Looking for a role model: see Pat Summitt
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
I can count on both hands how many women's college basketball games I watch in any given season. If I do watch, I watch the better teams like UConn, Baylor, Stanford or Tennessee.
I may not watch much women's basketball in a given year, but if I only had one team or coach to watch, it would be Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols, but that all came to an end on Wednesday when Summitt stepped down as head coach of the team, due to her health struggles with dementia and Alzheimer's.
[[In-content Ad]]She was diagnosed in 2011 with the disease, and that hit home with me as I basically taught myself last year all about the disease, the different stages, the way the brain functions and so on as I watched one of my closest family members battle the disease until late August of last year.
It's heartbreaking to watch anyone go through what this disease is capable of. After seeing the damage it can do firsthand on more than one occasion, if there is such a thing as a wish, I'd wish nobody would ever have to be put in its path.
It's a terrible disease that eventually takes away any and all functions of a person, with no cure. The easy way to describe the brain disease is it destroys cognitive abilities over a period of time.
Whenever I hear of anyone getting the disease, my heart automatically sinks, as I wouldn't wish the disease on my worst enemy, much less those who do good in the world, and after reading some articles on the web about Summitt's career and how players succeed under her leadership on-and-off the court … I've come to the conclusion she is a role model for any male or female looking for a little good in the world.
Just on the court alone, her accomplishments speak for themselves … 1,098 victories, and count 'em, eight national championships, the last coming in 2008.
In a statement, Summitt said: "I've loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role."
What I find even more remarkable is her players' success off the court … as stated in an article on ESPN.com, every player who completed their eligibility at UT has graduated.
That is completely unheard of in Division I college athletics. Though I am a fan of the men's Kentucky basketball team, Coach Cal and his players will never accomplishment that feat.
Again, her disease has hit home for me, and I can't express how much respect I have for her as she went through the entire college basketball season as head coach, though at a reduced level.
I respect her, as she said in a statement, "I will continue my active role as a spokesman in the fight against Alzheimer's through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund."
I can't think of anyone better I would want to lead the fight against the disease than Coach Summitt because if she can help this battle the way she helped her players throughout the past 38 years … then people with this disease, with her as a spokesman, might one day be a part of helping find a cure to put an end to it once and for all.
Though I've never met Coach Summitt, I want to thank her for using her valuable time to speak on behalf of those who may have lost the ability due to the disease, and thank her on behalf of those in the future who will hopefully benefit from the work she puts into fighting this disease today.
So, for those looking for something besides greed, arrests and money in sports … for those looking for a role model, look no further than Pat Summitt.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
I may not watch much women's basketball in a given year, but if I only had one team or coach to watch, it would be Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols, but that all came to an end on Wednesday when Summitt stepped down as head coach of the team, due to her health struggles with dementia and Alzheimer's.
[[In-content Ad]]She was diagnosed in 2011 with the disease, and that hit home with me as I basically taught myself last year all about the disease, the different stages, the way the brain functions and so on as I watched one of my closest family members battle the disease until late August of last year.
It's heartbreaking to watch anyone go through what this disease is capable of. After seeing the damage it can do firsthand on more than one occasion, if there is such a thing as a wish, I'd wish nobody would ever have to be put in its path.
It's a terrible disease that eventually takes away any and all functions of a person, with no cure. The easy way to describe the brain disease is it destroys cognitive abilities over a period of time.
Whenever I hear of anyone getting the disease, my heart automatically sinks, as I wouldn't wish the disease on my worst enemy, much less those who do good in the world, and after reading some articles on the web about Summitt's career and how players succeed under her leadership on-and-off the court … I've come to the conclusion she is a role model for any male or female looking for a little good in the world.
Just on the court alone, her accomplishments speak for themselves … 1,098 victories, and count 'em, eight national championships, the last coming in 2008.
In a statement, Summitt said: "I've loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role."
What I find even more remarkable is her players' success off the court … as stated in an article on ESPN.com, every player who completed their eligibility at UT has graduated.
That is completely unheard of in Division I college athletics. Though I am a fan of the men's Kentucky basketball team, Coach Cal and his players will never accomplishment that feat.
Again, her disease has hit home for me, and I can't express how much respect I have for her as she went through the entire college basketball season as head coach, though at a reduced level.
I respect her, as she said in a statement, "I will continue my active role as a spokesman in the fight against Alzheimer's through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund."
I can't think of anyone better I would want to lead the fight against the disease than Coach Summitt because if she can help this battle the way she helped her players throughout the past 38 years … then people with this disease, with her as a spokesman, might one day be a part of helping find a cure to put an end to it once and for all.
Though I've never met Coach Summitt, I want to thank her for using her valuable time to speak on behalf of those who may have lost the ability due to the disease, and thank her on behalf of those in the future who will hopefully benefit from the work she puts into fighting this disease today.
So, for those looking for something besides greed, arrests and money in sports … for those looking for a role model, look no further than Pat Summitt.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.