By Smithee                                           H.C.R. No. 305
         77R16901 MW-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Brandon Slay of Amarillo, who won the gold medal in
 1-2     wrestling at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, is visiting the State
 1-3     Capitol on May 23, 2001; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Born in Amarillo, Mr. Slay is the son of Doug and
 1-5     Becky Slay, and he has benefited greatly from their love and
 1-6     support and that of his grandmother; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, At the age of six he began attending wrestling
 1-8     practice at the YMCA, and in his first match he was summarily
 1-9     beaten by Brandon Brown, sparking a childhood bond that has grown
1-10     into a lifelong friendship and business partnership; refusing to
1-11     give up, Mr. Slay steadily progressed and became Texas state
1-12     champion by the third and fourth seasons; and
1-13           WHEREAS, When attending Tascosa High School, this
1-14     accomplished young Texan and two other wrestlers, Brandon Brown and
1-15     Brandon Caster, formed the "Killer B's" of the school's Wrestling
1-16     Rebels team;  they helped their team win the state title in 1991,
1-17     and Mr. Slay continued in his path of victory, garnering three
1-18     state titles and a place on the state championship team as well as
1-19     being a three-time All-American at The Juniors; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Mr. Slay also excelled in his schoolwork, and, when
1-21     he chose to wrestle for the University of Pennsylvania, this
1-22     exceptional individual earned a dual degree from Penn's prestigious
1-23     Wharton School of Business in finance and entrepreneurial
1-24     management, while twice winning second place in the NCAA and
 2-1     setting his sights on the Olympics; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, In September 1998, Mr. Slay moved to Colorado
 2-3     Springs to train at the Olympic Training Center under coach Kevin
 2-4     Jackson; his strong faith, determined spirit, and hard work helped
 2-5     him to win the 2000 National Championship; a lone Texan competing
 2-6     at the 2000 Olympic Trials in Dallas, this proud citizen of the
 2-7     Lone Star State won an Olympic berth on June 24, 2000; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Mr. Slay
 2-9     competed with true Texas honor, courage, and skill; meeting the
2-10     challenges of his staunch competitors, he won the Gold Medal with
2-11     the honesty and sportsmanship indicative of his character and
2-12     career; and
2-13           WHEREAS, Mr. Slay, in partnership with Brandon Brown, that
2-14     childhood friend who handed him his first defeat, has started a
2-15     company called "Greater Gold" to contribute to the sport and the
2-16     community all that he has learned and gained over the years;
2-17     furthermore, he is creating a nonprofit organization called
2-18     "Greater Gold Outreach," which holds rallies in Amarillo and
2-19     establishes  scholarships for high school seniors, and he has plans
2-20     to perform other good works for young people; and
2-21           WHEREAS, A champion on and off the mat, Mr. Slay is a
2-22     remarkable Texan living an inspirational life, and his integrity,
2-23     commitment, and strong character make him a source of great pride
2-24     for his state and a wonderful role model for children everywhere;
2-25     now, therefore, be it
2-26           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-27     hereby honor Brandon Slay for his Olympic Gold Medal victory and
 3-1     commend him for his many other achievements; and, be it further
 3-2           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-3     prepared for Mr. Slay as an expression of high regard by the Texas
 3-4     House of Representatives and Senate.