H*4109 Resolution, By Rhoad, Bales, Hosey and J.H. Neal
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE MR. CHIP ATKINS, LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL
 BOYS BASKETBALL COACH, ON BEING NAMED NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR BY THE
 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS.

   05/17/05  House  Introduced and adopted HJ-50

TO CONGRATULATE MR. CHIP ATKINS, LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL COACH, ON BEING NAMED NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS.

Whereas, Mr. Chip Atkins inspires his players with his true love of the game of basketball and sends the Lower Richland community to its feet every time the ball swishes through the net; and

Whereas, devoting nearly his entire career to the game, Coach Atkins celebrated more than five hundred wins at Allendale-Fairfax High School and Barnwell High School before taking a three-year hiatus from his role as coach to become principal of Williston-Elko High School; and

Whereas, eagerly accepting a position as basketball coach at Lower Richland High School in 2002, he immediately got to work building his team, while serving as a model of true passion and commitment to playing and to winning; and

Whereas, under Coach Atkins' leadership, the Lower Richland Diamonds have been virtually unstoppable, garnering forty-four wins with only four losses during regular season play, six wins with two losses in the playoffs, twenty wins with zero losses in region play, and twelve wins with zero losses in invitational tournament play; and

Whereas, this past season's twenty-four-to-three record boosted his total wins to five hundred ninety-two, making him the third-winningest coach in South Carolina; and

Whereas, a versatile athlete himself, Coach Atkins has also served as an outstanding golf coach, winning over twenty regional Coach of the Year awards for golf and basketball, and earning two state titles as the Barnwell boys golf coach; and

Whereas, giving of his time and talents even off the court, he has served as executive director and president of the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association and the South Carolina Golf Coaches Association, in addition to serving on the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association board of directors; and

Whereas, he has also been named South Carolina's own Coach of the Year, twice, in 1990 and 1994, which, along with his other accomplishments, propelled him into the national spotlight in his winning the National Coach of the Year Award by the National Federation of State High School Associations; and

Whereas, Coach Atkins' enthusiasm for what he does is readily apparent, as he sets a solid example for his players to follow, both with a basketball in hand and without one. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, congratulate Mr. Chip Atkins, Lower Richland High School Boys Basketball Coach, on being named the National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mr. Chip Atkins.