Bill Text: GA SR1227 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Poss, Mr. George William "Sonny"; recognize
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 5-1)
Status: (Passed) 2010-03-16 - Senate Read and Adopted [SR1227 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-SR1227-Enrolled.html
10 LC
94 2653
Senate
Resolution 1227
By:
Senators Jackson of the 24th, Staton of the 18th, Murphy of the 27th, Heath of
the 31st, Thompson of the 33rd and others
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending Mr. George William "Sonny" Poss; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
Mr. George William "Sonny" Poss was born the youngest of four children to an
athletic family in Thomson, Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
at the age of 15, Mr. Poss began teaching swimming and diving at Shield's Pond
in McDuffie County and subsequently became a lifeguard at East Lake Country Club
in Atlanta; and
WHEREAS,
in high school, he earned 16 varsity letters, with four each in football,
basketball, and track and two each in baseball and tennis; received statewide
recognition for his performance in the boys quartet and a one-act play; starred
in the Georgia High School All Star Football Game; won four State Championships
in the high jump; and was captain of the
Chronicle
Herald Basketball Tournament All Star
Team, which is one of the largest tournaments in the country; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Poss is the only player from Thomson, Georgia, to earn first team All State
honors two times, in 1953 and 1954, and he earned an athletic scholarship to
play basketball at the University of Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
he was a member of the track team for the University of Georgia, lettering three
times and winning the SEC high jump as a sophomore and junior, setting a school
record of 6 feet 4 1/2 inches; and
WHEREAS,
he lettered in swimming for three years at the University of Georgia, was the
SEC runner up for three straight years in the backstroke, and was on the 400
yard medley relay team; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Poss won nine varsity letters in basketball, track, and swimming, at a time
when freshmen were not allowed to play varsity sports, a feat which no one has
accomplished since; and
WHEREAS,
he earned numerous awards and accolades during his incredible athletic career,
including Best All-Around Athlete in the Southeastern Conference as a junior and
senior and was an Olympic torch bearer in 1996; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Poss diligently and conscientiously devoted his time, talents, and energy to
the future leaders of this state as a physical education teacher and football,
track, and basketball coach at Butler High School in Augusta; and
WHEREAS,
an active community leader, Mr. Poss has served as the Aquatics Director at the
Athens YMCA Camp in Tallulah Falls, Georgia, for 43 summers, a member of the
Augusta Elks Lodge, the Thomson Boat Club, Tri-County Retired Educators
Association, and a member of the board of directors of the McDuffie Regional
Medical Center Foundation, First United Methodist Church of Thomson, and the
Boys and Girls Clubs of Augusta and Thomson.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize
the outstanding accomplishments of Mr. George William "Sonny" Poss and request
that he be placed in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for his amazing athletic
career.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Mr. George William "Sonny"
Poss.
