Bill Text: IL HJR0041 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Designates Illinois Route 1 from North 950 Street to the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and Illinois Route 1 as the "Coach Ron Felling Highway".

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-07 - Referred to Assignments [HJR0041 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HJR0041-Introduced.html

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HJ0041 LRB103 33358 MST 63169 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly find
it fitting to pay respect and honor to former Head Coach Ron
Felling for his commitment to Illinois state sports and his
longtime career of teaching athletes; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling coached basketball at Lawrenceville
High School and Indiana University; he has touched the lives
of countless players and continues to do so today; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling served as the basketball coach,
baseball coach, football assistant coach, and athletic
director for Lawrenceville High School; he served as assistant
coach for four seasons and as the head coach for basketball for
16 seasons; he has one of the best records in the State of
Illinois for basketball, coaching to 388 victories against 77
losses in 16 years as head coach; he is a four-time Illinois
High School Association state championship coach, winning in
1972, 1974, 1982, and 1983 and placing 3rd in 1976; he won 12
Illinois High School Association regional titles, seven
Illinois High School Association sectional championships, and
five Illinois High School Association super-sectionals; his
1982 and 1983 state championship teams went 68 and 0, a record
that still stands; and

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WHEREAS, In 1982, Coach Felling was recognized by the
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and inducted into the
Basketball Museum of Illinois; he was named the coach of the
year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and
Illinois Coaches Association and is a four-time Southern and
Central Illinois coach of the year; he was also selected as one
of the 100 Legends in Illinois High School Basketball; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling played basketball at Indiana State
University in 1961 and was named as Indiana State University's
Outstanding Alumnus in 1974; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling was hired as assistant coach by Bob
Knight at Indiana University in 1985, serving for 14 years;
during which time, the team won the 1987 National Collegiate
Athletics Association National Championship, finished in two
final fours, and won four Big Ten regular-season titles and an
Olympic Gold Medal; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling's career in coaching spanned nearly
40 years; after his retirement, he hosted summer shooting
camps for athletes in several states and was asked to speak in
several clinics across the country; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling lives in Bloomington, Indiana with
his wife, Cammy; he has three children, six grandchildren, and

HJ0041 - 3 - LRB103 33358 MST 63169 r
three great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Coach Felling's former players and companions
wish to provide him with this honor; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate Illinois Route 1
from North 950 Street to the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and
Illinois Route 1 as the "Coach Ron Felling Highway"; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
is requested to erect, at suitable locations consistent with
State and federal regulations, appropriate signs giving notice
of the name "Coach Ron Felling Highway", along with the years
of the state championships, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1983, and the
3rd place finish in 1976 noted on all appropriate signage; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to Coach Felling and the Secretary of
Transportation.