H.R. No. 1469
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, El Paso native and trailblazing basketball coach
  Nolan Richardson has proven himself an exceptional leader and role
  model during his decorated career; and
         WHEREAS, While growing up in Segundo Barrio, Nolan Richardson
  was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and baseball at
  Bowie High School; he then went on to star in basketball at Texas
  Western College, now The University of Texas at El Paso, before
  embarking on his coaching career; after a successful 10-year tenure
  leading his high school alma mater, he moved to the college ranks
  and accepted a head coaching position at Western Texas College in
  Snyder; in his third season with the program, the team went
  undefeated and won the junior college national championship; at his
  next stop, the coach spent five seasons at the University of Tulsa,
  earning the school the 1981 National Invitation Tournament
  championship; and
         WHEREAS, In 1985, Coach Richardson took the reins at the
  University of Arkansas; known for their tenacious defense and a
  style of play nicknamed "40 Minutes of Hell," his Razorbacks teams
  won seven conference championships in 17 seasons and made three
  trips to the Final Four; in 1994, the team defeated Duke University
  to capture the NCAA Division I national championship, and he was
  honored as the Naismith Coach of the Year; in later years, he
  coached the Mexican and Panamanian national teams and was the head
  coach and general manager of the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National
  Basketball Association; the only coach to win the junior college,
  NIT, and NCAA championships, he was inducted into the Naismith
  Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014; and
         WHEREAS, A pioneering figure in his profession, Coach
  Richardson was the first Black head basketball coach at many of the
  institutions where he worked and was the first for the entire
  Southwest Conference; he has long been an outspoken advocate on
  social justice issues and has also been active in a range of
  community initiatives; to honor the loss of his daughter, he
  started the Yvonne Richardson Memorial Foundation, which has raised
  over $3 million to provide financial assistance to terminally ill
  children and their families, more than 50 charitable organizations,
  and fund several scholarships at The University of Texas at El Paso,
  in addition, the annual Nolan Richardson Charity Golf Tournament
  raises money for charities in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas such as
  the Yvonne Richardson Community Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas;
  and
         WHEREAS, Through his hard work, integrity, and commitment to
  helping others, Nolan Richardson sets an inspiring example for his
  fellow citizens, and he is indeed deserving of recognition for his
  outstanding efforts; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature hereby honor Nolan Richardson for his professional
  accomplishments and civic engagement and extend to him sincere best
  wishes for continued success; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for Coach Richardson as an expression of high regard by the
  Texas House of Representatives.
 
  Fierro
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 1469 was adopted by the House on May
  26, 2021, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House