[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO DENNIS OLEJNICZAK AND GENE SCHULTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gene Schultz of 
Lansing, Iowa and Dennis Olejniczak of Decorah, Iowa for their service 
and dedication to their schools' baseball teams.
  Together, their record is astounding: more than 2,500 wins, 12 state 
championships and 24 tournament appearances in a combined 79 years of 
high school baseball. But what is more interesting and incredible is 
that Gene Schultz and Dennis Olejniczak coach at rival high schools 35 
miles apart.
  Although Iowa has multiple seasons of high school baseball, which is 
one of the reasons for the high numbers, it truly comes down to their 
coaching philosophies. North Fayette's Dan Hovden, said this of Schultz 
and Olejniczak, ``They both have a high regard for the game. They put 
the team above themselves and obviously it shows up in the end.''
  I thank and congratulate both Gene Schultz and Dennis Olejniczak for 
their hard work and commitment to coaching high school baseball. It is 
a great honor to represent Gene and Dennis in the United States 
Congress, and I wish them the best.

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