[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H1183-H1184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING THE ATHLETES FROM BEARDEN HIGH SCHOOL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Burchett) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, on February 6, Bearden High School's 
dance team brought home another national championship from the 
Universal Dance Association's National Dance Team championship. The 
team earned its third national championship in the large varsity Game 
Day Division, the sixth in team history.
  Routines in the Game Day Division are focused on school spirit and 
crowd engagement. Teamwork is crucial in these choreographed 
competitions, and athletes must be on the same page if they want to 
win. Bearden's dance team won this competition by working together and 
perfecting a motivating, effective routine during Bearden Bulldog 
athletic competitions.
  Members of this national championship winning team are Abigail 
Abrams, Olivia Roddy, Jordan James, Ella Klenck, Julie Horn, Maddie 
Taylor, Cadance Eastman, Kenzie Bankes, Mallory Simpson, Ruby Fisher, 
Leah Cho, Ella McLaughlin, Marian Mitchell, Mallory Haskins, Eli 
Keziah, Lana Nelson, Avery Duncanson, and Reagan Honeycutt.
  The team's leadership includes head coach Hannah Keathley, assistant 
coaches Natalie Adkins and Sydney Schriver, technical coach Kathryn 
Brasfield, choreographer Katie Fear Lane, and team sponsor and high 
school teacher Rebecca Nutter.
  Madam Speaker, it is my honor to celebrate this group of athletes 
from Bearden High School, my alma mater. Our community is proud of your 
continued success on the national stage.
  And go Bulldogs.
  Recognizing Tennessee Volunteers Legend Gus Manning
  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize somebody who really 
needs no recognition at all but is somebody who is very dear to me. He 
is a good friend of mine. He is a Tennessee Volunteer legend, Gus 
Manning. He is turning 99 this July, and I wanted to take a few moments 
to recognize Gus' life and distinguished career here on the House 
floor.

[[Page H1184]]

  Gus is a lifelong Knoxvillian. He graduated from Rule High School, 
the Fighting Golden Bears, and then served in the United States Marine 
Corps during World War II. After he completed serving his country in 
the Marine Corps he decided to become a Tennessee Volunteer, and that 
journey began.

  A tremendously athletic individual, Gus walked onto UT's football 
team in 1947 and played baseball for the Volunteers. He graduated from 
Tennessee in 1950 but returned to UT in 1951 when the athletic 
director, General Robert Neyland, hired him to be the sports 
information director for Volunteer athletics. This was the beginning of 
Gus' nearly half-century long professional career with UT's athletic 
department.
  Outside of the athletic department, Gus co-hosted Vol Sports Report 
on WIVK. He also served as president of the Tennessee Sports Hall of 
Fame, the Southeastern Conference Sports Information Directors, and the 
Southeastern Conference Business Managers.
  From 1951 to 2003, Gus attended 608 consecutive Tennessee Volunteers 
football games. His dedication to the University of Tennessee's 
athletic program earned him inductions into halls of fame and awards 
from various organizations. His greatest recognition came in 2015, when 
Gate 16 at Neyland Stadium was renamed Gus Manning Gate. It is fitting 
that an individual who dedicated so much of his life to the football 
teams that play in that stadium is now a part of it forever.
  I thank Gus for continuing to be such a great representative of the 
University of Tennessee and its athletic programs.

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