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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Kelley Hurley and Courtney Hurley of San Antonio |
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earned great distinction for their community, their state, and |
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their nation with their medal-winning performance in fencing at the |
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2012 Summer Olympics in London; and |
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WHEREAS, In a masterful demonstration of skill and agility, |
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the Hurley sisters joined with teammate Maya Lawrence to capture |
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the bronze medal in the women's team epee event with a thrilling |
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31-30 overtime victory against Russia; Kelley aided the U.S. cause |
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with a convincing 4-1 victory in the fifth bout; Courtney scored in |
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the last 30 seconds of regulation to draw the squad even, then made |
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a daring lunge just 16 seconds into overtime to land the decisive |
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touch that gave the United States a spot on the podium; and |
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WHEREAS, These talented Texans took up their chosen sport as |
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young girls thanks to the guidance of their parents, Robert and |
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Tracy Hurley, who had originally met at a fencing club; |
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demonstrating the fast reflexes and calm nerves necessary to excel, |
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the girls were soon competing regularly in Texas and Oklahoma, and |
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each went on to win national titles in the 10-year-old, |
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12-year-old, and 14-year-old divisions; and |
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WHEREAS, Kelley Hurley further demonstrated her precocious |
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talent at the age of 14, when she took the top prize at the Junior |
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National Championships, defeating a number of far-older opponents; |
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three years later, she became the first American to earn the epee |
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title at the Cadet World Championships, and she capped off her |
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junior career at the age of 20 by capturing the Junior World |
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Championship; in 2008, she made her Olympic debut, representing the |
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United States at the Beijing games; a graduate of the University of |
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Notre Dame, she was selected as an All-American three times during |
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her collegiate career and served as cocaptain of the women's epee |
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team as a senior; and |
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WHEREAS, Courtney Hurley followed closely in her sister's |
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footsteps, appearing in her first international competition at age |
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14 and securing her own Cadet World Championship title when she was |
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16; she won the Junior Olympic and USA National championships in |
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consecutive years and was the overall points champion on the Junior |
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World Cup circuit during the 2009-2010 season; currently a student |
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at Notre Dame, she is a two-time All-American and the 2010 winner of |
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the school's Knute Rockne Student-Athlete Award; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout their pursuit of athletic excellence, |
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the sisters have benefited from the tireless efforts of their |
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parents as well as the generous assistance of a number of other key |
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supporters; Patricia Hill, their high school principal, and Bill |
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Hill, their guidance counselor, have been avid boosters and were |
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instrumental in helping both young women to succeed in their |
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athletic and academic endeavors at Notre Dame; moreover, the late |
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Paul Pesthy coached the athletes for many years, and his wife, |
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Carolyn, aided their progress in numerous ways; and |
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WHEREAS, Earning an Olympic medal is an exceptional |
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achievement that many strive to attain but few accomplish; Kelley |
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and Courtney Hurley's success in London has placed them among the |
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elite of their sport, and these young women are a proud addition to |
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the roll call of exceptional athletes who have hailed from the Lone |
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Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Kelley Hurley and Courtney Hurley |
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on winning bronze medals in the women's team epee competition at the |
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2012 Summer Olympics in London and extend to them sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for Kelley and Courtney Hurley as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |