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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Joe Willis is retiring as head football coach at |
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Legacy High School in Tyler in 2023, drawing to a close an |
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exceptional career in education and school athletics that has |
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spanned three decades; and |
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WHEREAS, After taking the reins of the Legacy gridiron |
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program in January 2020, Coach Willis helped the Red Raiders claim |
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their first playoff victory in more than a decade and to win two |
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bi-district championships, and the team was a state finalist for |
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the 2021-2022 National Football Foundation High School Excellence |
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Award; moreover, several of his players have received full |
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scholarships to play college football; he has further benefited |
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Legacy students through his work as campus athletic coordinator; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Willis first joined the head coaching ranks in |
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2004 at Iraan High School, and he guided the Braves for three years |
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before becoming a member of the coaching staff at Cedar Park High |
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School; rising to the post of head coach in 2012, he led the |
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Timberwolves to the UIL 4A Division 2 championship during his first |
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season and to another state title game appearance in 2014; he next |
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took the head coaching job at Colleyville Heritage High School, |
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producing playoff berths in each of his five campaigns, including |
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trips to the regional semifinals and state quarterfinals; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his 14 years as a head football |
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coach, Coach Willis compiled an outstanding career record of 113 |
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wins and 62 losses; moreover, his teams went 25-10 in postseason |
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action, with a combined total of six district titles; among his |
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accolades, he was honored as the 2012 Dave Campbell's Texas |
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Football 4A Coach of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, Joe Willis has served as an inspiring mentor and |
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role model to countless young Texans, helping them to excel both on |
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and off the gridiron, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his |
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many achievements as he embarks on the next exciting chapter of his |
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life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby congratulate Joe Willis on his retirement as head football |
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coach at Legacy High School in Tyler and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Coach Willis as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |