Pat Summitt: S Impact On Women's Basketball

Pat Summitt has been diagnosed with Dementia, early-onset Alzheimer’s type. Even though she no longer makes the play calls or runs the practices, she can still be found on the court yelling at players until her face turns blue. Summitt is very much still a large part of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, and considers herself the “big gun”; her official title is Head Coach Emeritus. Her constant rock is her son, Ross “Tyler” Summitt, her pride, joy and greatest accomplishment; although Summitt did not want her son to follow in her footsteps, he is currently the head coach at Louisiana Tech and has succeeded expectations. Many of Summitt’s former players were inspired by her, and many have become outstanding coaches at every level of the game. From many famous college coaches like Sylvia Hatchell, Geno Auriemma, and Kim Mulkey, the game of women’s basketball is headed towards a bright

She was driven by something greater than trying to establish a winning tradition at Tennessee; it was trying to please her father. Summitt knew nothing but to work hard, and when she grew tired, she only worked harder. The player’s that came through Tennessee changed the way Summitt coached; in the beginning, young Summitt was trying to establish authority and credibility so she became shut off from her team. Older Summitt realized that she needed to connect with the players on an emotional level, so they would trust her judgement and coaching ability. There is no doubt that Summitt established authority and credibility, she has changed women’s basketball for the better. Summitt’s career is not defined by statistics or records, but by the impact she made on her players, other coaches, and basketball fans around the world. Pat Summitt’s impact on women’s basketball is a tough resume to match, and there is no equal to a woman of her