[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[July 27, 1994]
[Pages 1322-1323]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Honoring the NCAA Women's Basketball Champion 
University of North Carolina Tar Heels
July 27, 1994

    I apologize for being a little late. I've been on the phone with 
Members of the Congress, which I had to do. Senator Helms, Congressman 
Valentine, Congressman Lancaster, Congressman Price; I think Congressman 
McMillan's out there somewhere. Alex. It's good to see all of you, 
ladies and gentlemen. It's a great honor for me to have this basketball 
team here, if only to see them all looking normal after I watched that 
incredible end to the championship game. The University of North 
Carolina women's basketball team not only won its first national title 
this year but had the best record in the country and the school record, 
33 wins. Coach Sylvia Hatchell broke the 400-career-victories mark and 
was named National Coach of the Year. But my guess is that--actually, I 
wanted to ask her this, whether when the team spray-painted her hair 
Carolina blue, it made it worthwhile, or she began to wonder. [Laughter]
    I want to say, of course, a special word of congratulations to 
Charlotte Smith for that three-point shot. I can tell you I've been in a 
lot of tough fights myself around here, and there have been a lot of 
times when I've looked

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around for somebody who could take that shot. [Laughter] And I want to 
congratulate Tonya Sampson, who I know has overcome some considerable 
personal challenges to be the leading scorer in Carolina women's 
basketball history.
    I also want to say something that I have felt for a long time--and 
it's appropriate this year because North Carolina women's basketball and 
soccer teams won the NCAA titles, and so often in the past your men's 
basketball team has done so well--the thing I have always admired about 
the University of North Carolina is it's been a place that emphasized 
both academics and athletics and other extracurricular activities. And 
it's demonstrated to the country that it is not necessary to make a 
choice, and that there's something to be said for learning how to 
compete, to work on a team, to put aside your own personal ambitions for 
what is best for a group, and that an institution like the University of 
North Carolina, which I had the opportunity to join in celebrating its 
200th birthday just a few months ago, can really set a standard for the 
entire country. And it's something that I hope not only other colleges 
and universities will look at but our school systems as well.
    I get very concerned when I travel around the country and I see so 
many children growing up in difficult circumstances and they're going to 
schools that are no longer able to finance their team sports programs, 
their athletic programs, their music programs, the things that give 
children a chance to get out of themselves and reach beyond themselves 
and to grow and be part of something important. And I don't believe 
those things should ever be held to be in conflict with or adverse to 
developing our intellectual faculties that God gave us.
    So the University of North Carolina is truly a symbol, it seems to 
me, of what our country ought to be striving for in the personal 
development of all of its students. And I'm especially glad to see the 
triumph of the women athletes this year. It's something that my wife and 
my daughter and my beloved mother, if she were still living, would 
always be very happy to see me here honoring today.
    I thank you all, and I congratulate you.

Note: The President spoke at 2:50 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to team members Charlotte Smith, 
forward, and Tonya Sampson, guard.