[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING COACH DEAN SMITH

  (Mr. WALKER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WALKER. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor a great man who left 
his mark--in fact, a legacy--on our State of North Carolina.
  Coach Dean Smith retired as the winningest coach in FBS history, but 
many will remember Dean Smith as a pioneer in another arena. Dean grew 
up in a home that valued the inalienable human dignity conferred upon 
us by our Creator.
  When Coach Alfred Smith, Dean's father, brought a young African 
American student on to his high school team, he did so against the 
wishes of the State's athletic association. By speaking truth to power, 
Alfred Smith stood up for a principle that he knew was right. No doubt 
this had a profound impact on his son, Dean.
  Years later, Coach Dean Smith helped integrate ACC basketball by 
recruiting UNC's first African American player, Charlie Scott, in 1966.
  During his tenure, the greatest rivalry in college basketball became 
Duke and UNC. In fact, Coach K of Duke University said it best:

       While building an elite program at North Carolina, he was 
     clearly ahead of his time in dealing with social issues. 
     However, his greatest gift was his unique ability to teach 
     what it takes to become a good man. That was easy for him to 
     do because he was a great man himself.

  Thank you, Coach Smith, for your investment into basketball but even 
more into the lives you touched.

                          ____________________