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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Susan Blackwood stepped down as executive director |
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of San Antonio Sports on December 31, 2012, after 16 years of |
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distinguished service to that organization; and |
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WHEREAS, Under Ms. Blackwood's direction, San Antonio Sports |
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excelled in its mission of hosting premier events to boost the local |
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economy and encouraging the development of amateur sports programs |
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and recreational facilities for the benefit of the community; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Blackwood presided over a period of remarkable |
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growth, during which the group attracted numerous high-profile |
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events and increased its annual budget from $125,000 to $3.4 |
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million; moreover, she played a central role in building the |
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community's strong relationship with NCAA athletics; during her |
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tenure, San Antonio was the site of the basketball Final Four on |
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five different occasions, and it became one of just six locations to |
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be designated as an NCAA Championship City; in 2013 alone, a number |
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of prestigious collegiate events in basketball, fencing, and soccer |
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have taken place or are scheduled for San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, This visionary administrator also guided the |
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organization's efforts to use recreational activities as a means of |
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fostering increased self-esteem and improved health among the |
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city's young residents; San Antonio Sports has devoted 60 percent |
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of its budget to such initiatives as establishing fitness programs, |
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developing quality neighborhood athletic facilities, providing |
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education on nutrition, and sponsoring after-school sports clubs |
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that serve nearly 200,000 youths; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Blackwood holds a doctoral degree from the |
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University of Nebraska and first became involved in sports as a high |
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school coach; before joining San Antonio Sports in 1996, she worked |
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as an administrator with the University Interscholastic League, as |
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an associate athletic director at The University of Texas, and as |
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the director of athletic relations for Oshman's Sporting Goods; and |
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WHEREAS, Since concluding her responsibilities as executive |
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director, Susan Blackwood has continued to serve San Antonio Sports |
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as its government relations director and will soon head a new |
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fund-raising effort for the organization; in all of her |
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assignments, her dedication and dynamic leadership have helped |
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enhance the vitality of the community, and her record of |
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achievement is widely appreciated by her fellow citizens; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Susan Blackwood on her |
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accomplishments as executive director of San Antonio Sports and |
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extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Blackwood as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |