[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 26 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF KATIE McGWIN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT A WEYGAND

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2000

  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Katie 
McGwin, a resident of North Kingstown, Rhode Island and a fifth-grader 
at Quidnesset Elementary School. Katie was among the winners of this 
year's National Sportsmanship Day essay contest for her positive essay 
on responsibility and encouragement.
  March 7th was the Tenth Annual National Sportsmanship Day and I am 
pleased to say that in all of the fifty states, and in one hundred and 
one other countries students, athletes, coaches, and educators spent 
the day focusing on the merits of good sportsmanship. In more than 
12,000 institutions worldwide, students participated in programs such 
as ``The No Swear Zone'', essay and poster contests, student 
roundtables, and coaches forums in an effort to promote good 
sportsmanship among our youth.
  Just ten years ago this program existed only in Rhode Island 
elementary schools, founded by my good friend Mr. Daniel E. Doyle, Jr., 
Executive Director of the Institute for International Sport at the 
University of Rhode Island, and now it is an international event. This 
is a wonderful program whose value is evident by the speed of its 
growth and broad reach of its appeal.
  Katie's essay espoused the virtues of true sportsmanship and brought 
to light the benefits that sportsmanship can offer to our families, our 
communities, and our nation. Sportmanship, as Katie notes, is about 
many things, both on and off the field of play; it is about hard work 
and effort, responsibility, kindness to others, honesty, fair play, 
ethical behavior and it is about encouragement. These values are 
beneficial for our homes, for our workplaces and for our schools. In an 
age when violence too often penetrates our educational institutions and 
our communities, these are the ethics and values--which Katie so 
eloquently discussed--that must be promoted and encouraged by parents, 
educators and coaches.
  I would like to commend Katie for her wisdom and her character and 
want to encourage her to maintain them throughout her life as they will 
bring her success in her professional and personal life.

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