Pat Summitt, head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, is a phenomenon in women's basketball. Her ferociously competitive teams have won three NCAA championships in a row--1996, 1997, and 1998. The 1997-98 Lady Vols posted a historic 39-0 record, prompting the New York Times, among many others, to proclaim them "the best women's college team ever." Now, in this groundbreaking motivational book, Pat Summitt presents her formula for success, which she calls the "Definite Dozen System." In each of the book's twelve chapters, Summitt talks about one of the system's principles--such as responsibility, discipline, and loyalty--and shows how you apply it to your own situation. Along the way, she uses her own remarkable story as a vehicle for explaining how anyone can transform herself through ambition. Pat Summitt will motivate you to achieve in sports, business, and the most important game of all--life.
Pat Summitt has been called a living legend. As head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, Summitt has taken her NCAA Division 1 women's basketball team to back-to-back national championships in 1996 and 1997, and five titles in a 10-year span. In Reach for the Summit, with the help of former Sports Illustrated writer Sally Jenkins, she draws from 24 years as a successful head coach to provide motivational advice for anyone who wants to succeed in sports, business, and life in general. Structured around her Definite Dozen system, each chapter covers one of her 12 commandments of achievement by interweaving personal anecdotes, strategies for success, and basic ethics. A lot of people can win once, she writes. They get lucky, or follow their intuition, or strike on a good short-term formula. But very few people know how to repeat success on a consistent basis. They lose sight of their priorities, grow content, and abandon their principles. Summitt's book is about building a system of principles and sticking to it.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
All coaches should read.:
Attention all coaches or potential coaches, please read this book. Lets face it, Pat Summit is one of the greatest coaches of our times, like her or not. As a parent of 5 children who have been involved in various sports I felt it was a very interesting and informative book. I think it should be required reading for all coaches, new and old. You will learn something from it if you read it with an open mind. I hope she writes again in the near future.
One of the best sports books ever written.....:
Coach Pat Summit's work REACH FOR THE SUMMIT, not only is one of the best sports books I have ever read, but has clear and concise steps to improve on one's life. Coach Summit's elaboration on her DEFINITE DOZEN rules for her teams have been taken to heart by this writer. Not only would thest DEFINITE DOZEN rules be applicable to a sports team of any age, but could be used by a teacher and parent as well. In fact, I have copied these DEFINTE DOZEN rules and try to practice them in all of my affairs.
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Good enough to read once.:
Reach for the Summit was an easy read. My goal was to read the book for its explanation of the 12 disciplines which are used for all activities in life, not just for basketball. There were more examples of the disciplins than philosophy. I am sure if one is passonate about basketball they will get more out of it than I did. Disciplines were common sense. Nothing new, but the examples were interesting enough. I thought enough of it to give it to my 14 year son to read. I believe he will get more out of it... more info
OK, but not for everyone:
YES, I GAVE IT ONLY 2 STARS! I have read alot of motivational books in my life time but this one leaves you empty. Patt Summitt does not give a "one-size fits all" approach to obtaining Life's goals as she suggest. Pat Summitt gives these long drawn out stories of her coaching experience and players experience then, at the very end, ties it to a generic principle of leadership that has been rehash by hundred of other motivational book writers. I'm not hating on her leadership or abilities. She has proven... more info
