To evaluate a women's basketball player, stats, skills and athleticism comprise the usual inspection.

Tennessee athletic trainer Jenny Moshak has an unusual idea: What about kicking the tires?

Please, allow her to explain.

"What you do when you're recruiting.'' Moshak tells the Lady Vols coaches, "is you're getting a used car.

"It isn't meant to be a negative label on an athlete. They're coming in here with miles on them.''

A player's ligaments, tendons and joints can work like an odometer. Freshman Lindsey Moss has arrived with extra wear and tear on her left knee, having undergone reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament during her junior year of high school.

The compelling evidence came last season. It filled the training room and made Moshak's case. Half of Tennessee's celebrated freshman class underwent surgeries for various knee ailments.

The medical charts of Candace Parker, Alex Fuller and Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood covered everything from ACL-related issues to cartilage damage and tendonitis.

Moshak said many people took notice, including the most important person - Pat Summitt.

"I think last year was a big eye-opener for her,'' Moshak said. "It was living proof.''

A decade ago, Tennessee's coach favored a five-mile run for conditioning. The same coach signed off this year on a summer of no pick-up basketball and low-impact workouts.

Imagine the old Summitt issuing the following offseason advice: "Everyone in the pool.''

The players spent part of the summer there, working out. Instead of a frown or worse, Summitt gave the practice a thumbs-up.

"I continue to learn and try to make better decisions,'' she said. "As I told the team the other day, if I hadn't changed, I wouldn't be able to coach and coach effectively with the kids today.''

Today's player is more likely to start playing younger and plays year round.

One of UT's summer campers told Moshak she was planning to attend eight camps.

"When are you going to be a kid?'' Moshak thought.

What's good for a player's game isn't always good for her body. An affliction like tendinitis is fast evolving into the dark side of such devotion.

Moshak said overuse injuries are reaching epidemic proportions and training philosophies must adjust.

Throughout her 17 years at UT, Moshak has been negotiating with Summitt. As a result, the team no longer trains on the track. This summer, the players racked up mileage on stationary bikes and elliptical machines.

The drills and their setting are becoming more calculated and team-oriented.

As bad as the situation was last season, maybe it wasn't all bad.

More players in the training room meant more players were here this summer, working under the guidance of Moshak and strength and conditioning coach Heather Mason.

No pick-up basketball meant no excuses for not spending more time on skill work, like shooting.

No more slack in the roster left the coaches with no choice but to reduce the risk of further damage.

"My knees feel a lot better,'' sophomore guard Alexis Hornbuckle said. "This is good. Last year I sat out two weeks of preseason conditioning. That sets you back. I feel now I'm a step ahead with the health of my body.''

These days, the most-conspicuous limp belongs to Summitt, who is walking around in a protective boot after suffering a broken right foot this summer.

"It's better me than them,'' she said.

The only preseason tradeoff senior guard Shanna Zolman has noticed is more strength for less lung power.

"After every summer, you feel like a man; you feel like one big bulk muscle,'' she said. "I can tell I'm not in the best of shape yet. It's a little bit different. But it's not worrying me.

Speaking for herself and her teammates, Zolman said, "Trust me, we'll get there.''

They can take the extra time but not the extra mileage.

Notebook: Abby Canon has transferred to Middle Tennessee State, leaving the roster, for the time being, devoid of walk-ons.

Summitt said there have been enough inquires to have a tryout sometime during the fall and possibly add one or two players.

Dan Fleser covers women's athletics. He can be reached 865-342-6288