[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 79 (Monday, June 2, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1098-E1099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING LEGENDARY PENN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH CHRIS GEESMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHRIS CHOCOLA

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 2, 2003

  Mr. CHOCOLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a living 
legend, Penn High School football coach Chris Geesman from Mishawaka, 
Indiana.
  Coach Geesman recently announced he plans to retire from coaching at 
the end of this school year.

[[Page E1099]]

  Since 1972, Coach Geesman has led the Kingsmen to five state 
championships and has never suffered a losing season.
  Mr. Speaker, that's remarkable.
  He retires in second place on the All-Time Football Coaching Leaders 
in Indiana with 339 victories. Only one coach in Indiana high school 
football history had more wins, but that coach also had more loses.
  In 1996, he was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
  Coach Geeman's impressive resume includes five state championships 
(1983, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000), three state runner-up finishes 
(1989, 1991, and 1999), eight semi-state crowns (1983, 1989, 1991, 
1995-1997, and 1999-2000), and 13 sectional trophies (1979, 1983, 1987, 
1989, 1991, and 1995-2000).
  Penn High School football was also a force to be reckoned with under 
Coach Geesman's guidance in the Northern Indiana Conference by winning 
22 NIC titles, including 17 in a row from 1986 through 2002.
  Since a loss back in 1985, the Kingsmen have won an astonishing 117 
straight NIC games.
  The Kingsmen also established a state record with 89 consecutive 
regular-season victories running from 1985 to 1996 and own a state-
record 22 straight playoff victories.
  Coach Geesman's Kingsmen were ranked Number 1 in all or parts of a 
record 13 seasons for a record total of 87 weeks since 1977.
  Coach Geesman has also had many players move on to play at the 
collegiate level and even a couple have advanced to play in the 
National Football League.
  Mr. Speaker, I know the fans of Penn High School football and the 
Mishawaka community will certainly miss Coach Geesman, but I wish him 
well in his future endeavors.

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