In the world of college basketball, Pat Summitt is legendary.
As coach, she has the most wins in college basketball history. She has led the University of Tennessee's Lady Vols for 37 seasons and won more than 1,070 games, including eight national championships.
But Summitt told The Washington Post this week she'd begun to feel off her game last season.
According to reports, after a May visit to the Mayo Clinic, doctors diagnosed Summitt with early onset dementia. The news stunned the basketball world, especially Summitt's players, but they vowed to rally around their coach.
Summitt said she plans to continue as head coach, albeit with increased support from her staff.
"I could retire, but, right now, we're trying to get this team where it needs to be. And, you know, we have got a veteran group. And, no, I'm looking forward to the season. I'm not going to let this keep me from coaching; that's for sure," she said.
Note: The first 2 minutes and 36 seconds of this video is a summary of Coach Summitt's story, and the rest is a discussion with Summitt's son, Tyler Summitt and The Washington Post's Sally Jenkins.
Quotes
"I was just trying to hold back tears just because I love coach Summitt. And I love just being a part of this program. I feel honored to be under her and be a player." -Taber Spani, University of Tennessee.
"Pat Summitt's an icon for women's basketball. I feel like one of my jobs is to protect a Pat Summitt, who's a friend and colleague to all of us, to protect the legacy of Pat Summitt..." -Joan Cronan, University of Tennessee.
Warm Up Questions
1. What is a diagnosis?
2. What is dementia?
3. What is Alzheimer's?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Coach Summitt decided to continue coaching even though she was diagnosed with dementia?
2. Why is it important for Coach Summitt to have the support of her players and the Tennessee athletic community?
3. Do you know someone who suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's? Discuss.
Additional Resources
New Early Alzheimer's Test Raises Hopes for Improved Treatment
The Human Genome Project, A Decade Later
