HR0285LRB101 11674 ALS 58923 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Leah Hayes on being named
42018 SportsKid of the Year by Sports Illustrated Kids; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Leah Hayes began swimming at the age of eight; she
6won her first state title at age nine in the 50-meter
7breaststroke; at the age of ten, she set five national age
8group (NAG) records over two meets; she owns six national
9age-group records, two of which she set this year; and
 
10    WHEREAS, At the Illinois Long Course Age Group
11Championships, Leah Hayes broke the 200-meter freestyle NAG for
12ages ten and under by more than a second; a day later, she took
13the 50 free record; the next week, at the Central Mega Zone 14 &
14 Under Championships, she set marks in the 100-meter
15freestyle, 50-meter breaststroke, and 200-meter individual
16medley (IM); the latter record had stood for 13 years; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In August, at a USA Swimming Futures Championship,
18Leah Hayes competed in a field that included 20 and 21-year-old
19collegiate swimmers, and she won the 200-meter IM; her next
20goal is the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo; two months after the Games,
21she will turn 15; and
 

 

 

HR0285- 2 -LRB101 11674 ALS 58923 r

1    WHEREAS, Leah Hayes competes with respect; she
2congratulates each swimmer after a race and gives trophies or
3ribbons to friends and fellow competitors; and
 
4    WHEREAS, There was a time when Leah Hayes was not so
5confident; when she was six, she began losing her hair and was
6diagnosed with alopecia universalis; after struggling with its
7effects for several years, she now embraces her look and uses
8her success in the pool to spread the message, "Don't let
9anything hold you back"; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Leah Hayes lives in Sugar Grove, where she enjoys
11spending time with her friends and binge-watching Netflix; she
12is a devoted patron of Chipotle; her ability to win races makes
13her a great swimmer; her ability to do it with grace and
14positivity makes her a great role model; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we congratulate Leah Hayes on being named 2018 SportsKid of the
18Year by Sports Illustrated Kids and wish her success in all of
19her future endeavors; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Leah Hayes as an expression of our esteem and
22respect.