HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 52

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A DIALOGUE TO CONSIDER PLAYING NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES IN THE SAME STADIUM ON THE SAME DAY.

     WHEREAS, eight-man and six-man New Mexico high school football championship games are played on the same weekend; and

     WHEREAS, class 2A and class 1A New Mexico high school championship games are played on the following weekend; and

     WHEREAS, class 5A, class 4A and class 3A New Mexico high school football championship games are played on the weekend after that; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico high school football is played and coached at a high level of excellence; and

     WHEREAS, playing New Mexico high school football championship games in the same stadium on the same day would give teams better exposure to the public; and

     WHEREAS, playing New Mexico high school football championship games in the same stadium on the same day would provide New Mexicans with an annual event to celebrate; and

     WHEREAS, playing New Mexico high school football championship games in the same stadium on the same day would allow football fans to enjoy an all-day event; and

     WHEREAS, playing New Mexico high school football championship games in the state's largest stadiums would allow more fans to attend; and

     WHEREAS, playing New Mexico high school football championship games on the same day and in the state's largest stadiums would increase the exposure of New Mexico players to college coaches and scouts; and

     WHEREAS, high school football championship games in Texas are played at the Alamodome, in New Jersey at Giants stadium, in Colorado at Invesco field at Mile High, in Washington at the Tacoma dome, in Michigan at Ford field and in Oklahoma at Boone Pickens stadium; and

     WHEREAS, every young football player in the state can imagine playing the championship game at a particular location; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico high school football has produced greats such as Tommy McDonald, Jim Everett and Brian Urlacher, to name a few; and

     WHEREAS, the key to success for the New Mexico highlands university, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university, New Mexico military institute, New Mexico state university and university of New Mexico football programs is the development and recruitment of New Mexico high school football players;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that high school athletic directors, high school football coaches, the athletic directors at New Mexico state university, New Mexico highlands university, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university and New Mexico military institute and the vice president of athletics at the university of New Mexico be requested to hold an informal dialogue to consider scheduling New Mexico high school football championship games in the same stadium on the same day; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the public education department, the higher education department, the New Mexico activities association and the sports authority division of the tourism department.

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