[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL'S VARSITY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS

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                             HON. TOM DeLAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 23, 2004

  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to recognize some 
special constituents of mine, the members of the Elkins High School 
varsity softball team from Missouri City, for capping off their perfect 
2004 season with the school's first Texas State championship.
  To Coach Jim McClanahan, and assistant coaches Jim Smittle and Amy 
Mattes, thank you for the enormous amount of time and effort you gave 
to this team and for helping these girls live up to their potential. 
Without your hard work and dedication, this team could not have gotten 
where it is today.
  And to the team itself--Alyssa Garza, Caryn Danielson, Abbie 
Palmieri, Amy Palmieri, Brittni Taylor, Courtney Cornett, Erin Howe, 
Erin Tresselt, Jamie Hinshaw, Jessie Rodriguez, Rachel Isenhower, Ragan 
Blake, Sam Dyess, Tiffany Williams, Ryan Graybill, Jenna Lamoreux, 
Shallon Watson, and Ashley Patterson--congratulations! I'm proud to 
represent you all in the House of Representatives.
  While it's pretty clear from their record that there's a lot of 
talent on this team, you can't win 39 straight games on talent alone. 
It takes hard work, perseverance, and dedication--virtues this team has 
exemplified during its stellar season.
  It's great to have talent, but it's better to have commitment. As 
someone once said, ``It doesn't matter how good you are if you don't 
work hard.''
  These girls set themselves a goal this year and accomplished it. To 
have gone an entire season without a single loss is an amazing 
achievement and a testament to the character of these young ladies.
  I am honored to enter their names and accomplishments into the Record 
today.

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