SENATE RESOLUTION

                             8669

By Senators Patterson and Roach

     WHEREAS, It is the tradition of the Washington State Senate to recognize outstanding achievement in athletic excellence; and

     WHEREAS, Mount Rainier High School of Des Moines won the Washington State AAA Boys Swim and Dive Championship at the King County Aquatic Center on February 17; and

     WHEREAS, The Mount Rainier Rams managed to take the state championship without winning a single event, because their team has an extensive depth of talent and a strong coaching staff; and

     WHEREAS, Mount Rainier High School has won the State AAA Boys Swim and Dive Championship three times in the past ten years; and

     WHEREAS, The AAA Boys Swim and Dive Championship hinged on the final event, with Bellevue placing second and Mercer Island placing third; and

     WHEREAS, The members, coaches, parents and friends of the Mount Rainier High School swim and dive team helped raise more than $25,000 in four months, which helped send the team to Hawaii to condition and compete at the University of Hawaii, before their high school swim season began; and

     WHEREAS, Parents and swimmers credit the Rams= success with the outstanding dedication of swim coach Rick Wertman and dive coach Todd Wollenweber, who both provided strong, inspirational leadership and emphasized their expectations of good sportsmanship and honorable behavior both in and out of the pool; and

     WHEREAS, Team members Ben Austin, Eric Bivoino, Matt Brumfield, Paul Ehreth, Jason Hagen, Daniel Kessey, Brad Lentz, David Lilleness, Matt Midgett, Brad Nelson, Chris Norris, Alden Olmstead, Alex Olsen, Alex Patterson, Bryan Roberts, David Staley, Travis Thompson, Taylor Evans-Race, Matt Hettler, Garrick Hughes, Cy Sack, J.B. Andrews, Greg Austin, Taylor Evans-Race, Matt Hettler, Garrick Hughes, JB Andrews, Greg Austin, Ben Christian, Daniel Crawley, Greg Fleehart, Andrew Keane, AJ Koenig, Dayne Olmstead, Kevin Reilly, Justin Babitsky, Brett Bertucio, Brenton Cook, Jordon Duke, Nick Harrell, Neal Inman, Justin Kraft, Brien Lautman, Dustin Mennella, Jeff Pfeiffer, James Scheider, John Struzenberg, and John Thibodeaux have distinguished themselves as high school athletes; and

     WHEREAS, The Mount Rainier Rams were the only team at the Washington State AAA Boys Swim and Dive Championship to have four individual divers place in the top eight;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate applauds the hard work, commitment, dedication, teamwork and athletic excellence of Mount Rainier High School=s swim and dive team; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted from the Secretary of the Senate to Mount Rainier High School and to coaches Rick Wertman and Todd Wollenweber.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8669,

adopted by the Senate April 11, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate