In Honor of Coach Rick Ortega's Election Into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

IN HONOR OF COACH RICK ORTEGA'S ELECTION INTO THE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME -- (Extensions of Remarks - May 18, 2004)

SPEECH OF HON. PETE SESSIONS OF TEXAS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Coach Rick Ortega of St. Mark's School of Texas. I am pleased to represent St. Mark's in Congress, and have been impressed with the quality of education produced by the school. My oldest son Bill currently attends St. Mark's, and one of the staffers in my Washington office is an alumnus of this college preparatory school.

Coach Ortega has been a valued member of the faculty since coming to St. Mark's in 1982. Now in his third decade of service to St. Mark's, Coach Ortega has been elected as a member of the Class of 2004 for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. I am very proud of Coach Ortega's election, and I know firsthand the quality of the wrestling program at St. Mark's. My son Bill is currently in the middle school wrestling program and the results of the wrestling program speak volumes to Coach Ortega's dedication to the young men that he educates.

Wrestling is one of the few sports that a small school such as St. Mark's can compete in against larger high schools in Texas that have thousands of students. From 1992 to 1994, St. Mark's "three-peated" as Texas High School Wrestling Champions. St. Mark's three straight championships could not have been possible without the leadership and dedication of Coach Ortega and the many wrestlers that he inspires on a daily basis.

During his time at St. Mark's and his prior stint as the Head Wrestling Coach at Burges High School in El Paso, Texas, Coach Ortega has amassed an impressive winning record. In his 32 years of coaching, he has an overall dual meet record of 532 wins compared with only 80 losses. He won seven Texas State Championships, and five Prep State Championships.
This is in addition to being Texas State Runner's up six times. During his time at St. Mark's, Coach Ortega has won 18 Southwest Prepatory Championships in 22 seasons, a very impressive record in the conference. On the individual level, Rick Ortega has coached 59 state champion wrestlers, and 53 prep all-Americans.

Coach Ortega himself was a State Wrestling Champion in New Mexico in 1966. He has a natural love for wrestling and for those that pursue the sport. Coach Ortega inspires discipline on the mats, and an emphasis on nutritional wellness off of the mats. His personal commitment to scholarship, sportsmanship, and excellence has served the school well throughout his career. I congratulate Coach Ortega on this important accomplishment, and I wish him all the best for continued success at St. Mark's.