SENATE RESOLUTION

                         2000-8786

By Senators Shin, Zarelli and McAuliffe

     WHEREAS, Athletics is one of the most effective ways for young women to develop leadership skills, self-discipline, initiative, and confidence; and

     WHEREAS, The Meadowdale High School Girls= Varsity Basketball Team, the Mavericks, demonstrated these qualities not only by defeating a strong team from Blanchet on March 4, 2000, to win this year=s Class 3A State Championship, but also by achieving their objective through adversity; and

     WHEREAS, members of the team are seniors Yvette Avila and Jane Ireland; juniors Audrey Hutchison, Kristen O=Neill, Leslie Martin, and Alecia Suelzle; sophomores Anne Dawson, Jennie Swerk, and Kristy Hoffman; and freshmen Jacci Baker and Tara Jacob; and

     WHEREAS, Karen Blair, head coach of the Mavericks Team for the past six years, is a Meadowdale graduate and former member of its team, who returned to the school with the goal of taking the team to the state championship; and

     WHEREAS, with strong support from assistant coaches Leah Johnson, John Pope, and Lisa Hoppe, Coach Blair proved her staff=s ability to instill winning qualities that were remembered by the girls even during times when the goal might have looked discouragingly far away; and

     WHEREAS, The 1999-2000 Mavericks struggled early in a rebuilding season that followed the graduation of five team leaders the previous year, and played a tough schedule this year with eight losses going into the district tournament; and

     WHEREAS, The girls played knowing that earlier Maverick teams had won one-hundred games and lost only ten in the previous four years; and

     WHEREAS, The Mavericks lost a crucial game at district, requiring them to rally and qualify from the losers= bracket, but under the leadership of Coach Blair the girls pulled together as a team in this adversity and rededicated themselves to their goal, keeping in mind that it was important to be positive and have fun regardless of the outcome; and

     WHEREAS, The Mavericks persevered to defeat strong teams with better records and win the State 3A Girls Basketball Championship for the year 2000; and

     WHEREAS, Mayor Tina Roberts of the city of Lynnwood honored the team by declaring the week of March 13-19, 2000, as Meadowdale Mavericks Week;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate do hereby recognize Coach Karen Blair and all members of the Meadowdale Mavericks Girls= Varsity Basketball Team for demonstrating skill, determination, and courage in winning the 2000 Class 3A High School Girls= Basketball Championship; and.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate immediately transmit a copy of this resolution to Meadowdale High School, to Coach Karen Blair, and to each member of the State Champion Meadowdale Mavericks.

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

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2000-8786,

adopted by the Senate March 28, 2000.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate