[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23850-23851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO THE GLADSTONE MAJOR GIRLS ALL-STARS SOFTBALL TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 6, 2007

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a group of young women 
from my district. The Gladstone Major Girls All-Stars softball team 
placed third in this year's Little League World Series and, in doing 
so, brought great pride to Gladstone and to all of Michigan's Upper 
Peninsula, U.P.
  The Gladstone Major Girls softball team went undefeated in the 2007 
regular season, before battling their way to be Michigan state 
champions. After winning the Michigan State championship, the team won 
the Central League Championship by defeating Poland, Ohio during the 
Central Regional Championship.
  The Gladstone team's demeanor following its win against Poland's team 
demonstrated the Gladstone girls' dignity and sportsmanship. After 
winning the game, the Gladstone team began to take a victory lap around 
the outfield. As they approached the right field, where the Ohio team 
was gathered with their coaches, the Gladstone team pulled their seated 
opponents to their feet to participate in their victory lap. While the 
young women from Gladstone were excited to celebrate their victory, 
they also made a point of ensuring that their opponents could join in 
the celebratory run around the outfield.
  After clinching their victory in Ohio, the Gladstone Major girls 
drove from Michigan to St. Louis, where they boarded a plane to fly to 
Portland, OR. In Portland, they represented the Central Region in the 
Little League World Series of Softball at Alpenrose Stadium.
  The team enjoyed a bye in their first round of the World Series, and 
for their second game took on the team from Ramstein U.S. Air Force 
Base in Germany. The Gladstone team continued to exhibit the skill and 
determination they showed throughout the regular season, winning the 
game 15-0.
  While Gladstone continued to play valiantly, they would lose 2-0 to 
their next opponent, from Morristown, TN, ending Gladstone's chances to 
be world champions. Nonetheless, the Gladstone team can take heart that 
their loss was to a formidable opponent: Morristown would eventually go 
on to win the Little League World Series of Softball.
  Despite their loss to Morristown, the Gladstone All-Stars' World 
Series was not quite over. In fact, the team would continue playing

[[Page 23851]]

well. Ultimately, with a 5-2 victory over Waterford, CT, the Gladstone 
All-Stars secured their position as the number three softball team in 
the world.
  Throughout their visit to Portland, OR, and their participation in 
the Softball Little League World Series, Gladstone's team conducted 
themselves with dignity and class and continued to exhibit fine 
sportsmanship.
  When they returned last month to Gladstone, they were greeted in 
triumphant fashion by approximately 300 fans from Gladstone and the 
surrounding area. Gladstone area residents came together to show these 
returning young heroes the deep support the team enjoyed in the 
community.
  Madam Speaker, in small town America, local sports are often the soul 
of a community. The Gladstone Major Girls' All-Stars made all of 
Gladstone, indeed all Michigan's U.P., proud with their efforts this 
season and I congratulate each of them: Alison Austin, Nicole Barteld, 
Jammie Botruff, Neena Brockway, Ashley Hough, Averi Kanyuh, Jordan 
Kowalski, Heather Sanderson, Jordan Schwartz, Nicole Sharon, and 
Shannon Wolf. I also congratulate the team's coaches, Andy Schwartz and 
John Nevala.
  Madam Speaker, as the citizens of the Gladstone area celebrate these 
young women's achievement, I would ask that you and the entire U.S. 
House of Representatives join me in congratulating these young women on 
their winning record, their participation in the Little League World 
Series of Softball and, most of all, the sportsmanship and dignified 
demeanor they displayed in representing Gladstone and the Upper 
Peninsula of Michigan.

                          ____________________