COURAGE ON THE COURT
by penelope carlevato
WWW.PENELOPECARLEVATO.COM
coach, Pat Summitt, began her career playing twoon-two with her brothers on the farm, advanced to play in high school and college, and then played on the women’s U.S. Olympic team in 1976. At the age of 22, she became the head coach for the Lady Vols at the University of Tennessee. Her nearly four-decade coaching career totaled winning 1,098 games, eight National Championship titles, induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and among many other prestigious awards, she was the first women’s college basketball coach to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. She worked hard and expected her players to have the same strong work ethic. It was always electrifying to attend a game, as Coach Summit intensified the sport with her enthusiasm and definite coaching style. But off the court, she always had time for her players, whether it was writing letters of encouragement to new recruits, having the team to her home for dinner, or attending church with several players or coaches.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS A CAPTIVATING GAME, ESPECIALLY AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL. We had the opportunity to watch an amazing coach for the six years we lived in Knoxville, Tennessee. The University of Tennessee women’s basketball
30 leadinghearts.com
Pat Summitt lived a life of discipline, hard work and courage as she battled major obstacles in the sports world. She loved basketball, and she loved Jesus. When she was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 59, Summitt courageously continued working with her assistant coaches and used her gifts to encourage her players to always give their best to the game and to life. Summitt said God gave her “certain work to do” and she never stopped. She believed that her Alzheimer’s gave her room to do more, rather than limit her. Only five years after she was diagnosed, Summitt died at the age of 64. She touched thousands of lives, not only on the basketball court, but across America and the world.
