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2008 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 327
Commending William H. Littlepage.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 8, 2008
Agreed to by the Senate, February 14, 2008

 

WHEREAS, William H. Littlepage, the legendary Blue Devils basketball head coach and longtime athletic director at Hopewell High School, retired in 2007 after 44 years of outstanding service to Hopewell Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, William “Bill” Littlepage graduated from Bridgewater College in 1958 and was a four-year letter-winner as a member of the Eagles basketball team, and he also managed the baseball team during his collegiate days; and

WHEREAS, Bill Littlepage served as head basketball coach of the Blue Devils basketball team for 44 years and as athletic director of Hopewell High School for 27 years from 1980 to 2007; and

WHEREAS, before joining Hopewell High School in 1963, Bill Littlepage was the head coach at the former Marriott High School in King and Queen County for two years and C. T. Smith High School in Caroline County for one year; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage’s overall record was 755-320, a winning percentage of 70.2 for his exemplary 47-year career as a Virginia High School League (VHSL) head basketball coach; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage is the winningest basketball coach in VHSL Group AAA history, is second in wins overall, and is one of only two coaches to win over 700 games; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage guided Blue Devil basketball teams to 26 regional tournament berths and six state tournaments, and he led Hopewell High School to the state basketball title in 1972 and to runner-up finishes in 1986 and 1996; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage’s talented teams finished first in the final Associated Press State AAA Poll in 1971 and 1985 and second in 1986, 1987, 1997, and 2000; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage served as the head coach for the East in the 1998 McDonald’s All American Game, was a member of the South coaching staff for the 1989 United States Olympic Festival held in Oklahoma City, and coached in three Virginia East-West All-Star games, including the first state all-star game ever played in 1972; and

WHEREAS, committed to quality education for all of Virginia’s young people, Coach Littlepage gave his time and expertise to numerous professional organizations, including serving as president of the Virginia High School Coaches Association; and

WHEREAS, receiving countless awards and accolades over the years, Coach Littlepage was honored as National Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1993, inducted as a charter member into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1990, and inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Bridgewater College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Coach Littlepage also received numerous Coach of the Year honors at the district, regional, state, and national levels and received Distinguished Service awards from both state and national coaches’ organizations; and

WHEREAS, Hopewell High School’s home playing floor was named the “Coach Littlepage Court” in 2002, and Bill Littlepage was inducted as a charter member into the Hopewell Athletic Wall of Fame in 2004; and

WHEREAS, a legendary coach who is greatly admired in the Hopewell community, Coach Littlepage was named Citizen of the Year by the Hopewell Area Chamber of Commerce in 1998; and

WHEREAS, a mentor and exemplary leader in high school athletics, Coach Littlepage has been an inspiration to his players, the student body, and his fellow educators at Hopewell High School and to his fellow coaches across the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend William H. Littlepage on his outstanding coaching career and his commitment to the young people of Hopewell; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to William H. Littlepage as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for his many achievements and best wishes for a happy and rewarding retirement.