[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5635]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING COACH PAT HEAD SUMMITT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my praise to one 
of Tennessee's true living legends.
  Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, in Tennessee's Seventh Congressional 
District, Coach Pat Head Summitt paved the way for women athletes at 
Cheatham County High School and then at the University of Tennessee-
Martin. She was an exemplary student athlete, and today the gym at UT-
Martin is named in her honor.
  She took the reins at the University of Tennessee in 1974, and she 
has led the Lady Vols to an unprecedented 31 consecutive NCAA 
Tournament appearances. In her time as a coach, she has coached 12 
Olympians, 20 Kodak All-Americans, and 77 All-SEC performers. After 
1,098 career wins over 38 seasons, Pat Head Summitt is the all-time 
winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.
  Pushing excellence both on and off the court, Coach Summitt prepared 
her players to be successful women when they hang up their jerseys. We 
will remember her legacy at UT for two things: winning games and, most 
importantly, graduating players. Every Lady Volunteer--every Lady 
Volunteer--who finished their eligibility at the University of 
Tennessee graduated from college. That is a statistic to cheer about. 
Coach Summitt has dedicated her career and her magnificent journey to 
the great game of women's basketball and to the student athletes she 
has championed.
  This week, we have welcomed Coach Summitt and her son, Tyler. They've 
been here in D.C. with us this week as we have saluted her career and 
as we cheer her as she now coaches millions of volunteers in fighting 
Alzheimer's and early onset dementia.
  Thank you, Coach Summitt, for leading by example both on and off the 
court.

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