A house RESOLUTION

TO CELEBRATE COACH PAULA KIRKLAND OF DORMAN HIGH SCHOOL ON HER SELECTION FOR INDUCTION INTO THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME BY THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Paula Kirkland, Dorman High School girls volleyball coach, has been selected for induction into the National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS); and

Whereas, on July 1, 2024, Coach Kirkland and eleven others, including four coaches and four former athletes, along with administrators, will be inducted at the NFHS summer meetings in Boston; and

Whereas, Paula Kirkland has been coaching at Dorman, her alma mater, since 1980. She has a career winning percentage of .863 (1,088-173-3) and reached one thousand wins three seasons ago. She ranks second all-time in victories at South Carolina schools and is eleventh nationally; and

Whereas, in 2004, she was inducted into the South Carolina Coaches Hall of Fame. In addition, she has been Region Coach of the Year thirteen times, State Coach of the Year three times, and National Coach of the Year once; and

Whereas, Coach Kirkland led Dorman to its fifteenth state championship (in eighteen appearances) last fall. Her teams won three straight titles from 1990 to 1992, again from 1995 to 1997, and then four in five years from 2000 to 2004. In her forty years as Dorman's coach, the Lady Cavaliers also have won thirty-two regional championships; and

Whereas, in 1980, Coach Kirkland graduated from Winthrop University and then applied at Dorman to coach volleyball, a sport she had never played. She took on a team that was 4-12 the previous season and went 14-4; and

Whereas, she also coached girls basketball at Dorman for eight years during the 1990s, compiling a 122-68 record, including 25-3 in 1993-1994, and earning a trip to the upper state championship game the following season; and

Whereas, with much pride and admiration, the members of the House salute Coach Kirkland on receiving this prestigious award. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, celebrate Coach Paula Kirkland of Dorman High School on her selection for induction into the National High School Hall of Fame by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Paula Kirkland.

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