The NFHS has agreed to a multi-year corporate partnership with the Pat Summitt Foundation to become a national philanthropic partner. Through this partnership, schools across the country are encouraged to support the Foundation through “We Back Pat” games or other initiatives.
Pat Summitt and her son, Tyler Summitt, founded the Pat Summitt Foundation in 2011 with the hope that, one day, no family must hear that a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The Foundation focuses on advancing research for treatment and a cure, providing care and support for patients and caregivers, and educating the public about Alzheimer’s disease.
“Coach Summitt was a leader among leaders and made a tremendous impact not just in athletics, but in the lives of countless individuals,” said NFHS CEO Dr. Karissia Niehoff. “Her teams’ impressive perfect graduation rate was a testament to her devotion to bettering her players both on and off the court. We are thrilled to partner with the Pat Summitt Foundation to introduce her legacy to the next generation of young athletes and help continue her fight against Alzheimer’s disease. We look forward to working alongside the Foundation to see the impact this partnership has on furthering research and educating the public about the disease.”
The Pat Summitt Foundation raises funds through annual and planned giving, grants and special events that are used to support programs and grants to advance medical research, provide patient and caregiver support, and promote education and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. This January and February, schools around the country can sign up to participate in “We Back Pat” basketball games, to raise funds for and awareness of the Foundation. Fundraisers can include revenue from ticket sales, free-throw-a-thons, and many other creative competitions. Officials also have the chance to support through Officials Back Pat by purchasing and using purple Classic Fox 40 whistles while officiating games in January.
“The Pat Summitt Foundation is thrilled to be the national philanthropic partner of the NFHS,” said Morgan Vance, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Advancement for the Pat Summitt Foundation.
“We believe Coach Summitt would approve of this partnership, and we look forward to introducing this next generation of athletes to her legacy while we raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. We are excited to get to know the state associations as well as high school administrators, coaches and officials all across the country, and to have them join us in continuing Pat’s fight against this disease.”
Coach Summitt is the gold standard not just for women’s basketball, but also for leadership and empowerment of women. Summitt coached the Tennessee Lady Vols for 38 seasons with an overall win-loss record of 1,098-208 and won eight national championships. The Lady Vols also won 16 SEC Conference regular-season titles and 16 SEC Tournaments. Summitt is the first female coach to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame after leading Team USA to a gold medal in women’s basketball in 1984. She also co-captained the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team in 1976, winning a silver medal. In 2000, she was also named the Naismith Coach of the Century.
To learn more about the Pat Summitt Foundation, and to sign up your school to host a “We Back Pat” game, please visit We Back Pat – Pat Summitt Foundation.
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