Too often in sports, we are taught from a young age to hate the other team and anything or anyone that embodies it, especially the players and coaches. We scrutinize minor character flaws that we would excuse in members of our team, and we are hypercritical of every decision an opposing player or coach makes. In my house, it sometimes seems as if there is never a time when the TV is not tuned in to a sports game, and our favorite time of the year is college basketball season. The team I grew up cheering for was UCONN women's basketball, but, contrary to what you might expect, the coach my family and I cheered for was Pat Summitt, head coach of the rival Tennessee Lady Vols.
In the summer of 2011, the smartest, kindest, and strongest woman I knew passed away from dementia. When my grandmother's health started to decline around the time I was ten years old, it shook up my entire world. She was the valedictorian of her high school class, a beloved English teacher, and an extremely active person who loved swimming, canoeing, and walking her dog Spring. It broke my heart to see someone who was once capable of doing anything she set her mind to not able to walk or remember my name. So when Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia, also in 2011, the news probably hit me harder than it did most women's basketball fans. It seemed as if this terrible disease only targeted the best women, my role models. In light of her recent passing, I'd like to talk about the reasons why this diehard UConn fan couldn't help but look up to the coach of the other team.
When Pat Summitt took the head coaching job at Tennessee in 1974, women's basketball was not even formally recognized as a sport by the NCAA. Advancing the game was always her goal, and the successes her program achieved and the rivalry between Tennessee and UConn helped bring more attention not only to women's basketball but to women's sports in general. Neither she nor Geno Auriemma needed to agree to have their teams play each other on a yearly basis until 2007. The rivalry would mean a potential loss for both teams, but the coaches knew that it was best for the game. Summitt could have also attracted a lot of attention to herself by taking a head coaching job at a men's program and becoming the first woman to do so. She would have made considerably more money and received much more fame, but gaining recognition for women's basketball was always her top priority.
When the news that Summitt had passed broke early Tuesday morning, there was an outpouring of former players, mentees, and rival coaches testifying to her strong character. It seemed as if whenever I turned on the TV or radio, someone had a fond Pat Summitt memory to share. As someone who has merely watched her coach from behind a screen, I can tell that her passion and competitive fire was undeniable. So many people credit her with shaping them into the people they are today, including current Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick. She said, "Pat gave me strength and courage to face anything. She was driven to perfection and always remained true to her standards."
Even after she announced that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia five years ago, she never lowered those standards. She faced the disease with great courage and never wanted anyone to feel sorry for her, saying "this is not a pity party." Summitt remained as involved in Tennessee women's basketball as she possibly could, because the game and her athletes were her passion.
To me, the winningest coach college basketball coach of all time will always represent intensity, heart, and strength of character. She saw every practice and game as an opportunity to touch lives, and that's an idea any sports fan can get behind, regardless of what team they root for.
To donate to the Pat Summitt Foundation, click here.
