavenly father, like my earthly father, as loving and kind. Yes, he disciplined me, he helped me make good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-see-god-as-my-heavenly-father-like-my-earthly-father-as-loving-and/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [Tennis was always there for me, which was lucky. I would go play baseball, basketball, football, hang with my brother, do whatever, and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/tennis-was-always-there-for-me-which-was-lucky-i-would-go-play/)

[Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/)

> [I lay around and wonder why you were always there for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-lay-around-and-wonder-why-you-were-always-there-for-me/)

[Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/)

[Browse all 11 Always there for me quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-there-for-me/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "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.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Jordan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigger-influence-on-my-life-than/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always there for me"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigger-influence-on-my-life-than/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/956/michael-jordan-1054_always-there-for-me_other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigge_1498561.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach –…” — Michael Jordan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Jordan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Other than my parents, no one...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigger-influence-on-my-life-than/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/other-than-my-parents-no-one-had-a-bigger-influence-on-my-life-than/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
