[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5529]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING ROSEMARY FAY

 Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, today I congratulate an extraordinary 
young woman, Rosemary Fay, aged 11. Rosemary, a sixth grader at St. 
Thomas Aquinas School in Indianapolis, was the winner for her age group 
of the USA Today National Sportsmanship Essay Contest. The essay 
contest was a part of the 15th National Sportsmanship Day, sponsored by 
the Institute for International Sport, to raise awareness about fair 
play, sportsmanship and ethics in athletics and society.
  Nearly one thousand students submitted essays addressing 
sportsmanship and ethics or offering a personal reflection on good or 
poor sportsmanship. Students were asked to respond to the question, 
``Do you dare to play fair?''. A panel of judges chose the four 
winners, including Rosemary, who was the winning writer among middle 
school entrants.
  In her touching reflection on the importance of sportsmanship, 
Rosemary gives her own definition of what it means to be a good sport. 
She writes, ``Good sports are confident, competitive and capable, but 
most of all, they treat other people with respect and dignity. Their 
attitudes and actions show they have a higher purpose in life than just 
winning today's game. Even when they lose, they act like winners.'' In 
this day of bitter disputes, when what is truly important is often 
overshadowed by a more immediate conflict, Rosemary's essay shows us 
how to step back, remember the bigger picture and be a good sport.
  Rosemary also writes about the influence of good sports in her life, 
paying tribute to her teammates whose good sportsmanship extends beyond 
the field. Her essay concludes that ``Sportsmanship can make a huge 
difference in a person's life. I know, because I am fortunate to be on 
a team with truly great sports.'' She credits her teammates with 
inspiring her to perserve in sports.
  Hoosiers have always known the importance of sports to American life. 
Playing sports teach our children values like leadership, self-
discipline, and the importance of hard work. Improving access to sports 
and afterschool athletic activities is a challenge that we must strive 
to accomplish, so that all students can benefit from the lessons 
outlined in Rosemary's essay.

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