[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10191]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING TRACY T. ``TOM'' ARFLIN

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to note the loss of an 
honored and distinguished Kentuckian. Mr. Tracy T. Arflin of Radcliff, 
KY, passed away this June 18. He was 74 years old.
  Mr. Arflin went by ``Tom,'' but was also known to generations of 
Radcliff-area youth as ``Coach.'' Tom Arflin dedicated the last 32 
years of his life to volunteering on behalf of youth sports in his 
hometown. He was the manager of the Rangers in the Radcliff Baseball/
Softball Association, and coached two teams, the Eagles and the 
Jaguars, in the North Hardin Youth Football League. He had both a 
football and a baseball field named after him, and was the North Hardin 
Youth Football League president for the past 21 years.
  Mr. Arflin's job as coach included the roles of mentor, leader, and 
league developer. He not only inspired many kids who may not have 
thought they were cut out for sports to stick with it, he also 
encouraged many parents to volunteer their time as coaches. Some of 
them are still at it even after their children have grown out of youth 
league play because of Tom Arflin's example.
  Tom Arflin was also a U.S. Army veteran who proudly served for 27 
years, including two tours in Vietnam. For the past 42 years he was a 
member of Mill Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff.
  This May Tom was diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent radiation 
treatments. A few weeks before his passing, Tom's son Tracy T. Arflin 
II organized a grand community celebration for his father, and more 
than 100 family members, friends, and former and current coaches and 
players gathered to honor Tom Arflin for his many decades of service.
  Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Louise C. Arflin, 
and by his sister, Anna. Surviving members of his family who are 
mourning Tom's loss include his son and daughter-in-law, Tracy T. 
Arflin II and Sharon; his grandson, Matthew T. Arflin; his sister, Lucy 
Webb; and his brother, Billy Arflin. I wish to express my deepest 
condolences to the family and friends of Tracy T. ``Tom'' Arflin for 
the loss of this wonderful man.
  Mr. President, the Hardin County News-Enterprise recently published 
an article about Tom Arflin and the community celebration thrown in his 
honor. I ask unanimous consent that the article be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed, as 
follows:

                [From the News-Enterprise, June 5, 2011]

          Youth Sports: Arflin Receives Community Celebration

                            (By John Groth)

       Tracy Arflin wanted to give his father, Tom, one more major 
     recognition.
       His dad has spent decades building up the North Hardin 
     Youth Football League. And now as his father's coaching 
     career winds down, he wanted to hold a special community 
     celebration.
       ``We're celebrating a lifetime of him serving several 
     generations of children, not just serving a community, which 
     could be argued, but serving several generations of 
     children,'' Tracy Arflin said. ``I like to think of my father 
     like that.''
       That's why around 100 family members, friends, current and 
     former NHYFL coaches, players and officials gathered Sunday 
     at Mill Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff to honor Tom Arflin 
     for more than three decades of service.
       In May, Tom Arflin was diagnosed with brain cancer and has 
     undergone radiation treatments.
       They made sure the Jaguars coach felt right at home--with 
     Jaguars items and colors everywhere. Each table was covered 
     in a teal tablecloth with a Jaguar youth helmet, with a white 
     pom-pom attached to each facemask, smack dab in the middle.
       Tom Arflin has spent 32 years helping develop the NHYFL. 
     He's coached in the league since 1980 and served as its 
     president since 1991. Arflin's grandson, Matt, remembers 
     playing football for him years ago, and the 26-year-old 
     remains amazed at how much the league has grown with his 
     grandfather at the helm.
       ``It's kind of like the Madden video game where you create 
     your own league. He kind of did that,'' Matt Arflin said.
       Two weeks ago, Tracy stopped by to talk to Tom after a 
     NHYFL meeting. That's when he told his father about the 
     reception.
       ``I had tears in my eyes. That surprised me,'' Tom Arflin 
     said. ``He announced it after the meeting. I thought he was 
     going to say something about the reason why he was there. It 
     came out different.''
       The celebration ended up being special.
       Radcliff Mayor J.J. Duvall grew up playing youth sports in 
     Radcliff. He knows how much of a fixture Tom Arflin, who 
     still is referred to as just ``Coach,'' has become in the 
     community. And he knows his dedication is unmatched.
       ``We're here to honor Coach's attention to detail, sense of 
     humor, the smiles he brings to others, and the overall caring 
     he has for kids and our youth,'' Duvall said. ``He set the 
     bar very high.''
       Trying to come up with a gift to honor him with was just as 
     tough.
       Tom Arflin already has two fields--the NHYFL and Radcliff 
     Senior League Field--named in his honor. He has football 
     memorabilia galore. So Duvall picked out another unique 
     item--an engraved Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Tom Arflin 
     actually began working with Radcliff youth in 1979 when he 
     took over the Rangers' team in the Radcliff Major League.
       ``The Louisville Slugger is an icon, and you're an icon of 
     the community,'' Duvall said.
       Arflin influenced coaches as much as he did the players.
       Just ask Vine Grove resident Travis McNair.
       McNair has been with the NHYFL since 2008. He originally 
     only intended to have his son, Tavius, sign up to play. But 
     Tom Arflin convinced him to coach.
       ``He said we always need coaches. Now I am and I'm addicted 
     to it,'' McNair said. ``He said, `We need coaches and people 
     out to help.'''
       McNair has coached his son on the Rams each of the past 
     three years. This year, Tavius will enter high school at 
     North Hardin. But McNair will still lead the Rams because 
     he's having so much fun.
       So is Isaac Bankhead.
       The Radcliff resident will coach his third team--the newly 
     formed Chiefs--in nine seasons. He coached the Vikings for 
     the first two years and the Titans, too.
       Bankhead's children, 12-year-old Isaiah and 10-year-old 
     Jeremiah, have each played for the past seven years. And Tom 
     Arflin helped him get into coaching.
       ``He's good-hearted, tries to make sure every kid in the 
     league has an opportunity to play. He tells us how to deal 
     with parents and what to do to help the league run better,'' 
     Bankhead said. ``He's been an inspiration. He's been a good 
     guy. You can't help but to like him.''
       Former players agreed.
       One of those players Tom Arflin influenced is Jeremy Brown.
       The 17-year-old North Hardin senior wide receiver shared 
     his unique experience on how Arflin helped him develop foot 
     coordination.
       ``I didn't want to do football. My parents kind of forced 
     me into it. I remember the first day of practice and they got 
     out the tires for a tire drill. I stepped up, and I was like, 
     `I really didn't want to do it,' and I went through and hit 
     every single tire. As I went and got done, Coach was like, 
     `Dadgumit, Jeremy! Dadgumit!' It went on like that for about 
     a week,'' Brown said. ``That was in the back of my mind. I 
     did it perfect a week later. Since then, any type of drill I 
     have that involves my feet, I don't mess up.''

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