Icon. Pioneer. Trailblazer. Legend.
It doesn’t matter which word you use because all of them fit Pat Summitt, the longtime Tennessee women’s basketball coach.
Known for her steely gaze and intensity, Summitt died Tuesday at the age of 64.
The first NCAA basketball coach to reach the 1,000-win plateau, her victory total still stands as the most in NCAA Division I basketball history. She accomplished that feat despite early retirement from the game on April 18, 2012, after revealing she was suffering from early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type, less than a year earlier on Aug. 23, 2011.
Summitt helped Tennessee become the gold standard for women’s college basketball. Her teams made a record-setting 31-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and won eight NCAA titles. The Lady Volunteers also finished second five times and played in 22 NCAA or AIAW Final Fours.
In the Southeastern Conference, Summitt led Tennessee to 16 regular-season titles and 16 tournament titles. Tennessee was 458-69 (.869) vs. SEC opponents in her tenure.
Summitt, who won a silver medal as a player at the 1976 Olympics and coached the 1984 U.S. team to a gold medal, helped 14 Lady Volunteers make the Olympic Teams. She developed 21 WBCA All-Americans and 39 All-SEC players. She sent 39 players to the WNBA, including 15 first-round picks and three No. 1 overall selections.
“Today, we lost a part of the game that can never be replaced,” Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer said in a statement released by MSU. “Coach Summitt set a standard for all of us to follow. Her impact on the game of basketball is legendary, and she is the single-most influential person in the history of the women’s game. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to her family, friends and the University of Tennessee.”
Schaefer knows something about intensity because his MSU teams have earned the reputation for being aggressive and tenacious. You might even go so far to call Schaefer’s Bulldogs relentless.
But Summitt’s Lady Volunteers were relentless before anyone knew the meaning of the word. Summitt’s teams built their success on defense and rebounding. Second and third chances often were the norm as the Lady Volunteers pounded the offensive glass for easy putbacks. In fact, Summitt was quoted as saying, “offense sells tickets, defense wins games, rebounding wins championships.”
The comment was one of many that reflected Summitt’s passion for the game. Many coaches share that love, but few have the ability to tap into that emotion and to get their student-athletes to play with everything they have. That was Summitt’s gift. That is the true mark of her greatness, not her overall record of 1,098-208 (.840 winning percentage) in 38 seasons as head coach at Tennessee.
“Pat set the standard for success in women’s basketball,” former MSU women’s basketball coach Sharon Fanning-Otis said in a statement released by MSU. “Her motto of offense sells tickets, defense wins games and rebounding wins championships will continue to impact coaches. Pat’s competitive spirit, discipline and work ethic have challenged, taught, and inspired so many, and the legacy she leaves will forever be a vital part of our game.
“I appreciate Pat’s encouragement, support, and friendship through the years, and I, along with countless others, will miss her greatly. I will always be thankful and blessed for the opportunity to work with one of the best.”
Thoughts like those poured out on sports talk radio and on television all day Tuesday. Some wondered where Summitt stacked up compared to other SEC coaching greats. Others talked about how her humble nature countered the fiery intensity she brought to the basketball court. Many people had stories to tell about their interactions with Summitt.
But you didn’t have to play for Summitt to learn from one of the all-time greats. You only had to watch her teams to understand why they were successful. The Lady Volunteers’ defense was unwavering. Their tenacity on the offensive boards was unmatched and wore teams down. It was a recipe for success Summitt cobbled together from the lessons she learned as a child growing up on her family’s farm. Called her “Definite Dozen,” the so-called code of conduct included: Respect yourself and others; Take full responsibility; Develop and demonstrate loyalty; Learn to be a great communicator; Discipline yourself so no one else has to; Make hard work your passion; Don’t just work hard, work smart; Put the team before yourself; Make winning an attitude; Be a competitor. Change is a must; and Handle success like you handle failure.”
If you need any more proof of Summitt’s greatness, consider all 122 Lady Volunteers under her watch who completed their eligibility at Tennessee earned degrees.
In a time when more student-athletes are transferring from school to school than ever, it is fitting to remember how Summitt built the foundation to a championship program. In a letter to a player, Summitt once wrote, “Winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point.”
That is a lesson that is bigger than any word you want to use to describe one of the all-time greatest coaches.
Adam Minichino is sports editor of The Dispatch. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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