A new documentary about Pat Summitt, the late coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols, is scheduled to premiere on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers on March 25. The film will later air on ESPN2 on March 29, and then on ESPN on April 5.
Titled “Breaking Glass: The Pat Summitt Story,” the film is executive-produced by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts and directed by Emmy-award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter. The film is a collaboration between Trilogy Films, Tribeca Studios and Roberts’ company, Rock’n Robin Productions, for ABC News Studios.
Summitt’s Story Told Through Film
Presented as a biopic, Summitt’s story is told mostly in her own voice. The film includes original interviews with Billie Jean King, Peyton Manning, Dawn Staley, and Tamika Catchings. It also uses never-before-seen archival footage and material from Summitt’s personal VHS tapes, voice recordings and photographs.
Summitt’s son, Tyler, said that Roberts was one of his mother’s closest friends. He added that his family trusts Roberts to lead this project.
A Friendship Forged in Tennessee
Robin Roberts was a reporter for a TV station in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1987 when she first met Summitt. They remained friends for decades through tough times, including Roberts’ cancer battles and Summitt’s early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Summitt’s Illustrious Career
The film encompasses Summitt’s life and career, starting with her upbringing on a Tennessee dairy farm. It covers her time at Tennessee, where she turned the Lady Vols into an iconic programme. The film also tells the story of Summitt’s public battle with Alzheimer’s.
- Summitt coached at Tennessee from 1974 through 2012.
- She captured 1,098 victories.
- She won eight national championships and 16 SEC Tournaments.
Summitt was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. She died in 2016 at the age of 64.
Olympic Gold and Future Games
In 1984, Summitt coached the women’s national team to its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles. In 2028, the Summer Games will return to Los Angeles. Kara Lawson, one of Summitt’s former players, will aim to coach the Americans to their 11th gold.