Title
Proclamation congratulating the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League upon the occasion of their 100th Anniversary Celebration.
Body
WHEREAS, on August 26, 2006 at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Arnold Palmer will serve as Honorary Chair alongside former professional athletes to celebrate and commemorate the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League's (WPIAL) 100th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, the WPIAL was founded in 1906 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to ensure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among schools in Western Pennsylvania. The wisdom of the early founders has been the bedrock for the growth and success of the largest League in the high school athletic scene in the country; and
WHEREAS, today, there are one hundred and forty school members in the WPIAL 7 and due to a tremendous fan base, in 2001, MSA Sports Network became the official high school sports network of the WPIAL; and
WHEREAS, the untiring efforts of all the men and women who have voluntarily served the WPIAL as members of the Decision Committee/Board of Control contributed greatly to the recognition and success of an idea that changed the entire perspective of high school sports; and
WHEREAS, Western Pennsylvania is home to a great high school football tradition that has produced nearly 50 pro quarterbacks, and the region's evolution and impact as a sports leader over more than a century, from amateur to pro and across the spectrum of sports is astonishing;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council hereby recognizes and joins in celebrating the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. We bestow our sincerest gratitude to the League and share in the pride of your accomplishments, which are worthy of our County of Champions.