[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 22]
[House]
[Page 29897]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       CONGRATULATIONS TO THE REDMEN OF SMITH CENTER HIGH SCHOOL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, on the Kansas prairie, in a small 
town named Smith Center, an exceptional tradition has been built and 
maintained over the course of decades. The Redmen of Smith Center High 
School have achieved great things on the football field.
  There are few, if any, high school football fans in Kansas who are 
unaware of Smith Center's reputation. The parents and boosters of Smith 
Center High School have watched with pride as their sons bested 
opponents on the gridiron in 79 consecutive contests. Coach Roger Barta 
and his Redmen football team have won over 300 games in the past 32 
seasons. They've racked up eight State championships, five of them in a 
row.
  Smith Center was on the longest active 11-man high school football 
winning streak in the Nation. The streak was snapped in the Kansas 
State 2-1A championship game 2 weeks ago. Every player on the Redman 
football squad, from freshman to senior, experienced their first high 
school defeat at the hands of the Centralia High School Panthers. It 
was a heartbreaking loss for an extraordinary group of boys.
  I had the opportunity to participate in several pregame coin flips 
over the past few seasons, including this year's State title game. Each 
time I witnessed a very talented football team with a very spirited 
group of fans. Yet, all the success the team has enjoyed on the field 
has never been what makes them so remarkable. Football is just what 
attracts notoriety and our applause. It's the building of character and 
lifelong traits that matter in Smith Center. Following their first loss 
in 6 years, Coach Barta reminded his players, ``We've never judged 
ourselves on wins and losses.''
  The truly exceptional work being done on the plains of Kansas is the 
development of character in the boys of the Smith Center football team 
and the students of Smith Center High School. It is the respect each 
athlete is taught by their coaches. It's the insistence of integrity 
insisted upon by their teachers. It's the values instilled in each son 
by their parents and community.
  Joe Drape, a New York Times Sports writer, recently authored a book 
entitled, ``Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith 
Center Redmen.'' In his book, Mr. Drape extols the virtues we, in rural 
America, hold dear. Humility, sacrifice, unwavering commitment, all are 
characteristics that are exemplified by the Redmen and their fans. 
Additionally, as I was told by one of the game officials after the 
State title game, this is the only team that year after year, every 
game, they gather on the field, hold hands, and a prayer is offered by 
one of the coaches or one of the players on the team.
  Redmen football is what received the attention, but behind the scenes 
is where the most impressive and longest lasting accomplishments are 
discovered. Football is simply a teaching tool used by the community. 
Coach Barta was quoted in the book as stating, ``None of this is really 
about football. What we're doing is sending kids into life who know 
that every day means something.''
  This attitude exemplifies the teaching, coaching, and parenting 
philosophy of rural America. Our population may be dwindling and our 
communities aging, but our commitment to raising good children and 
preparing them for life after high school is something that will never 
diminish. School pride is important to a community, but it pales in 
comparison to the role a teacher, coach, or parent plays when he or she 
helps a child succeed. I'm thankful that Coach Barta and his staff 
understand this, and I'm thankful to come from a part of the country 
that understands this.
  Congratulations to the Smith Center Redmen, their football team, for 
their remarkable success, and thanks to the team, the community, and 
the school that are such great ambassadors for our way of life on the 
plains of Kansas.

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