HR0194 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0194 LRB096 11924 GRL 23953 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the Hinckley-Big Rock girl's basketball team, the Lady Royals, on the occasion of winning the Class 1A State championship on February 28th, 2009 at Illinois State's Redbird Arena; and

WHEREAS, The 2009 Lady Royals are the first Hinckley-Big Rock girls team and just the second Hinckley-Big Rock team to ever make it to the State finals in basketball; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Lady Royals are freshmen Katie Hollis and Kaitlin Philips, sophomores Alyssa Baunach and Tess Godhardt, juniors Jes Meyer, Jenna Thorp, Maxzine Rossler, and Jessica Leifheit, and seniors Bianca Edmeier and Melissa Herrmann; the team's head coach is Greg Burks and the assistant coaches are Dan Rasich and Jerry Tokars; the team manager is Chris Stola, the athletic director is Bill Sambrooks, the principal is Bob Atherton, and the Superintendent is Dr. Jim Hammack; and

WHEREAS, The towns of Hinckley and Big Rock have a history of soccer even though Hinckley was the site of the first Harlem Globetrotters game in 1927, in which the Hinckley Merchants team beat the Globetrotters; the towns of Hinckley and Big Rock have a combined population of 2,300; and the Hinckley-Big Rock High School educates 272 students; and

WHEREAS, Coach Greg Burks graduated from Hinckley-Big Rock in 1996 and after college coached the Hinckley-Big Rock track program in 2002, then the middle school soccer team, and in 2008 took over as coach of the Lady Royals; and

WHEREAS, Every member of the team played and contributed to the overall success of the Lady Royals; the team won their first State championship with a 42-30 victory; and finished the season with a record of 31-3; and

WHEREAS, The team demonstrated exemplary teamwork, sportsmanship, and athletic excellence, and will serve as cherished role models for years to come, and all but two members of the team will return next year; returning players include Illinois Basketball Coaches Association First Team All-State Jenna Thorp and standouts Tess Godhardt, Maxine Rossler, Jes Meyer, and Kaitlin Philips; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Hinckley-Big Rock girl's basketball team, the Lady Royals, and give our best wishes to the team members in their future pursuits and wish them success for the next season; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Lady Royals as a symbol of our esteem and respect.