Trailer for 'We Back Pat in Iraq' documentary to be shown during Sunday's game

  • By Dan Fleser
  • Posted January 19, 2013 at 5:20 p.m.
Chad Greene/Special to the News Sentinel Pat Summitt stands near a newly unveiled painting commemorating her eight national titles during a press conference by the Pat Summitt Foundation at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday to express appreciation for the "We Back Pat" week throughout the SEC.

Photo by Chad Greene, 2013 // Buy this photo

Chad Greene/Special to the News Sentinel Pat Summitt stands near a newly unveiled painting commemorating her eight national titles during a press conference by the Pat Summitt Foundation at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday to express appreciation for the "We Back Pat" week throughout the SEC.

Support for Pat Summitt has gone global in its scope.

A video trailer for the documentary "We Back Pat in Iraq" will be shown today during Tennessee's women's basketball game against Alabama at Thompson-Boling Arena. The film chronicles the former UT head coach's impact on girls and women in the Middle Eastern country.

University partner Sport 4 Peace is producing the film, which is scheduled for a spring release.

Today's game is part of the SEC's week-long promotion to bring awareness and help raise funds for Summitt's foundation and the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Summitt now serves as the Lady Vols' head coach emeritus.

Summitt and the Lady Vols have supported the girls' basketball program in Iraq since 2007, when they sent shoes, equipment and training DVDs. A team of Iraq girls attended UT's summer camp in 2009.

Shortly after Summitt announced in August of 2011 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia Alzheimer's type, Iraq girls' coach Rizgar Raoof, who also attended the summer camp, invited UT assistant professors Sarah Hillyer and Ashleigh Huffman to Iraq to help him host a "We Back Pat in Iraq" basketball tournament. Knoxville filmmaker Elisa Platillero captured game footage and interviews with players, coaches and families. The footage is part of the documentary.

"A tournament like this is nothing compared to what she's done for basketball," Raoof says in the film.

For more information on the documentary, visit http://www.webackpatiraq.com

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Comments » 2

VolAlumbutBamaFootballFan writes:

"A tournament like this is nothing compared to what she's done for basketball," Raoof says in the film. Actually it says it all!

voloffaith writes:

Very touching with no hatred for America expressed.....shows that basketball transcends.........okay won't go that far,but shows that through the sport a dialogue is open to actually show them we are not the hateful american dogs........

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