[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5408]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        TRIBUTE TO GINA THOMPSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 3, 2001

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an amazing 
girl, my friend and neighbor Gina Thompson, who has overcome obstacles 
to become a starting point guard for the Hale School basketball team.
  What makes Gina's accomplishment so momentous is that she is the only 
girl in a league of boys. Hale School doesn't have a girl's basketball 
team, but Gina, who just turned 14, is just too good a player to let 
that stand in the way. While other girls tried out this year, Gina was 
the only one to make the cut. As a starting point guard, she averages 
six points a game and has had no problem gaining her teammates' 
respect.
  Most importantly, Gina has accomplished all this despite being 
diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age nine. Just as she never let her 
gender become an obstacle in playing the game she loves, neither has 
Gina allowed diabetes to get in the way. She does have to give herself 
three insulin shots a day and continuously monitor herself to see that 
her sugar count remains normal, but Gina claims it is no big deal.
  Gina has even extended her basketball activities beyond Hale School. 
She plays for the girls' team at St. Symphorsa (where she attends CCD) 
and the eighth-grade Windy City AAU club basketball team. After 
graduation, she plans on taking her game to Maria High School.
  Gina is an incredible girl who has faced her challenges head-on to 
become a success at the game she loves. I whole-heartedly congratulate 
Gina and wish her all the best in the future.




                          ____________________