Learning from Pat Summitt
What Iowa Sports Prep students learn from the winningest coach in Division I basketball history
The 60-Second Story
Pat Summitt won 1,098 games — the most in Division I basketball history (men's or women's) at her retirement. Her 8 national championships and 100% graduation rate made Tennessee the gold standard for women's basketball.
But her greatest achievement? Building a program from nothing. In her first years, she was the coach, equipment manager, bus driver, and trainer — earning $250/month. She once washed the same uniforms between games because the program owned only one set.
Her philosophy came from the dairy farm: "Cows don't take a day off."
What Your Child Will Learn
| Lesson | The Principle |
|---|---|
| "Cows Don't Take a Day Off" | On a dairy farm, the work exists whether you feel like doing it or not. Excellence requires showing up every day, regardless of mood or circumstances. |
| The Definite Dozen | Summitt codified 12 principles for character development — from "Respect Yourself and Others" to "Handle Success Like You Handle Failure." These were requirements, not suggestions. |
| The Stare and The Hug | Summitt's famous icy glare enforced standards. But "as fierce as the stare was, the hug was just as tight." Discipline comes from love, not anger. |
| Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To | The goal of external discipline is to create internal discipline. The best players regulate themselves. |
| Build From Nothing | Summitt built a dynasty while driving the team van and sleeping on gym floors. Lack of resources is an excuse. Resourcefulness is a choice. |
The Story Behind the Lessons
The Dairy Farm Education
Pat Summitt was born in 1952 in Clarksville, Tennessee. Her father Richard ran a dairy farm and taught her that work doesn't care about your feelings. "Cows don't take a day off" wasn't a motivational slogan — it was daily reality. She worked alongside her brothers, baling hay and chopping tobacco, learning that labor is non-negotiable.
Her family moved so she could attend a high school with a girls' basketball team — her first lesson that athletic opportunity must be fought for, not expected.
The Pre-Title IX Scarcity
Summitt played at UT-Martin before Title IX changed women's sports. There were no scholarships for women — her brothers got athletic scholarships while her parents paid for her education. The team had one set of uniforms. On road trips, they played three games in three days wearing the same soiled gear because washing wasn't an option.
"We played because we loved the game," she said. The motivation had to be intrinsic because external rewards didn't exist.
The Accidental Head Coach
In 1974, at age 22, Summitt became Tennessee's head coach by accident — the previous coach quit, and she was the only option. Her first salary was $250/month. She drove the team van, sometimes hanging her head out the window to stay awake on late-night drives. She taped ankles, washed uniforms, and built the program from nothing.
By 1987, she won her first national championship. By 1998, her team went 39-0 — still considered one of the greatest seasons in basketball history.
The Definite Dozen
Summitt created 12 principles that governed everything in her program:
- Respect Yourself and Others
- Take Full Responsibility
- Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty
- Learn to be a Great Communicator
- Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To
- Make Hard Work Your Passion
- Don't Just Work Hard, Work Smart
- Put the Team Before Yourself
- Make Winning an Attitude
- Be a Competitor
- Change is a Must
- Handle Success Like You Handle Failure
These weren't posted on a wall — they were enforced daily through "The Stare" and relentless accountability.
The Summitt Accountability Challenge
This is a 14-day commitment to owning your performance completely — no excuses, no blame-shifting.
| Day | Challenge |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | When something goes wrong in practice or training, immediately say "That's on me" — even if external factors contributed. Own it first. |
| 4-7 | Identify one area where you've been making excuses. What would change if you took full responsibility? |
| 8-11 | Practice "disciplining yourself so no one else has to." Self-correct before a coach or teammate says anything. |
| 12-14 | Handle a success the same way you'd handle a failure: acknowledge it, learn from it, move on. Don't dwell. |
| Final | Create a 60-second "You Teach" video: What Pat Summitt taught you about accountability. |
Earning:
- 🏅 Accountability Badge on your MyPath profile
- 📈 +5 Mental OVR boost
- 🎬 Content for your personal portfolio
In Their Own Words
"Cows don't take a day off."
"Discipline yourself, and others won't need to."
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts the most."
"Success can lull you. You have to cultivate a kind of amnesia."
"Handle success like you handle failure. You can't let it go to your head."
Related Coaches
- Dan Gable — Rural upbringing, adversity as fuel, relentless standards
- Bear Bryant — "Pay the price" philosophy, sacrifice and work ethic
- John Wooden — Teacher-first approach, character development framework
- Vince Lombardi — Team-first culture, accountability without exceptions
Why Summitt Matters for Athletes
Summitt built a dynasty from nothing — no resources, no respect, no infrastructure. She didn't wait for conditions to improve. She created excellence through sheer will and relentless accountability.
Her Definite Dozen aren't just basketball principles. They're life principles that transfer to any pursuit. "Handle Success Like You Handle Failure" is wisdom that applies whether you're a champion or a beginner.
Your child learns that circumstances don't determine success. Choices do.