[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17118-17119]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RICK SPARROW

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TIMOTHY V. JOHNSON

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 22, 2007

  Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Madam Speaker, today, I come before you to 
honor Rick Sparrow for his decades of service to the 15th District of 
Illinois. Next fall will be the first time in

[[Page 17119]]

over 30 years that Rick will not grace the basketball courts of East-
Central Illinois. While the residents of Fisher, Illinois will always 
remember him as ``Coach Sparrow,'' Rick actually began his basketball 
career as a youth referee. Due to his love of the game of basketball 
and his commitment to the children of Fisher, Rick spent nearly 12 
years as an official, refereeing hundreds of games. Even with the 
demands of his job as a manager with FritoLay and responsibilities as a 
loving husband, father and grandfather, Rick then decided to make the 
move to the sidelines as a youth coach where he remained for the past 
18 years.
  Coach Sparrow will be remembered for his dedication, loyalty, passion 
and friendship. While he always pushed his players to the limit on the 
basketball court, he did so with respect, warmth and kindness. Rick 
treated every player as if he was his own child, and kept strong ties 
with his former players long after their playing careers were over. In 
fact, four of his twelve current warehouse employees at FritoLay are 
former Fisher Bunnies.
  Rick's unheralded success as both an assistant and head coach is 
undoubtedly a product of the relationships he formed with each player 
he coached. In 1996, Coach Sparrow was named the IHSA Junior High 
District Coach of the year. In the 90's, he coached his junior high 
teams to six consecutive IESA state tournaments. And just this last 
year, Rick was a member of the coaching staff that led St. Joseph-Ogden 
High School to the super-sectional finals of the Illinois High School 
Association basketball tournament.
  Now that the Coach has graced the sidelines for the last time, there 
will be more time to enjoy time and activities with his beloved wife, 
children and grandchildren. While he may not be in the gym next fall, 
the impact he has made on the Fisher community will continue for years 
to come.
  Coach, the 15th District thanks you for your 30 years of service and 
your commitment to our community's student-athletes. You have enriched 
the lives of your players and their families.

                          ____________________