One Thousand

Posted: Friday, February 06, 2009 by Travis Cody in
29


Congratulations to University of Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Pat Summit, who became the first Division I basketball coach, male or female, to win 1000 games in her storied career, with a 73-43 win over Georgia on Thursday.

That's a pretty amazing number. Only two other coaches, Bob Knight with 902 and Jody Conradt with 900, have gotten to 900 wins. Both Coach Knight (Indiana University, Texas Tech) and Coach Conradt (Baylor, University of Texas) are retired.

But the truly staggering thing is that Coach Summit only has 186 losses against those 1000 wins in 35 years of coaching, all at Tennessee. Her achievements with the Lady Vols are equally legendary.

8 NCAA National Championships
14 SEC League Championships
13 SEC Tournament Championships
7 Time SEC Coach of the Year
7 Time NCAA Coach of the Year
Naismith Coach of the 20th Century
Innaugural inductee into the Women's Basketball HOF in 1999
Inducted into the Basketball HOF in 2000
2 basketball courts are named in her honor
2 streets are named in her honor
45 of her former players have become coaches
Coached UT to an undefeated 39-0 in 1997-98

Coach Summit has a set of 12 directives posted in the UT locker room. We'd all do well to apply these basic precepts in our own lives.

  1. Respect yourself and others
  2. Take full responsibility
  3. Develop and demonstrate loyalty
  4. Learn to be a great communicator
  5. Discipline yourself so no one else has to
  6. Make hard work your passion
  7. Don't just work hard, work smart
  8. Put the team before yourself
  9. Make winning an attitude
  10. Be a competitor
  11. Change is a must
  12. Handle success like you handle failure


Nice job, Coach.

29 comments:

  1. Barb says:

    Incredible records, for sure! But I really like her 12 Directives!

  1. Anndi says:

    I think women coaches rock.

  1. Anonymous says:

    she's a class act!

  1. she is good at her craft, the lady vols have been a powerhouse forever.

  1. Cherie says:

    Congratulations Coach! That is simply amazing on so many levels.

  1. when I saw this I just knew you would do her tribute!

    nice job

    Go Vols!!

  1. I saw the replay of her getting a gatorade douse.

  1. I heard this on the news! She's quiet a lady and a leader I must say.
    Great words to live by.

  1. DrillerAA says:

    I am happy for coach Summit upon reaching an incredible milestone. I'm just happy that it didn't come at the expense of my lady Sooners.

  1. Akelamalu says:

    Errr is this about football? :)

  1. She is an amazing leader for those girls.

  1. Meribah says:

    Wowsers! That is amazing! That is one determined woman. Good on her!

  1. Unknown says:

    Those are great directives to live by!

  1. Kanani says:

    Those are great rules to live by. An amazing woman, or as we say, "she was raised right."

  1. WT4W: Indeed.

    Ann: Yup.

    Lois: Agreed.

    Sarge: Yes they have.

    Cherie: The thing that I find most impressive is the commitment to UT.

    Katherine: I'm a bit predictable when it comes to sports achievement I guess.

    Charles: I missed the game...I really wanted to see that one.

    Noe Noe: An excellent leader of young people.

    Drilleraa: OU is powerful this season. They aren't going to lose to many.

    Akelamalu: No Ma'am. This is about achievement and commitment.

    Songbird: If I had a kid, her program is one of the few I would consider.

    Meri: She gets it, about sport and about life.

    Dana: Yes they are!

    Kanani: She's certainly doing it right.

  1. Amazing milestone. I love these two directives best of all:

    'Discipline yourself so no one else has to'

    'Put the team before yourself'

  1. Jeff B says:

    That's a heck of a W/L percentage!

  1. Julie says:

    She has some major talent going on there!

  1. I have to agree. That is impressive.

    That ESPN commercial with her and Kenny Mayne is hilarious.

  1. I have to agree. That is impressive.

    That ESPN commercial with her and Kenny Mayne is hilarious.

  1. She sounds like a remarkable human being. How can we get those rules posted in the Congressional restrooms?

  1. And a nice job you did, Travis, covering this successful coach! :)

  1. Raven says:

    Impressive woman on all counts. Brava!

  1. Coco says:

    There's an amazing message in that post that I'd like to share with my students. I really think they'd benefit. With your permission, Trav, may I print this and post it on my classroom bulletin board? What a fantastic woman and role model!

  1. TopChamp says:

    I don't understand number 12.

  1. I actually heard about her on the news - being that I never watch sports! What a gal!!!
    ~~~Blessings~~~

  1. j says:

    I am pretty sure that my cousin has gone to basket ball camps at UT and met her. She is a fan.

  1. Dianne says:

    she is a force of nature
    I saw a special about her - and her players were all talking about "the look" she gives them and how they know when they've let her, and more importantly, themselves down

    the role of women in leadership positions - especially in sports - has never been respected the way it should - wonderful post!! thank you