[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 7 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E73]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING ALAN SPENCER OF MONETT, MISSOURI

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ROY BLUNT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 21, 2010

  Mr. BLUNT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an educator and coach 
who has helped mold, inspire and motivate young men and women for 
almost four decades in Southwest Missouri. I am proud to recognize 
Monett High School coach and educator, Alan Spencer, upon his 
retirement at the end of the 2010 school year.
  For 35 years, Alan has had a number of considerable coaching 
accomplishments. However, his higher calling is to teach and instill in 
young men and women the traits of a strong moral character. He has 
taught that success in any endeavor is marked by hard work, respect, 
and dedication in working as a team to accomplish a common goal.
  In his retirement letter, Alan demonstrated his philosophy of success 
as a coach and respected mentor. He wrote, ``Our coaches and student/
athletes have gained more than just skills and knowledge of the 
activities they compete and coach in. They have learned about loyalty, 
accountability, responsibility and trust. They understand that a team 
cannot be successful without pride in your performance, effort to make 
yourself and the team better, determination to overcome all obstacles, 
enthusiasm for the game and respect of your opponents and teammates.''
  Alan has been head football coach, athletic director, women's track 
coach and teacher for the Monett Cubs sports program for nine years. 
During that period, the Cubs football teams have gone 58-36 and won or 
shared championships in the Big 8 Conference in 2004, 2007 and 2008. 
Under his nine years of leadership, the women's track team captured Big 
8 Conference crowns five times.
  Alan's career began as a coach at Neosho High School in 1975. His 
first head coaching job was at Nevada, Missouri in 1980. From there 
Alan coached at Springfield Parkview High School, Springfield Central 
High School and at Rogers, Arkansas before going to Monett in 2002.
  Alan has been recognized many times for his hard work for students 
and teams. This year, he will be inducted into Missouri's Football 
Coaches Hall of Fame. He was named the 2008-2009 Missouri 
Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association's Athletic Director 
of the Year for the Southwest District. In 2004 and 2008, Alan was 
named Big 8 Coach of the Year.
  Alan plans to spend time in his retirement with his family and 
friends while enjoying fishing and hunting. I know Coach Spencer will 
continue to find ways to use his talents as a motivator to inspire 
other young people to the highest standards of service to their school, 
their community and their country.

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