R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The distinguished career of Cathedral High School
1-2 principal Leo G. Cancellare has greatly benefited the citizens of
1-3 El Paso, and this esteemed gentleman is indeed worthy of special
1-4 praise and recognition; and
1-5 WHEREAS, A native Texan, Mr. Cancellare was born in El Paso
1-6 in 1957; he is a proud graduate of Irvin High School and The
1-7 University of Texas at El Paso, from which he attained a bachelor's
1-8 degree in education; and
1-9 WHEREAS, His career as a swimming coach began in 1972 with
1-10 the National Tobin swim team and then the Park Foothills Sharks
1-11 swim team; three of his squads compiled perfect 10-0 records en
1-12 route to numerous city and league championships, and his
1-13 accomplishments twice earned him Coach of the Year honors; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Mr. Cancellare was named assistant coach for the El
1-15 Paso Aqua Posse in 1977 and became head coach in 1979; many of the
1-16 swimmers he instructed were high school and collegiate
1-17 All-Americans and consistently excelled on local, state, and
1-18 national levels; and
1-19 WHEREAS, In addition to his duties as coach of the El Paso
1-20 Aqua Posse, Mr. Cancellare was a teacher and coach at Blessed
1-21 Sacrament School and then Cathedral High School, where he was
1-22 co-coach of the Cathedral Swim Team that won 11 state championships
1-23 in 13 years and compiled an astounding 185-0 record in dual-meet
1-24 invitational tournaments; and
2-1 WHEREAS, In 1990 he became assistant principal of Cathedral
2-2 High School, and in that capacity he was instrumental in obtaining
2-3 funds for a new building, creating an advanced placement program,
2-4 and developing a High Honor diploma; his efforts helped the school
2-5 achieve national recognition by Texas Monthly magazine, Reader's
2-6 Digest, Catholic Digest, and a Dallas news program; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Mr. Cancellare was named principal of Cathedral High
2-8 School in 1995, and as the school's top administrator, he has
2-9 continued to strive for the academic and physical enrichment of
2-10 each of his students in addition to continuing his association with
2-11 swimming programs in El Paso; and
2-12 WHEREAS, Drawing strength and inspiration from his wife Vera
2-13 and his three children, Sarah, Vito, and Emily, Mr. Cancellare has
2-14 also made impressive contributions to his community; he is active
2-15 on the board of the Northeast YMCA and as the Department of Human
2-16 Services chairperson; he also serves as president of the Edgar Park
2-17 Elementary School PTA and teaches a class on the techniques of
2-18 coaching swimming at The University of Texas at El Paso; and
2-19 WHEREAS, His additional honors include selection to the Texas
2-20 All-Star Coaching Staff from 1979 to 1993 as well as induction into
2-21 the El Paso Sports Hall of Fame in 1994; he was also honored as The
2-22 University of Texas at El Paso College of Nursing and Health
2-23 Sciences Gold Nugget recipient in 1998; and
2-24 WHEREAS, A truly respected figure in the El Paso community,
2-25 Leo G. Cancellare has made outstanding contributions to El Paso
2-26 and the State of Texas as an educator and coach, and it is indeed
2-27 fitting that we pay tribute to him at this time; now, therefore, be
3-1 it
3-2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
3-3 Legislature hereby honor Leo G. Cancellare for his extraordinary
3-4 career as a coach and educator and extend to him sincere best
3-5 wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further
3-6 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-7 prepared for Mr. Cancellare as an expression of high regard by the
3-8 Texas House of Representatives.
Haggerty
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 268 was adopted by the House on March
11, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House