Patricia Head Summitt

Summitt was born into the Henrietta farm family of Richard and Hazel Head. She grew up northwest of Nashville, in a part of the state dotted with tobacco barns, lean-tos, and one-lane blacktop roads.

Summitt, or Trish, as she was known back then, learned about the payoffs of hard work as she came of age on the family dairy and tobacco farm. From her father, Summit learned about disciplined guidance, about how to prod people beyond their potential. It's a lesson she learned well. Summit has often retold how at 12, her father dumped her off in the middle of an endless hayfield, gestured toward the tractor, and left. Completing the task was grueling, but Summit learned about her own potential, and also about expecting the maximum out of people. Consequently, she has become known as a demanding coach.