University of Tennessee Athletics
TENNESSEE CELEBRATES PAT SUMMITT AT THOMPSON-BOLING ARENA
Emotional ceremony brings the UT family together
July 14, 2016
Photo Gallery Celebration of Life Replay Official Event Program (PDF)By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pat Summitt filled Thompson-Boling Arena 376 times in her storied career as the head coach of the Lady Volunteers. Thursday night, the Tennessee family came together to fill the arena and sing "Rocky Top" one last time in honor of the legend who passed away on June 28, 2016.
A list of those that she impacted as much more than just a coach told stories and shared memories of Summitt with many of her familiar lines that ring true in the lives of everyone she touched.
Emcee Robin Roberts, who has previously credited Summitt's motto of "Right foot, left foot, breathe, repeat," for keeping her going during Roberts' battle with cancer, led an emotional ceremony held with Summitt's legendary orange stool front and center on the stage.
Tyler Summitt said his mother's stool, which she sat on during timeouts in her coaching career, represented more than just the words of encouragement, wisdom and criticism that she gave out while seated on it. He came to her figurative stool for the advice that only a loving mother could provide, and she gave him the same three words every day.
"I love you," Summitt said of the words he heard from her. "Not only did she say it, she showed it. She walked the walk."
Shelley Sexton-Collier, point guard on Tennessee's first National Championship team in 1987 and Tamika Catchings, a National Champion in 1998, spoke on behalf of Summitt's players, finishing their remarks with a call for all of the Lady Vols in the crowd to stand and be recognized as her legacy. The crowd responded with a standing ovation for the players, each of whom left Tennessee with not only the lessons on life and basketball, but a college degree.
Longtime assistant coaches Holly Warlick and Mickie DeMoss shared stories from a career on the road, including a humorous tale of Summitt being recognized by a fellow diner at a Florida restaurant, though not in the way she expected after spying the table looking in her direction.
"You look familiar," DeMoss recalled the group saying. "Do you work at Ace Hardware?"
Warlick told the crowd of Summitt's famous quick pace behind the wheel of her vehicles, including using an alias to try and get out of a ticket when she was growing up in Henrietta, Tennessee. In later years, she would always keep her identification in the trunk of her car, where she also happened to carry signed basketballs that may have ended up on more than a few officers' mantles.
Peyton Manning spoke of the national impact of his close friend, telling the crowd that she literally changed history. She made women's sports, not just basketball, nationally relevant. It was a point underscored by the fact that the NFL legend's words went out on national television, as ESPN2 and the SEC Network broadcast the celebration live and uninterrupted.
"Pat's true greatness was in her actions," Manning said. "It was the substance of her life -- her example -- that will resonate most."
Manning recalled that Summitt did not remember him the last time he visited, but that caregivers and family told him that every time one of his games or commercials came on television, she would perk up and say "That's my friend, he comes to visit me."
"When all of us are forgotten, the world will remember our friend, Pat Summitt," Manning said. "In saying goodbye for the last time, we can all say `There goes our friend.'"
