HJ0041 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0041 LRB103 33358 MST 63169 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly find it fitting to pay respect and honor to former Head Coach Ron Felling for his commitment to Illinois state sports and his longtime career of teaching athletes; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling coached basketball at Lawrenceville High School and Indiana University; he has touched the lives of countless players and continues to do so today; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling served as the basketball coach, baseball coach, football assistant coach, and athletic director for Lawrenceville High School; he served as assistant coach for four seasons and as the head coach for basketball for 16 seasons; he has one of the best records in the State of Illinois for basketball, coaching to 388 victories against 77 losses in 16 years as head coach; he is a four-time Illinois High School Association state championship coach, winning in 1972, 1974, 1982, and 1983 and placing 3rd in 1976; he won 12 Illinois High School Association regional titles, seven Illinois High School Association sectional championships, and five Illinois High School Association super-sectionals; his 1982 and 1983 state championship teams went 68 and 0, a record that still stands; and

WHEREAS, In 1982, Coach Felling was recognized by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and inducted into the Basketball Museum of Illinois; he was named the coach of the year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and Illinois Coaches Association and is a four-time Southern and Central Illinois coach of the year; he was also selected as one of the 100 Legends in Illinois High School Basketball; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling played basketball at Indiana State University in 1961 and was named as Indiana State University's Outstanding Alumnus in 1974; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling was hired as assistant coach by Bob Knight at Indiana University in 1985, serving for 14 years; during which time, the team won the 1987 National Collegiate Athletics Association National Championship, finished in two final fours, and won four Big Ten regular-season titles and an Olympic Gold Medal; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling's career in coaching spanned nearly 40 years; after his retirement, he hosted summer shooting camps for athletes in several states and was asked to speak in several clinics across the country; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife, Cammy; he has three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Coach Felling's former players and companions wish to provide him with this honor; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate Illinois Route 1 from North 950 Street to the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and Illinois Route 1 as the "Coach Ron Felling Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation is requested to erect, at suitable locations consistent with State and federal regulations, appropriate signs giving notice of the name "Coach Ron Felling Highway", along with the years of the state championships, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1983, and the 3rd place finish in 1976 noted on all appropriate signage; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Coach Felling and the Secretary of Transportation.