HONORING FARRAGUT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH EDDIE COURTNEY UPON RECEIVING THE INAUGURAL COURTNEY COURAGE AWARD

February 14, 2006
U.S. House of Representatives

Mr. Speaker, on January 18th of this year, Farragut High School Head Football Coach Eddie Courtney was named the first recipient of the Eddie Courtney Courage Award named in his honor.

This ceremony took place at the end of a grueling and testing season for Coach Courtney and his Admiral football team. Coach Courtney was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease last spring and despite months of radiation and chemotherapy, he guided the Admirals to the Class 5A quarterfinals and an 11-3 record. Throughout his intensive treatment, he never missed a team function, including summer conditioning workouts, cutting the grass and lining the field before games and scrimmages.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the readers of the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD and my fellow colleagues to join me in honoring the courage, strength and leadership of Farragut High School Head Football Coach Eddie Courtney. I also include the following news article printed in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. [From the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Jan. 19, 2006]

COURTNEY AWARD STANDS FOR COURAGE
(By Drew Edwards)
Farragut High School football coach Eddie Courtney was named the first recipient and namesake of the Courage Award at the PrepXtra football awards banquet Wednesday night in the Wolf Kaplan Center inside Neyland Stadium.

Courtney was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease last spring and guided the Admirals to the Class 5A quarterfinals and an 11-3 record. Throughout months of radiation and chemotherapy, the 52-year-old coach never missed a team function, including summer conditioning workouts.

He continued to perform his other duties, including cutting the grass and lining the field.

``It started with (my faith) and having great friends,'' Courtney said. ``And I'm here because of the game of football. As a player, it was always just suck-it-up and go.''

Farragut linebacker Nick Reveiz said Courtney's attitude rubbed off on the team.

``He's a man, and that's the true definition of a man,'' Reveiz told the News Sentinel in November. ``He takes what life gives him. He doesn't whine about anything. That's one person that no matter what comes his way, no matter how unfair it is, no matter what happens, he's not going to complain about anything. He's going to take what's given and make the best out of it.''

Courtney finished his radiation treatments last month and will visit doctors once every two months for the next year.

The Eddie Courtney Courage Award will be given each year to a player, coach or contributor to local high school football who has shown the spirit to face fear or danger with confidence, resolution and dignity.