“Celebrating Pat Summitt: Live Reunion Special,” sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, will premiere Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and can be obtainable to stream on the ESPN App.
“Breaking Glass: The Pat Summitt Story,” from director Dawn Porter, premieres on ESPN2 on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
In early 1997, I confronted one of many hardest choices of my life to that time. I pleasure myself on being decisive and ready for something — however I used to be actually torn between realizing my NFL desires and staying in Knoxville for yet another 12 months.
After my junior season at Tennessee, I went dwelling to New Orleans for winter break. At that time, I used to be leaning towards coming into the NFL draft. Then I went again to campus, again to my associates, again to varsity life. I wasn’t certain I used to be prepared for this chapter to finish.
I used to be torn, so I turned to somebody I’d come to belief and admire: Pat Summitt.
It was the center of a difficult common season for the Lady Vols. Coming off a nationwide title, they misplaced 5 of eight video games at one level. By mid-January, they’d fallen out of the highest 10 for the primary time in additional than a decade. Needless to say, Pat Summitt had lots on her plate.
I do not know what I anticipated once I went to her workplace for recommendation that day. She may’ve given me the exhausting promote on staying at Tennessee, a faculty that she known as dwelling since taking up this system in 1974 at age 22. Maybe she’d supply a fast pep speak and ship me on my method.
But that wasn’t Pat. I sat in her workplace for 2 hours, soaking in her phrases of knowledge. She had a present for making you’re feeling instantly relaxed.
She additionally had an unimaginable potential to stare down doubt. That stare may quiet a room. It may inform you one thing about your self.
That assembly helped me perceive that I needed to return to Knoxville for yet another season. It additionally solidified a lifelong, cherished friendship.
And after all, Pat by some means turned that season round and the Lady Vols received a second straight nationwide title.
I’ve so many irreplaceable reminiscences from that ultimate 12 months at Tennessee. Among them, I bought to be on campus when the “Three Meeks” — Tamika Catchings, Semeka Randall and Chamique Holdsclaw — accomplished the unprecedented three-peat with an unimaginable 39-0 season in 1997-98.
My teammates and I beloved going to their video games. Every considered one of us would have been proud to name Pat Summitt our coach. I’ve zero doubt that she would have succeeded in any sport.
Pat bravely went public along with her prognosis in 2011 and shortly after launched The Pat Summitt Foundation. Amid her personal brave battle, she labored to assist scale back the stigma round Alzheimer’s illness.
A decade after her loss of life, we proceed to struggle on her behalf. I’m so proud to function an honorary co-chair of her foundation. To date, the inspiration has awarded over $6 million to nonprofit organizations dedicated to analysis, affected person care and consciousness. At the identical time, leaders throughout the well being care neighborhood are serving to advance the dialog round mind well being, early detection, proactive care and ongoing dialogue with medical professionals.
There’s a merciless irony in the truth that somebody who created such unforgettable reminiscences for others was stripped of her personal reminiscence. But that is additionally why it’s so necessary to honor her reminiscence and rejoice her legacy.
She took dwelling eight nationwide titles, appeared in 18 Final Fours and received 1,098 video games. She reworked ladies’s basketball and ushered in a brand new period in ladies’s sports activities. But for these of us who knew Pat Summitt, it was the impression she had on others that outlined this outstanding individual.
I’m so proud to current “Celebrating Pat Summitt: Live Reunion Special.” Hearing the tales from that evening introduced again quite a lot of nice reminiscences. I hope it provides a glimpse into what made her such a uncommon individual.
In my workplace, I maintain a small assortment of memorabilia. In that room, I’ve two basketballs Pat Summitt signed for my kids. It’s my fixed reminder of somebody I used to be fortunate to name a pal.
