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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Houston native Dru Torian has exhibited a lifelong |
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devotion to the sport of tennis and has distinguished herself |
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through her notable achievements in tournament competition; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on February 14, 1978, she began hitting tennis |
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balls when she was just three years old, using a customized racquet |
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that had been cut down to fit her; at the age of six, she began |
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lessons at the Houston Racquet Club, which was next door to her |
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house, and honed her skills under the direction of the club's |
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instructors; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Torian gained early experience in competitive |
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tennis as a member of the Memorial Mustang tennis team and won |
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numerous tournaments in Texas as a junior player; during high |
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school, she was a student at the Purnell School in Pottersville, New |
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Jersey, and became the No. 1 seed on the tennis team; in 1994 and |
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1995, she was a state finalist, and in 1995, she reached the |
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semifinals and earned the Purnell Coaches Award; her years at |
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Purnell also introduced her to theater; she performed in the |
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school's annual play during her junior and senior years and also |
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appeared in two productions at Houston Community College; and |
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WHEREAS, Moving on to college level tennis, she was a member |
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of the team at Tyler Junior College and contributed to the Apaches' |
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junior college national championship in 1998; her outstanding play |
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that season also ranked her in the top 60 among women's singles |
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players in the nation; this skilled athlete further competed in |
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NCAA Division 2 matches as part of the team at Lees-McRae College in |
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North Carolina; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Torian's career has continued past her college |
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years, and she ranked among the top five in singles for women's open |
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players in Texas during the 2000-2001 season; a member of the United |
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States Professional Tennis Association since 2001, she has shared |
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her expertise with others as a tennis pro at the Houston Racquet |
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Club and Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville while maintaining her |
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focus on tournament competition; in 2008, she was recognized by the |
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United States Professional Tennis Association as its Women's Open |
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Player of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, Away from the court, Ms. Torian is pursuing a degree |
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in exercise science at Schreiner University; moreover, she has |
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devoted herself to working with young people with special needs, |
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serving as a mentor to abused children in Kerrville and Austin and |
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assisting mentally disabled youth in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, This dedicated athlete has spent countless hours |
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developing her skills on the court and striving to perform at the |
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peak of her abilities, and her determination and commitment to |
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excellence are an inspiration to all who know her; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Dru Torian for her achievements in |
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competitive tennis and extend to her sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Torian as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Woolley |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1697 was adopted by the House on May |
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4, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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