[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 120 (Monday, September 10, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1457-E1458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO COACH LIANG CHOW

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2012

  Mr. LATHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Iowa's 
own Coach Liang Chow for placing West Des Moines, Iowa among our 
nation's premier training destinations for aspiring Olympic gymnasts 
through his world-class coaching.
  Coach Chow's life in gymnastics began nearly 10,000 miles away from 
West Des Moines when he was just five years old in Beijing, China. For 
more than a decade Liang represented China's national men's gymnastics 
team and won numerous competitions across the globe, including the 
World Cup master championships in 1990 and earning a bronze medal at 
the 1989 world championships. Unfortunately, a back injury before the 
1992 Olympic Games forced him to retire prematurely from the sport he 
loved. However, in every challenge lies opportunity. Liang took 
advantage of an opportunity to move to Iowa in 1991 and hasn't looked 
back. Coach Chow began attending the University of Iowa on an English 
scholarship where his gymnastics experience led to his selection as the 
university's assistant coach of the men's program. Chow coached five of 
his gymnasts to the national men's team in his first year. After his 
exemplary coaching skills became evident, Coach Chow was offered a full 
time coaching role with the University of Iowa women's gymnastics 
program. Chow accepted, but soon realized that his coaching technique 
could reach new heights if his students were a bit younger, to better 
mold their early gymnastic development.
  After searching across the country for an ideal location to open his 
own gym, Chow knew Iowa was where he was meant to be. In 1998, he 
secured a small warehouse and opened his first gym. By 2003, he 
expanded to his current facility, which includes two gyms

[[Page E1458]]

and spans 11 acres. Since 1998, Coach Chow's gym maintains a steadfast 
philosophy of hard work mixed with fun, which emphasizes the journey 
just as much as the destination. It is in his gym and through his 
philosophy that Liang Chow has become an international name by coaching 
American gymnastic icons like Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas to 
Olympic gold.
  Mr. Speaker, Coach Chow's contribution to gymnastics and to Iowa 
cannot be understated. His unwavering commitment to his dreams and the 
dreams of his students truly embodies Iowa's spirit. I know all of my 
colleagues in the United States House of Representatives will join me 
in congratulating Coach Chow on his stellar career, and I wish him the 
best of luck in the future as he continues to proudly represent the 
best of America and her heartland.

                          ____________________