[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 27, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E77]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING TONY FRANKS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOSH HARDER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 27, 2026

  Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tony 
Franks for his extraordinary leadership, historic achievements, and 
decades of service to student-athletes at St. Mary's High School in 
Stockton.
  A proud alumnus of St. Mary's, Coach Franks has devoted decades of 
service to the school that shaped him, returning as head football coach 
for twenty-seven seasons and building a program rooted in discipline, 
accountability, and character. His connection to the community spans 
generations, coaching at the same institution he once attended and 
later entrusting with the education of his own children.
  Throughout his tenure, Coach Franks established one of the most 
consistently successful high school football programs in California. 
His teams regularly competed at the highest levels of the sport, 
earning league titles, postseason victories, and regional recognition 
while maintaining a 75.5 percent winning percentage and recording only 
two losing seasons. Year after year, St. Mary's football became 
synonymous with preparation, resilience, and teamwork, reflecting a 
culture built not only on competitive success, but on developing young 
men into leaders on and off the field.
  That legacy reached a historic milestone when Coach Franks led the 
St. Mary's Rams to their first CIF State Football Championship, 
securing the first state football title for any high school team in the 
City of Stockton. The championship season was defined by perseverance 
and belief, as the Rams delivered a memorable playoff run that captured 
the pride of the entire community. In recognition of this achievement 
and his career-long impact, Coach Franks was named California State 
Coach of the Year, a rare distinction that reflects both excellence on 
the field and integrity beyond it.
  Mr. Speaker, Coach Tony Franks embodies the highest ideals of high 
school athletics. His legacy is measured not only in victories, but in 
the lives he has shaped, the culture he has built, and the pride he has 
brought to St. Mary's High School and the City of Stockton. I am proud 
to recognize his lasting contributions to our community.

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