House Concurrent Resolution 104

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE OUR LADY ACADEMY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM AND COACHES DARREN RAYBOURN AND HARRY HULL ON WINNING THE 2009 MHSAA CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, the Our Lady Academy Girls Cross Country Team of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Coaches Darren Raybourn and Harry Hull concluded an impressive 2009 season that culminated with the team winning the 2009 Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 2A State Championship; and

WHEREAS, on November 7, 2009, the Our Lady Academy cross country program displayed a dominating performance in the MHSAA state meet held at Choctaw Trails with the following five runners finishing in the top ten and named to the Class 2A All-State Team: Lindsay Raybourn, first place; Sofia Taconi, second place; Denise Powell, third place; Anna Taconi, fourth place and Brittany Laurent, tenth place; and

WHEREAS, the cross country squad performed superbly throughout the regular season, finishing in first place at the Gautier meet and recording second place marks at the East Central, St. Martin, George County and Poplarville meets; and

WHEREAS, being incredibly well disciplined young women, the Our Lady Academy girls run every day, frequently running in whatever conditions that may stand in the way of the required training to run cross country, whether it is the Magnolia State heat and humidity, the cold or even the rain; and

WHEREAS, with the aim of becoming state champions in 2009, the MHSAA Class 2A State Champions Cross Country Team invested a substantial amount of additional hard work that began in the early spring months of 2008 and continued through the fall of 2009; and

WHEREAS, during a typical build, a cross country runner may run mileage ranging from 25 miles per week up to or over 60 miles per week; and

WHEREAS, many of the Our Lady Academy cross country members will remember the lessons learned through running for Coaches Darren Raybourn and Harry Hull including learning to push one's body past exhaustion, injury, pain, mud and other obstacles; and

WHEREAS, many of the Our Lady Academy distance runners are multi-sport high school athletes, thus having to balance not only school work during the day but multiple training sessions beginning as soon as the school day ends; and

WHEREAS, turning young girls into women, the Our Lady Academy cross country program's future is bright with Coaches Raybourn and Hull at the helm bolstered with the guidance and support of the girls' local community; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to commend and congratulate such a superb group of student athletes who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Our Lady Academy Girls Cross Country Team and Coaches Darren Raybourn and Harry Hull for winning the 2009 MHSAA Class 2A State Championship and extend best wishes to the team members for continued success in all of their future athletic and academic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Our Lady Academy, Coach Darren Raybourn, Coach Harry Hull and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.