[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HOORAY FOR THE LADY BULLDOGS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 1997

  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 3, 1997, the Lady 
Bulldogs of Hazard High School in Hazard, KY, made a dream come true. 
That was the night they won the All ``A'' State Tournament by beating 
Lexington Catholic 53 to 45.
  This was the fourth time in history that Hazard High School had a 
team in a basketball State championship. In fact, the Lady Bulldogs of 
1996-97 had a lot to live up to--every Hazard team that had gone to the 
State championships before had won. Were they up to the challenge?
  In their opening game of the tournament, the Lady Bulldogs beat the 
defending All ``A'' champions from Louisville Holy Cross 61 to 34. This 
was a sign of great things to come. After two more games, the Lady 
Bulldogs faced Lexington Catholic--and the rest is history. With 
effective offense, tenacious defense, skillful shooting, and tremendous 
coaching, the Lady Bulldogs claimed victory for their own.
  Today, the 1996-97 Lady Bulldogs--Jaime Steele, Dee Sammons, Leah 
Cornett, Betsy Boggs, Charlotte Sizemore, Lori Graves, Carolyn 
Alexander, Tracy Kershaw, Nea Rogers, Christy Dunigan, and Jennifer 
Sharp--are walking tall. Each one a dedicated, hard-working young lady. 
Each one with the character and perseverance of a champion, not because 
she won a State tourney, but because she dared to pursue the dream.
  The victory, however, is not theirs alone. Their coach, William 
``Bill'' Fannin, began to lay the groundwork over a decade ago. In 
1985, he took on the coaching job, and with patience, understanding, 
hard work, and love in his heart, he helped show the Lady Bulldogs what 
it takes to be winners--not just on the court, but also in school and 
their community.
  Of course, Coach Fannin had a little help. Coach ``Cos'' Hugh 
Cosimini; coach Frieda Fannin, Bill's wife; and coach Candi Fannin, 
Bill's daughter, put a lot of time, energy, and heart into building the 
Lady Bulldog team we know today.
  The community of Hazard also deserves some of the credit for their 
staunch support of the team. And, I would be leaving out an important 
part of the team if I didn't mention the Hazard cheerleaders, whose 
spirit at the games helped rally the Lady Bulldogs to victory. In fact, 
both the Lady Bulldog cheerleaders and the Hazard boy's team 
cheerleaders won first place in their competitions during the All ``A'' 
Tournament.
  We all know that it's not whether you win or lose--it's how you play 
the game. Certainly, these Lady Bulldogs played fairly, with dignity 
and pride. But it sure is a great feeling to actually win the game. 
Today, I congratulate the Hazard Lady Bulldogs and their coaches. Good 
work on a job well done.

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