My dad put a basketball in my hands and values in my heart. Then showed up for every game, because he knew what it felt like to grow up without that.
He lost his father when he was just 16.
No one in the stands.
No steady voice to lean on.
No one to call after a big win.
That kind of absence leaves a mark.
But my dad didnโt pass that pain down.
He flipped it into presence.
He showed up.
For me, for my sister, for our entire family.
As a college coach and athletic director, he lived in locker rooms.
And so did I.
I grew up listening to postgame talks and watching film before I even understood what I was seeing.
But the most important things he taught me werenโt about basketball.
He taught me how to lead by example.
โ Show up early. Stay late.
โ Respect people, win or lose.
โ Never ask for more than youโre willing to give.
When I became a coach, those lessons followed me.
His values were in every game plan.
His voice was in every huddle.
When I won my 400th game, on the road at Duke, he was right behind the bench.
After the game, he followed me into the press room, teared up, and said:
โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐โ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ.โ
That moment stays with me.
Because every win Iโve had carries his fingerprints.
And every team Iโve led carries his example.
He never had a father to guide him...
So he became the father I needed and the compass I still follow.
And Iโm still trying to live up to the standard he set.
#Leadership #Fatherhood #BasketballFamily #CoachingLife #Legacy #TeamCulture #MarkGottfried #Faith
