| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, In recognition of his superlative achievements as a |
|
|
coach, Fred Kniffen was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis |
|
|
Association Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame at an enshrinement |
|
|
banquet in Waco on May 20, 2015; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A native of Clyde, Fred Kniffen was an outstanding |
|
|
player at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, helping the |
|
|
school's tennis program to attain national prominence by winning |
|
|
Border Conference singles and doubles titles in 1957 and 1958; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, After beginning his career in coaching at Abilene |
|
|
Cooper High School, Mr. Kniffen was named head coach at Tyler |
|
|
Junior College in 1973; he guided the Apaches to four national |
|
|
championships and helped 31 players earn Junior College |
|
|
All-American honors; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Coach Kniffen was hired by The University of Texas |
|
|
at Tyler in 1985, and during his nine years with the Patriots tennis |
|
|
program, his players claimed two National Association of |
|
|
Intercollegiate Athletics team championships as well as one |
|
|
national title in singles and one in doubles; in addition, UT Tyler |
|
|
won the NAIA District 4 crown each season that he was at the helm; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Repeatedly honored for his ability to inspire his |
|
|
athletes, Coach Kniffen earned numerous national coach of the year |
|
|
awards during his impressive tenure in college tennis; moreover, he |
|
|
has been inducted into the Tyler Junior College Sports Circle of |
|
|
Honor and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and he has also been named |
|
|
as a hall of fame honoree by UT Tyler Athletics, the NAIA, the Texas |
|
|
Tennis Coaches Association, and Hardin-Simmons University; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Over the course of his stellar career, Fred Kniffen |
|
|
led his teams to great success and made a positive difference in the |
|
|
lives of hundreds of student-athletes, and he has earned a place |
|
|
among the legendary coaches of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, |
|
|
be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby congratulate Fred Kniffen on his induction into |
|
|
the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame and extend to him |
|
|
sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Mr. Kniffen as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas House of Representatives. |