Senate Concurrent Resolution 589

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE CAREER OF LEGENDARY PEARL HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD COACH WOODY BARNETT AND CONGRATULATING HIM FOR HIS SELECTION AS THE 2004 NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY COACH OF THE YEAR.

WHEREAS, Woody Barnett is in his 28th year as Director of Athletics and Boys Track and Field Coach at Pearl High School; and

WHEREAS, Coach Barnett, 51, started coaching cross-country and track at Pearl in 1977, and he has been selected Coach of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Coaches seven times; and

WHEREAS, with 15 cross-country and 16 track championships, Woody Barnett was selected the 2004 National Federation of State High School Associations National Coach of the Year in the sport of boys cross-country; and

WHEREAS, Barnett was selected from the NFHS Region that includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. He was then selected from the eight regions across the country; and

WHEREAS, coaching has been a passion of Barnett for more than 34 years; and

WHEREAS, under Coach Barnett's leadership, Pearl High School has been in contention every year for the state title in both cross-country and track. The boys cross-country team won its sixth consecutive state championship in 2004, and the girls won their second straight. The boys team hasn't lost to a Mississippi school in 55 races; and

WHEREAS, "He is an outstanding coach and well deserving," former Pearl standout and now Assistant Coach George Kersh said, "Coach Barnett does a good job of letting athletes know he cares about them"; and

WHEREAS, persistence is how Barnett described his coaching philosophy. His teams were not always the favorites going into state meets, but they have dug deep to find heart, and that has been how they have won. Looking at the great athletes he produced, all went on to be outstanding runners, some high school and some college; and

WHEREAS, coaches are some of the most influential people in children's lives, whether it be in a recreational league or at the high school level; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this legendary Coach whose positive personality and character has molded the lives of so many citizens in his community and in the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the career of legendary Pearl High School Track and Field Coach Woody Barnett and congratulate him for his selection as the 2004 National Cross-Country Coach of the Year chosen by the National Federation of High School Associations, and extend to him and his family the best wishes of the Legislature on their future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Woody Barnett, forwarded to the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Stanley Miller, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.