Summitt can learn from Fluker

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. -- Tye'sha Fluker talked with Pat Summitt Thursday and said that her coach sounded good.

Well, as good as can be expected.

"She sounds like a normal person who's had a loss in the family,'' Fluker said at SEC Media Days in Birmingham, Ala.

Richard Head, Summitt's 83-year-old father, died Sunday night. The funeral was Wednesday and Summitt returned to Knoxville late Wednesday night.

As it turned out, neither Fluker nor any of the players attended the funeral.

Summitt rejoined her team Thursday for an evening practice.

Fluker has a keen understanding of how abnormal such circumstances can be. The Lady Vols senior center lost her grandmother, Charlotte Creamer, last February and went through a difficult recovery.

Creamer was more of a mother figure to Fluker. With Mrs. Creamer's birthday looming, Fluker had been thinking about her this month. Now, she's thinking about her coach.

"I prayed for everything I hoped everyone was praying for me,'' Fluker said.

If Fluker learned anything from her grieving, it's that everyone deals with death differently. Still, she believes that being up front with yourself about the anguish is the best alternative.

"Cry when you want to cry,'' Fluker said. "Holding it in could be the worst thing to do. Deal with the emotions as they come.''

Fluker dealt with her sorrow and she appears to better off because of it.

Lady Vols assistant coach Holly Warlick said earlier this week that Fluker walked off the court after Monday's practice talking about the fun she was having.

"That's the way it should be,'' Warlick said.

Fluker was in a good storytelling mood on Thursday. She recounted a recent encounter with an overzealous fan at a local restaurant.

Fluker left her booth to use the restroom and returned to find the aggressive autograph seeker sitting with her friend, waiting for her return.

This woman skipped past any introductions or any real diplomacy and went straight to her objective, saying: "I'm not letting you leave until you sign this.''

"Everyone in the restaurant was looking,'' Fluker said. "She was very loud.''

In retrospect, Fluker seemed more amused than unnerved or offended.

Fluker's best ally has been time, which she has put to good use. She spent the summer here, working toward the best physical condition of her career.

These days, she's better able to take a deep breath and confront one of her worst tendencies, named to give in to fatigue.

"It's making my life easier,'' Fluker said. "But it's something that doesn't come easy.''

Like Fluker, Summitt has embarked on the same time-consuming healing process. Warlick, who was Summitt's stand-in Thursday, noticed Wednesday how her boss was trying to balance emotion with reason. Warlick said that she plans to be vigilant regarding Summitt's moods.

"For me, I just need to understand how I can help her,'' Warlick said.

It will help to be back with the team. Summitt noted to Warlick that Monday's and Tuesday's workouts were the first practices she had missed in 31 seasons.

It might not hurt for Summitt to visit with Fluker, too. Lady Vols guard Shanna Zolman said that Fluker is "very knowledgeable" after handling her grandmother's death. Moreover, she's very appreciative of Summitt's role in the process.

"She really respects coach because of how she let her go home and spend time with her family.'' Zolman said. "If coach needs someone to talk to, I know Ty will be available.''