H.R. No. 1469
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, El Paso native and trailblazing basketball coach
Nolan Richardson has proven himself an exceptional leader and role
model during his decorated career; and
WHEREAS, While growing up in Segundo Barrio, Nolan Richardson
was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and baseball at
Bowie High School; he then went on to star in basketball at Texas
Western College, now The University of Texas at El Paso, before
embarking on his coaching career; after a successful 10-year tenure
leading his high school alma mater, he moved to the college ranks
and accepted a head coaching position at Western Texas College in
Snyder; in his third season with the program, the team went
undefeated and won the junior college national championship; at his
next stop, the coach spent five seasons at the University of Tulsa,
earning the school the 1981 National Invitation Tournament
championship; and
WHEREAS, In 1985, Coach Richardson took the reins at the
University of Arkansas; known for their tenacious defense and a
style of play nicknamed "40 Minutes of Hell," his Razorbacks teams
won seven conference championships in 17 seasons and made three
trips to the Final Four; in 1994, the team defeated Duke University
to capture the NCAA Division I national championship, and he was
honored as the Naismith Coach of the Year; in later years, he
coached the Mexican and Panamanian national teams and was the head
coach and general manager of the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National
Basketball Association; the only coach to win the junior college,
NIT, and NCAA championships, he was inducted into the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014; and
WHEREAS, A pioneering figure in his profession, Coach
Richardson was the first Black head basketball coach at many of the
institutions where he worked and was the first for the entire
Southwest Conference; he has long been an outspoken advocate on
social justice issues and has also been active in a range of
community initiatives; to honor the loss of his daughter, he
started the Yvonne Richardson Memorial Foundation, which has raised
over $3 million to provide financial assistance to terminally ill
children and their families, more than 50 charitable organizations,
and fund several scholarships at The University of Texas at El Paso,
in addition, the annual Nolan Richardson Charity Golf Tournament
raises money for charities in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas such as
the Yvonne Richardson Community Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas;
and
WHEREAS, Through his hard work, integrity, and commitment to
helping others, Nolan Richardson sets an inspiring example for his
fellow citizens, and he is indeed deserving of recognition for his
outstanding efforts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Nolan Richardson for his professional
accomplishments and civic engagement and extend to him sincere best
wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Coach Richardson as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Fierro
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1469 was adopted by the House on May
26, 2021, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House