[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5615]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH PAT SUMMITT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID P. ROE

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2012

  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor University 
of Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt for her hard work, 
courage, and perseverance. Pat, like me, is from Clarksville, 
Tennessee. We share a love for basketball, and it has been an honor to 
watch her lead the Lady Vols for nearly forty years. Pat's commitment 
to excellence has resulted in almost 1,100 wins, making her the 
winningest basketball coach in NCAA history.
  What is most impressive about Pat isn't her .840 winning percentage 
or her her eight national championships. Nor is it her ability to run 
laps with, and sometimes around, her teams, or the intense stare that I 
am sure is still burned into the minds of some of the ladies on her 
1974 inaugural team. What impresses me most about Pat is the way she 
does everything in her life with heart and to the best of her ability. 
When she announced her condition last August, I was impressed both by 
her courage to fight Alzheimer's in a very public way, as well as her 
leadership in founding the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund. According to 
the Alzheimer's Association, 5.4 million Americans are currently living 
with Alzheimer's. By sharing her story, Pat has undoubtedly helped to 
bring awareness to this disease. I'd be one sorry fan if I didn't also 
point out that, despite her condition, last season Pat still led the 
Lady Vols to the NCAA tournament.
  Pat Summitt has left the UT community with an amazing legacy and I 
have no doubt she will continue to faithfully serve the University in 
her new role as head coach emeritus. I also look forward to seeing 
great things from her son, Tyler, as he follows in his mother's 
footsteps. My thoughts and prayers are with Pat and Tyler as they move 
forward on this journey together.

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