House Concurrent Resolution 62

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING ARMANI LEWIS FOR BEING NAMED THE 2015 STATE GAMES OF MISSISSIPPI "MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR."

WHEREAS, each year, the State Games of Mississippi recognizes an outstanding male and female athlete from each of the 37 individual sports, nominated based on their merit and sportsmanship by coaches, officials, athletes, volunteers and spectators, but only two athletes are chosen to receive the elite honor of "Athlete of the Year"; and

WHEREAS, the 2015 "Male Athlete of the Year" is Armani Lewis, a senior at Clinton High School who excels at not one sport, but two, baseball and football, and personifies the ideals of the State Games movement, including participation, sportsmanship, special attributes, achievements, efforts and positive attitude; and

WHEREAS, Armani, a three-year starting third baseman for the Clinton High School Arrows Varsity Baseball Team and a three-year starting cornerback for the Clinton High School Arrows Varsity Football Team, developed his love of sports at a very young age, when his dad, his coach, taught him to keep his eye on the ball in tee-ball, held him up so he could make his first basket and threw him his first pigskin; and

WHEREAS, Armani's dad, who worked extremely hard to become an NFL cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers, inspires Armani daily and motivates him to put in the strenuous workouts and concentrated determination to advance his game to the next level; and

WHEREAS, Arrows baseball, Armani's true love, has benefitted greatly from his natural ability to scoop up ground balls, dive for line drives and send curve balls flying with just one swing, as he earned the title of Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and Most Valuable Player in 2013; and

WHEREAS, in addition to leading the Arrows Baseball Team, Armani is a stand-out baseball player throughout the state as he was selected for All Star Baseball for the State Games of Mississippi in 2014 and 2015, and his All State District 6A team won the overall State Games Championship in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Armani was also selected as one of the Top 20 Juniors in the State of Mississippi and invited to showcase his athletic prowess at the prestigious Junior Sunbelt Classic held in McAlester, Oklahoma, and the Mississippi Elite Underclassmen Showcase presented by BSN Sports, where he wowed college and professional scouts with his tremendous abilities; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding young Mississippi athletes such as Armani Lewis, who has exceeded all expectations of greatness and brought honor to Clinton High School and to the great Magnolia State:

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 Armani Lewis for being named the 2015 State Games of Mississippi "Male Athlete of the Year" and express our best wishes for continued success in all of his future athletic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Armani Lewis and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.