[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO GOLD MEDAL WINNING U.S. WOMEN'S OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, America's two newest sports heroes are the 
pride of every American. I rise today to pay tribute to a group of 
talented, hard-working women who have written a new chapter in 
America's glorious Olympic history, the U.S. women's Olympic hockey 
team.
  Minnesota is the birthplace of hockey in America, Mr. Speaker, and 
the first ever gold medal in women's Olympic hockey was won by a 
spirited, never-give-up American team that included two Minnesotans. 
Jenny Schmidgall of Edina, Minnesota, and Alana Blahoski of St. Paul, 
Minnesota, along with 21 other members of the U.S. women's team, 
brought home the gold from the 18th Olympic winter games in Nagano, 
Japan. The American women's team won all six of its games.
  Mr. Speaker, what a marvelous Olympic tournament it was, and what a 
remarkable team won the gold medal. As a proud Minnesotan and a 
patriotic American, my heart burst when Jenny Schmidgall was awarded 
her gold medal and spontaneously blurted out our national anthem. Our 
hearts as Americans burst in pride when our women's hockey team, every 
single member, raised their hands to the sky in saying our national 
anthem with all the strength left in their souls.
  Mr. Speaker, after losing to Canada four times in the world 
championship since 1990, the U.S. women's Olympic hockey team defeated 
Canada 3 to 1 last week to claim the gold medal. It was the second time 
the Americans had defeated their fiercest rival in four days. It was 
also the first U.S. hockey gold medal since the 1980 miracle on ice at 
Lake Placid.
  Mr. Speaker, great joy swept over Minnesota as the U.S. women held 
hands, waved American flags, and accepted their well-earned gold 
medals. As her parents, Dwayne and Terri Schmidgall of Edina, would be 
quick to tell you, Jenny Schmidgall had prepared long and hard for her 
moment in the land of the rising sun. Jenny graduated from Edina High 
School, in the heart of our Third Congressional District, this past 
spring, and will be skating for the University of Minnesota next year.
  In fact, that is the reason Jenny's picture did not make the Wheaties 
box, because she is still an amateur, and NCAA rules are about as 
arcane as some of the rules around here, and she was not allowed to be 
pictured.
  But anyway, when Jenny skated at Edina's Lewis Park, she was known as 
little Gretzky. She grew up learning the game at Lewis Park at Edina 
while following her hockey playing dad onto the ice.
  There was magic in the air at the Big Hat arena in Nagano the day of 
the gold medal game. Jenny's parents got to the game and learned that 
their seats were not with the rest of the parents down below in the 
lower bowl but, rather, in the upper deck away from the rest of the 
parents of the women's team.
  But all that changes when Wayne Gretzky, the great one himself, 
tapped Dwayne Schmidgall on the shoulder, and seeing Schmidgall's Team 
U.S.A. jackets and asked if she had somebody playing in the game. 
Gretzky told them, by the way, he hoped their team would win and left 
when the score was one to nothing in favor of the Americans.
  In this first Olympic women's tournament, Jenny Schmidgall scored two 
goals and had three assists. She also helped set up the first U.S. goal 
in the gold medal game. As her mother Terri said, holding back tears, 
and I am quoting now, ``When you know all the hard work that went into 
this and see them this way, it's really something.''
  Mr. Speaker, it is really something. All the women on Team U.S.A. 
have stories to tell, stories like Jenny Schmidgall's. They all 
followed others onto the ice at an early age and often met with 
resistance when they tried to join in the boys' games. But showing 
great American ethic that makes our nation shine, these women would not 
take no for an answer. They practiced. They persevered. Last week, they 
realized their dream. They brought home the gold.
  Mr. Speaker, one sign held up above the U.S. team's bench in Nagano 
said it all: ``U.S. Women, the Real Dream Team.'' Now the women of the 
1998 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team are stirring new dreams in the hearts 
and minds of girls throughout America. They stirred our passion over 
the past fortnight halfway around the world, and they will live in our 
hearts forever.
  Congratulations to Jenny, to Alana, and to the other 21 members of 
the U.S. women's ice hockey team as well as your wonderful coaches, 
managers, trainers, and other officials. You have made America proud.

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