Pat Summitt's Coaching Career Concludes Among the Best in College Basketball History

Pat Summitt's fiery passion for basketball could be openly displayed in everything she did. She wouldn't let anything stop her from changing the culture of women's sports as a whole. Sadly, Summitt's health is what ultimately led to her having to step down as head coach. She was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, which leads to Alzheimer's. Summitt will take the role of head coach emeritus and will be allowed to advise the team. However, it won't be the same to not see her patrolling the sidelines and at the forefront of the game she loves.

Summitt's career is legendary is so many ways. Through her avocation of Title IX and dedication to the dreams of so many women, Summitt helped to change the culture's approach to women's sports and pushed women's basketball to a whole new, never before imagined level. Summitt's career at Tennessee spanned 38 seasons. She won 1,098 games (most all time), eight national championships, 18 Final Fours, 31 NCAA tournament appearances, and 112 NCAA tournament wins (most all time). Her Lady Volunteers had an amazing career winning percentage of .840. Just let those numbers sink in for a minute. Simply incredible is the words that come to my mind.

Pat Summitt should be considered among the greatest coaches in the history of basketball. People will discount and disregard what she did because of the lesser degree of opposing talent in women's basketball. These people are ignorant to the facts at hand. I don't care about the quality of women's basketball. What I care about is the impact Summitt had on women around the world. She helped show them what they are capable of. In doing so, she led her teams to some of the greatest statistics of all time. It is such a tragedy that Summitt's career had to come to an end like this. Alzheimer's is an ugly and painful disease, and I wish Coach Summitt the best and my prayers as she battles this terrible disease. Pat Summitt will be missed by many, but she will never be forgotten because of what she accomplished both on and off of the court.

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