[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 1345-1346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     HONORING COACH MARIJON ANCICH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 16, 2000

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
outstanding achievements of Coach Marijon Ancich. It may come as no 
surprise to the students and faculty at St. Paul High School in Santa 
Fe Springs, California, nor in fact, to those in the entire southland 
who follow high school sports, that one of their own has won the NFL/
KABC High School Coach of the Year Award. This award is given to the 
high school coach who best exemplifies the meaning of sports and who 
goes above and beyond the call of duty. That only begins to describe 
the life and career of this year's most deserving recipient.
  At age five, during the height of World War II, Marijon Ancich fled 
Yugoslavia with his mother and brother to escape the advancing German 
army. They arrived in New York, but it would be seven years later that 
his family moved and eventually settled in Southern California. Little 
did the twelve-year-old Marijon know that he would someday, touch the 
lives of thousands of young men. Believing in sports as more than just 
a game, Coach Ancich instilled in his players a set of values and 
ethics that would help prepare them for the world. Over a hundred of 
his players have become coaches around the country and he has helped 
over two hundred students win athletic scholarships that enabled them 
to attend some of the most prestigious universities in America.
  In his 37 years as a dedicated football coach, Marijon Ancich has 
brought home three California Interscholastic Federation championships, 
and his record of over 300 wins makes him one of only two coaches to 
have reached that milestone in the history of California high school 
football. For those who know Coach Marijon Ancich, this award is long 
over due. But to say that this latest accolade is the culmination of 
all his hard work would be a disservice. For the people of St. Paul 
High School know there is more to the coach than the awards on his 
mantle. To them, he is

[[Page 1346]]

a man who is active in the community, a man devoted to his beautiful 
wife Jacquie, and father to seven wonderful children. He is one of 
their own: a man who truly exemplifies the very finest traditions and 
values of the American family and the American sportsman.
  It is with deep respect for his many outstanding achievements and the 
tremendous contributions he has made to countless young people 
throughout his illustrious career that I commend him and thank him on 
the floor of the House of Representatives and further extend our 
warmest wishes to him and his fine family for every continued happiness 
and success.

                          ____________________