Learning From a Legendary Coach

The front page of The Tennesseean featured an article on Pat Summitt, the legendary coach of the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team.  Most of you know I’m a Bama fan, but I know greatness when I see it and Coach Summitt is a great basketball coach. She has redefined the sport for generations.

The article reprinted the “Definite Dozen,” the twelve principles Coach Summit taught her players to live by.  I thought they were worth listing here.

The Definite Dozen by Pat Summitt

  1. Respect yourself and others.
  2. Take full responsibility.
  3. Develop and demonstrate loyalty.
  4. Learn to be a great communicator.
  5. Discipline yourself so no one else has to.
  6. Make hard work your passion.
  7. Don’t just work hard; work smart.
  8. Put the team before yourself.
  9. Make winning an attitude.
  10. Be a competitor.
  11. Change is a must.
  12. Handle success like you handle failure.
Coach Summitt won a lot of games following these principles… my guess is we could win a lot more if we followed them as well.
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