[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 131 (Wednesday, September 7, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5381-S5382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     LAUREL SENIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

 Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate the 
world champion Laurel Senior League Softball team, led by manager Brad 
Lee, and by coaches Bo Collins and Kevin Green. By winning the Senior 
League Softball World Series, the young women on the team demonstrated 
that success comes from hard work, perseverance, and teamwork, with the 
help of dedicated coaching and the support of community, parents, and 
fans.
  This spring when the softball season opened, more than 2.5 million 
girls around the world dreamed of winning the Senior League Softball 
World Series. Among them were 14 girls from the town of Laurel in 
Sussex County, DE, who--after suffering a heartbreaking loss in the 
2010 championship game--vowed that 2011 would be their year. And that 
is exactly what happened.
  The players are Alison Pusey, Alexis Hudson, Logan Green, Sara Jo 
Whaley, Whitney Toadvine, Emily Pusey, Regan Green, Erin Johnson, 
Kortney Lee, Kristen Collins, Nicole Ullman, Alyssa Givens, Bethany 
Wheatley, and Bree Venables. Led by manager Brad Lee and coaches Bo 
Collins and Kevin Green, these young women worked hard all season to 
improve their hitting, fielding, pitching, and base running.
  In its 38th year, the Senior League Softball Little League division 
for girls ages 14 to 16 is a worldwide tournament with teams traveling 
to compete from as far away as Italy and the Philippines. The Senior 
League Softball World Series has been held for 8 years in Sussex 
County, DE. As the host, Delaware's top team gets a berth in the 
tournament, and Laurel has captured that spot 7 of the past 8 years.
  While the Laurel girls have served as excellent hosts and ambassadors 
for Delaware and for the United States of America during those 7 years, 
they fell just short of the championship year after year.
  The championship title almost slipped again from Laurel's grasp--not 
once, but twice--during the 2011 tournament. In two of the playoff 
games, the team came from behind in the bottom of the final inning to 
win. While the championship game proved to be a pitching match, clearly 
the many hours of practice at the plate paid off.
  On August 13, under the threat of rain, 16-year-old Logan Green took 
the

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mound against the Latin America team and pitched a three-inning no-
hitter. Laurel scored in the first inning when first-baseman Bree 
Venables was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Logan's sister, 14-
year-old Regan Green, took over the mound in the fourth inning and gave 
up four hits--but no runs--over the last four innings to secure the 
final win and the championship.
  Regan Green recalled her nervousness during that final game but said 
that her fellow players' teamwork gave her the confidence she needed on 
the mound. ``It's always good knowing they have my back,'' she said.
  Alyssa Givens set the stage for the ``safety run'' with a well-hit 
double in the sixth inning and then stole home from third base. Regan 
Green and the fielders took care of five batters in the seventh inning.
  Finally, after years of coming close, the Laurel Senior League 
Softball team claimed the World Championship title.
  Team Manager Brad Lee credited the victory to players' hard work and 
expressed the pride of his hometown. ``There's nothing like playing for 
your hometown. This is something that these young ladies will remember 
forever, and to bring the trophy home to Laurel for the first time is 
an unbelievable feeling.''
  The State of Delaware--and especially the town of Laurel--share 
Manager Lee's sentiment.
  Today, we congratulate the Laurel Senior League Softball team, 
manager Lee, and coaches Collins and Green. Through their commitment to 
excellence, perseverance, hard work and team work, they made their 
dreams come true and accomplished something that no other Delaware 
team, male or female, has ever done. In doing so, they have not only 
made the town of Laurel and its citizens proud; they have made all 
Delawareans proud.

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