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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former | ||||||
| 4 | Fighting Illini men's basketball assistant coach Wayne | ||||||
| 5 | McClain, who passed away on October 15, 2014; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Wayne McClain began his career in 1977 with Manual | ||||||
| 7 | High School in Peoria, serving as an assistant basketball coach | ||||||
| 8 | for 18 years to the legendary Dick Van Scyoc; he helped the | ||||||
| 9 | Rams to the first of 4 straight State titles in 1994 as an | ||||||
| 10 | assistant and was then named head coach in 1995; in his first 3 | ||||||
| 11 | years as head coach, he led the Rams to 3 consecutive State | ||||||
| 12 | championships, which were led by his son, Sergio McClain, along | ||||||
| 13 | with stars Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams; in 1997, his | ||||||
| 14 | squad was named by USA Today as National High School Champions | ||||||
| 15 | and he was named National High School Coach of the Year; in his | ||||||
| 16 | first 3 seasons as head coach, he led the Rams to records of 32 | ||||||
| 17 | wins and 2 losses, 31 wins and 2 losses, and 31 wins and 1 loss, | ||||||
| 18 | to go a combined 94 and 5 with what are considered some of the | ||||||
| 19 | most legendary teams in State basketball history; he also | ||||||
| 20 | earned Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the | ||||||
| 21 | Year in 1995, 1996, and 1997; the Rams won Midstate Six | ||||||
| 22 | Conference titles in each of his first 5 years as head coach | ||||||
| 23 | and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the AA State tournament in | ||||||
| 24 | 1998 and 1999; his teaching career included teaching high | ||||||
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| 1 | school physical education and serving as the Manual High School | ||||||
| 2 | Dean of Students; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, Wayne McClain began his 11-year tenure with the | ||||||
| 4 | University of Illinois coaching staff under Bill Self beginning | ||||||
| 5 | with the 2001-02 season and remaining with Bruce Weber's staff | ||||||
| 6 | through the 2011-12 season; he helped coach the Fighting Illini | ||||||
| 7 | to 4 Big Ten championships and an appearance in the National | ||||||
| 8 | Championship game; and
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| 9 | WHEREAS, Wayne McClain returned to the high school ranks | ||||||
| 10 | for the 2013-14 season as head coach at Central High School in | ||||||
| 11 | Champaign; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Wayne McClain earned a bachelor's degree in | ||||||
| 13 | education from Bradley University in 1977 and a master's degree | ||||||
| 14 | in physical education from Illinois State University in 1992; | ||||||
| 15 | he and his wife, Robin, have 2 children, Sergio and Brindeshie, | ||||||
| 16 | and one grandchild, Sergio, Jr.; therefore, be it
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| 17 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
| 18 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 19 | we mourn the passing of Wayne McClain, and extend our sincere | ||||||
| 20 | condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved | ||||||
| 21 | him; and be it further | ||||||
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| 1 | RESOLVED, That we declare January 15, 2015 as "Wayne | ||||||
| 2 | McClain Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further
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| 3 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 4 | presented to the family of Wayne McClain as an expression of | ||||||
| 5 | our deepest sympathy.
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