[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 14, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING FARRAGUT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH EDDIE COURTNEY UPON 
             RECEIVING THE INAUGURAL COURTNEY COURAGE AWARD

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                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 2006

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 18th of this year, Farragut High 
School Head Football Coach Eddie Courtney was named the first recipient 
of the Eddie Courtney Courage Award named in his honor.
  This ceremony took place at the end of a grueling and testing season 
for Coach Courtney and his Admiral football team. Coach Courtney was 
diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease last spring and despite months of 
radiation and chemotherapy, he guided the Admirals to the Class 5A 
quarterfinals and an 11-3 record. Throughout his intensive treatment, 
he never missed a team function, including summer conditioning 
workouts, cutting the grass and lining the field before games and 
scrimmages.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the readers of the Congressional Record and my 
fellow colleagues to join me in honoring the courage, strength and 
leadership of Farragut High School Head Football Coach Eddie Courtney. 
I also include the following news article printed in the Knoxville 
News-Sentinel.

           [From the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Jan. 19, 2006]

                   Courtney Award Stands for Courage

                           (By Drew Edwards)

       Farragut High School football coach Eddie Courtney was 
     named the first recipient and namesake of the Courage Award 
     at the PrepXtra football awards banquet Wednesday night in 
     the Wolf Kaplan Center inside Neyland Stadium.
       Courtney was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease last spring 
     and guided the Admirals to the Class 5A quarterfinals and an 
     11-3 record. Throughout months of radiation and chemotherapy, 
     the 52-year-old coach never missed a team function, including 
     summer conditioning workouts.
       He continued to perform his other duties, including cutting 
     the grass and lining the field.
       ``It started with (my faith) and having great friends,'' 
     Courtney said. ``And I'm here because of the game of 
     football. As a player, it was always just suck-it-up and 
     go.''
       Farragut linebacker Nick Reveiz said Courtney's attitude 
     rubbed off on the team.
       ``He's a man, and that's the true definition of a man,'' 
     Reveiz told the News Sentinel in November. ``He takes what 
     life gives him. He doesn't whine about anything. That's one 
     person that no matter what comes his way, no matter how 
     unfair it is, no matter what happens, he's not going to 
     complain about anything. He's going to take what's given and 
     make the best out of it.''
       Courtney finished his radiation treatments last month and 
     will visit doctors once every two months for the next year.
       The Eddie Courtney Courage Award will be given each year to 
     a player, coach or contributor to local high school football 
     who has shown the spirit to face fear or danger with 
     confidence, resolution and dignity.

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