[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ILLINOIS' LADY INDIANS BASKETBALL TEAM DEMONSTRATE HIGHEST LEVEL OF 
                     SPORTSMANSHIP AND COMPETITION

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise this morning to acknowledge 
an exemplary group of young athletes from Illinois who have persevered 
in reaching a common goal for the second year in a row. This group of 
young women have demonstrated the true hearts of champions, and have 
aspired once again to the highest level of sportsmanship and 
competition.
  This team of student athletes hailing from Carlyle, IL, are known as 
the Lady Indians basketball team. In March the Lady Indians won the 
Illinois high school Class A women's basketball championship.
  En route to their second State championship and third straight visit 
to the Illinois finals, Mr. Speaker, the Carlyle Lady Indians rolled to 
a record 33 wins and no losses, including the championships in the 
Cahokia Conference Tournament, the Mascoutah Holiday Tournament, and 
the Highlands Invitational. In the last three seasons the Carlyle 
ladies high school team has racked up an impressive 94 wins to only 8 
losses, which demonstrates a selfless commitment to excellence and a 
willingness to forsake individual accolades for the good of the team.
  Mr. Speaker, this team, led by Courtney Smith, the 1997 Illinois Ms. 
Basketball, and Angie Gherardini, the Illinois Class A coach of the 
year, is an outstanding example of hard work, dedication and excellence 
which every young athlete can learn from, and truly symbolizes the 
selflessness and devotion of all the people of the 20th District of 
Illinois.
  So today Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate these 12 devoted players 
and the assistants who guided this team to their second straight 
Illinois State Championship in 1997: Michelle Donahoo, Leslie 
Dumstorff, Heather Hitpas, Kristin Hustedde, who recently visited my 
office as part of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, Tara 
Kell, Erin Knuf, Summer Knuf, Lindsay Macon, Stacey Pollman, Jessica 
Robert, Brie Sheathelm, and Courtney Smith.

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