The Essence of Pitt Athletics

University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing senior Heather Launse.

By E. J. Borghetti

The Panther football team’s 24-6 victory over the University of Alabama at Birmingham brought big smiles and high fives to players and coaches in the Heinz Field locker room last December, as the team celebrated its second straight invitation to a postseason bowl game.

Five weeks earlier, that bid would have been unimaginable, but, on the strength of five consecutive victories, the team was headed to the Tangerine Bowl in sunny Orlando, Fla.

“I’m really proud of our football team and our coaches,” said Head Coach Walt Harris during the December celebration. “Just look at where we were and where we are now. These guys really learned about dealing with adversity. It is a lifelong lesson. We pulled together instead of pulling apart.”

Harris’ words, although directed to the football team, provide the essence of what college athletics is all about.

For many, collegiate sports are a leisure-time pursuit, but for those who participate, the competitions are a passion, a testing of wills, and, perhaps most importantly, a valuable extension of the athlete’s educational experience.

The field of play—with its many challenges—helps develop not only the mind but also the character, spirit, and values of the players.

Panther wrestling Head Coach Rande Stottlemyer has goals similar to Harris’.

“What we hope to do at Pittsburgh is give guys tools for life,” said Stottlemyer, who received the B.A. in Education degree from Pitt in 1978 and was a three-time wrestling All-American. “I strongly believe in education through athletics. The things you learn—responsibility, commitment, and dedication—are the things you apply later on in life. Many guys come back and say how their athletic careers helped give them success in life.”

The Panthers’ 2001-02 men’s basketball season ranks among the most exciting in Pitt’s history. But what made it enjoyable?

Certainly the many wins, but just as gratifying was how the team won—with discipline and teamwork.

Symbolically, point guard Brandin Knight was named an All-American, not necessarily for his scoring prowess, but rather for his ability to distribute the basketball to his teammates (in basketball jargon, assists).

Teamwork, of course, is important not only on the court but also in the boardroom and the family room.

No one knows this better than Donna Sanft, Pitt’s associate athletic director for student life and compliance. She has spent more than 30 years at the University, including time as a student, an athlete, head gymnastics coach, and an athletic department administrator.

“We are all challenged many times throughout our lives,” said Sanft, who coached Lisa Shirk, Pittsburgh’s only NCAA champion in women’s gymnastics. “How we approach and tackle challenges in a lot of ways determines the path our lives will take. Through sports, we develop the confidence that we need to overcome the challenges we face later in our lives—as employees, parents, or citizens.”

The University of Pittsburgh has a long and proud tradition in collegiate athletics. From Olympians to Heisman Trophy winners to national championship teams, the list of achievements is long and impressive.

But perhaps the athletic program’s greatness is best captured in the following words of Alumnus and Pitt Trustee Herbert P. Douglas Jr., a Panther track and field star who was a bronze medallist at the 1948 Olympics.

“One of the beautiful things about sports is that no one person makes it solely on his or her own and no one nationality is supreme,” Douglas said. “Sports is truly a melting pot, where all men and women of ability can compete on equal terms. The lessons learned in competition transcend the playing field to the business and professional fields. Trying one’s best, working with others, and being a winner has made our country great!”