Book Review

Blakely Peppinger
Book Review
"Reach For the Summit"

I read the book "Reach For the Summit" by Pat Summitt. This book written by Pat as she recalls her journey to where she is now as head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers. She has been coaching since 1974 starting and staying with the Vols. She was an All-American and co-captain of the U.S. Olympic team in 1976. She said that each year her experiences of playing and coaching have helped her be a better coach.

She is well respected and you can see that by the way that she coaches. She mentions that she has made mistakes, said words that she wishes she could take back but that she always looks forward and is always looking to improve. One big thing that she mentions in this book several times is about never waiting till next year. She coached a few rough years with some hard working but unsuccessful teams but the teams have always come back at the end of the year for strong finishes. She hated those years because people from the Media kept asking her over and over about what she was going to change for the next season. She hated that because they were in mid-season and although the current situation wasn't looking too well she never let her teams give up and just wait it out to the following year.

She mentions that a big part of coaching and playing is being a good communicator. You don't have to speak well, but you do have to listen well. She says, "Talking is the least of it. If you really want to get something across, body language, facial expression, eye contact, and listening are all necessary parts of communicating."

She relates a lot of stories of current, and past players that have influenced her as a person. A lot of her big experiences in coaching have great life lessons. She loves her job and has a unique passion for the sport.

Another interesting fact about Pat is that this year she improved her coaching record to 983-182 which makes her the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.