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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The tenure of an admired scholastic administrator |
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drew to a close with the retirement on January 30, 2009, of Dr. |
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William Farney as executive director of the University |
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Interscholastic League; and |
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WHEREAS, A Texas native, Bill Farney was a four-year |
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letterman at Chilton High School in football, basketball, and |
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track, and graduated in 1958 as valedictorian of his class; he |
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attended Paris Junior College and the University of Tulsa on |
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football and academic scholarships, earning a bachelor's degree in |
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English, and contributing to the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes' Missouri |
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Valley Conference football championship in 1962; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Farney began his professional career in student |
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athletics as an assistant coach for the basketball and wrestling |
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teams at Will Rogers High School in Tulsa; he came back to Texas in |
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1964 to serve as coach and principal in Lorena; he later moved to |
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Waco to become principal of Robinson High School, founding a golf |
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program that became 2A district champions in 1969; and |
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WHEREAS, This dedicated administrator and coach went on to |
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serve as superintendent of the Crawford Independent School District |
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while simultaneously coaching 22 different teams in 4 different |
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sports; his squads captured 14 district championships, 6 |
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bi-district championships, 6 regional championships, and a state |
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championship, and they made a total of 4 state final appearances; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 1977 Bill Farney became athletic director and |
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assistant to the director of the University Interscholastic League; |
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he received his doctoral degree in education two years later and, in |
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1995, was promoted to the executive director position, which he |
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would hold until his retirement; his role as a compassionate leader |
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and consensus builder helped the UIL to promote sportsmanship and |
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academic accountability; he granted sanction to several new sports, |
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expanded the playoff system, and increased the opportunities for |
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girls to participate in athletics, among many other initiatives; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Respected by athletes, parents, teachers, coaches, |
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and his fellow administrators, Bill Farney has made a positive |
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difference in the lives of Texas students over the course of several |
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decades, and his legacy of integrity and achievement in |
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interscholastic competition will resonate for years to come; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. William Farney on the occasion |
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of his retirement as executive director of the University |
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Interscholastic League and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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continued success and happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Farney as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |