Pat Summitt
Pat Summitt
Patricia Sue "Pat" Summittwas an American college basketball head coach whose 1,098 career wins are the most in NCAA basketball history. She served as the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012, before retiring at age 59 because of a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. She won eight NCAA championships, a number surpassed only by the 10 titles won by UCLA men's coach John Wooden and the 11 titles won by UConn...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth14 June 1952
CityClarksville, TN
CountryUnited States of America
It took me back to our first day of official team practice.
Yours truly, right here, drove the van. If we took two vans, one was the luggage, the other was the players. Typically, they didn't like to ride with me. I usually drove the luggage, especially if we got beat.
When she took off, I thought she's going to try to dunk the ball. I was good with it. I thought she just committed to it a little too early.
I think they took ownership of what did or did not happen. Obviously there was a glaring lack of leadership during the game, which was I thought a real factor in how we responded and our lack of being able to pull together during some adversity. I think we'll learn volumes from this loss. Now we understand how much better we have to be at that level.
In most of my coaching years, I've called timeout. But I've found it very difficult at times to get the ball back inbounds. You just have to trust your team. I think I've changed my philosophy in probably the last three years.
In most of my coaching years, I've called time out. But I've found it very difficult at times to get the ball back inbounds. You just have to trust your team. I think I've changed my philosophy in probably the last three years.
The second half was a little more important to them.
I'm not concerned about her shooting. I'm more concerned about her getting other people shots, and she's been doing that in practice, left-handed. ... I don't know if she can shoot a BB in the ocean, but I know she can make you guard her.
I'm really proud of what this team has accomplished this year. They have faced tremendous adversity and come through it. They have great character and have been a great group to coach.
I just want her to play the game under control. And for her, it's much different from any player I've ever coached in that she can be flat-footed and go up and dunk. So it's not like things have to be perfect in her basketball world for her to dunk. If she goes up inside and dunks it, more power to her.
I hope we never see Rutgers again in a regional tournament. We've seen them so many times. It's tough to play against one of your best friends.
It was a hard-fought game, not necessary well-executed. For the most part I felt like we did what we had to do.
Sylvia and I go back 32 years to when we were in grad school at Tennessee and she coached my junior varsity team. I value her as a dear friend in this profession. When you've been in it this long, you make a lot of people mad.
It'll be interesting to see how we respond after a tough loss.