[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 25 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Pages 774-776]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Honoring NCAA Winter Champion Teams

June 17, 2003

    Thanks for coming to the White House on Champions Day, the day we 
honor our Nation's champs.
    I first want to say that, obviously, you know how to play hoops in 
the East--[laughter]--as our Texas teams found out. [Laughter] And it 
seems like Minnesota is pretty good at hockey too.
    I now know why we've got all these Senators from New York and 
Minnesota and Connecticut, as well as Members of the House from those 
three States. Welcome, and thank you all for honoring these fine student 
athletes. We're glad you're here.
    I want to welcome the University of Connecticut women's basketball 
team back to the

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White House. Geno told me last time that--last time I greeted them 
here--that they would be back. He really didn't say it that way; we'll 
play like he said it that way--makes a better story. [Laughter] At any 
rate, congratulations to you all. I appreciate Jeffrey Hathaway coming 
as well. These ladies can flat play basketball, and they are a great 
credit to women's athletics and to sport. They'll probably be back next 
year too. We're really glad you're here, and I'm glad Diana has given me 
the jersey. She is--thank God I don't have to guard her. [Laughter]
    I also want to welcome the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities men's 
hockey team back here again as well. I appreciate Don Lucia. I want to 
thank the athletic director, Joel Maturi, as well for coming. It's good 
to see these men back. They also know how to play hockey really well. 
They told me they'd be back again next year. Senator Dayton was a heck 
of a goalie in his day, but I don't know if he could stop these guys or 
not. [Laughter] I know the State of Minnesota is proud of your 
accomplishments. We're really glad you're here.
    And we're also glad that the ladies' hockey team from the University 
of Minnesota-Duluth is here. It's good to see Dr. Martin. Thank you for 
coming back--as well as Shannon Miller. She's been the coach for 4 years 
and has won three national championships. It sounds like to me, Dr. 
Martin, you'd better give her a raise. [Laughter] It's a State issue, of 
course. [Laughter] But congratulations to you all.
    I also want to congratulate Syracuse for winning their first 
national championship. It's a great tribute to Jim Boeheim, who is a 
heck of a guy and a great leader of men. Congratulations, Coach. I know 
you've worked hard for this. If it wasn't the University of Texas, I'm 
glad it was you. [Laughter] You've got some great players on your team. 
I'm sure some of us are going to be asking Carmelo Anthony for a loan 
one of these days--[laughter]--so keep the interest rates low. 
[Laughter] But congratulations on winning a tough tournament. You're a 
great credit to the sport.
    I also want to welcome Mike Tirico, who is here. Where are you, 
Mike? Oh, there you are. Congratulations on being a Syracuse grad. I 
know you were objective in your analysis of the--[laughter]--of the 
tournament. But thanks for coming.
    I--one of the things I really appreciate about these days is that, 
when you welcome these champs, is that it reminds people of the basics 
of life, the need to serve something greater than yourself in life. 
Championship teams don't win because of a star. Championship teams win 
because people are willing to work together for a greater good, in this 
case, the team. Championship teams win because people are willing to 
work hard and sacrifice for something important. These are values that 
are really important not only in sport but in life as well.
    The other thing that's important about a championship team is to--
for people to understand that you can be a champ on the court or on the 
ice as well as off the court and off the ice.
    I've asked Dr. Martin if she remembered what I said last year about 
people serving their communities in which they live. She said, ``You 
bet. We've got girls on our team who are mentoring.'' One girl said she 
works for the Boys and Girls Club.
    My call to the champs is to be a champ off the playing--when you're 
not playing as well. You've got a chance to make a difference in 
somebody's life. There's always some little kid draped over the--draped 
over the ice, looking at the star Minnesota players, wondering what it's 
like to be a star. And a star is somebody who sets a good example. A 
star is somebody who says, ``I've got some God-given talents, and I want 
to help somebody else utilize his or her talents so they can realize the 
American Dream.'' There's always some little guy hanging around or some 
girl hanging around courtside watching champs, watching behavior. And 
you have a chance as champions to set such a good example for America's 
young, so that the next generation of athletes will know what it means 
to be a champ on the court or on the rink as well as off the court and 
off the rink.
    And so I'm here today to congratulate you for setting such a good 
example. Now that the spotlight is on you, assume responsibility. Do 
your job as an American. Love somebody just like you'd like to be loved 
yourself, and America will be a better place for it.

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    Welcome to the White House. May God bless your talents, and may God 
continue to bless our great country. Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 3:23 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Geno Auriemma, women's basketball 
head coach, Jeffrey Hathaway, athletic director-designate, and Diana 
Taurasi, player, University of Connecticut; Don Lucia, men's hockey head 
coach, University of Minnesota; Kathryn A. Martin, chancellor, 
University of Minnesota-Duluth; Carmelo Anthony, men's basketball 
player, Syracuse University; and Mike Tirico, sports commentator for 
ESPN and ABC.