TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR DEBORAH STROMAN FOR HER ILLUSTRIOUS, TWENTY-FOUR YEAR CAREER AS THE GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH AT LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR BEING NAMED THE SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

Whereas, the South Carolina Senate is delighted to learn that Deborah Stroman has been named the new athletic director at Lower Richland High School; and

Whereas, in her highly successful 24-year career as the girls basketball coach at Lower Richland, she won 482 games and garnered seven state titles, including four consecutive championships from 2006-2009; and

Whereas, Ms. Stroman has become only the tenth woman in the Palmetto State currently holding the position of a high school athletic director; and

Whereas, a few years ago, she earned a degree in sports management with an emphasis in athletic administration and assisted then-athletic director Bob Matz, all with the hope of becoming an athletic director herself; and

Whereas, when Bob Matz left Lower Richland in August to become athletic director for the Richland One School District, Ms. Stroman and football coach Darryl Page were named co-athletic directors; and

Whereas, although she is leaving coaching after almost a quarter of a century as the basketball coach at Lower Richland, she realizes that this kind of opportunity only knocks once and that she has prepared for the challenges which will come her way; and

Whereas, Ms. Stroman's job promises to keep her busy. She is immediately faced with finding her own replacement on the bench to coach the Diamond Hornets after just hiring Rodney Barr as the new football coach and still needing to find a coach for the boys basketball team; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Senate values the significant impact that Deborah Stroman has had on the lives of the many students she has coached, and the members wish her enduring success and fulfillment as she continues to serve young people in her new role as the Lower Richland athletic director. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Deborah Stroman for her illustrious, twenty-four year career as the girls basketball coach at Lower Richland High School and congratulate her for being named the school's athletic director.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Deborah Stroman.