2012 -- H 8273

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING NORMAND "BILL" BELISLE FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ICE HOCKEY

AND FOR RECEIVING THE RHODE ISLAND REDS HERITAGE SOCIETY NATIVE-

BORN HOCKEY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

     Introduced By: Representatives Menard, Winfield, Brien, Phillips, and Baldelli-Hunt

     Date Introduced: June 13, 2012

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society Native-Born Hockey Achievement

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Award, inaugurated by the Society in 2011, is given to a Rhode Island native-born individual who

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has made significant contributions to the game of hockey and, by doing so, has brought statewide,

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national, and worldwide attention to the proud history of ice hockey in Rhode Island; and

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     WHEREAS, Normand “Bill” Belisle has been singled out as the recipient of the Rhode

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Island Reds Heritage Society 2013 Native-Born Hockey Achievement Award; and

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     WHEREAS, Normand “Bill” Belisle has earned the title, “America’s most successful and

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respected high school hockey coach.” Bill Belisle’s coaching career achievements easily stand on

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par with those of coaches that have been inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame; and

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     WHEREAS, Before becoming a coaching legend among boys hockey teams in the

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United States, Coach Belisle was a student at Mount Saint Charles Academy and an enthusiastic

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member of the hockey and baseball teams. His acuity as a coach can be seen in his earlier skills as

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a hockey player, for Bill’s team handily won the state championship during his junior year; and

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     WHEREAS, In 1954, Bill began his coaching career with the Manville CYO junior high

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school baseball team. Under his leadership, the team won State and New England

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Championships, the first time a parochial school had earned such distinctions. He later organized

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the first Little League farm team in Manville; and

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     WHEREAS, After honing his coaching skills, Bill turned his attention and talents to ice

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hockey. For more than 38 years, Bill has served as head coach for the Mount Saint Charles High

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School Hockey Team. During this time, he has earned 30 championship titles, with 26 of those

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championships won in consecutive years, from 1978 to 2003; and

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     WHEREAS, With over 900 total wins coaching the Mounties, Bill is the winningest high

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school hockey coach in the country; and

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     WHEREAS, Along with setting a national record for his 26 consecutive wins and 900

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total career wins, Coach Belisle has amassed an impressive array of additional accomplishments.

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He successfully ushered his teams to 100 consecutive wins in Interscholastic League games and

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94 consecutive wins in the Metropolitan “A” Division, and had his teams rank first place in high

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school hockey in the United States more than 10 times; and

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     WHEREAS, Coach Belisle was the first Rhode Island hockey coach to receive the

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prestigious Mariucci Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association, was inducted into

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the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame and the Woonsocket Heritage Hall of Fame, and has

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received the Cumberland-Lincoln Rotary Club’s Outstanding Achievement Award; and

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     WHEREAS, Coach Belisle’s pursuits off the ice are also noteworthy. He served his

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nation with honor and distinction in the Korean War, where he attained the rank of staff sergeant.

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When he returned from the war, he married the love of his life, Yvette, and together, they proudly

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raised four sons; and

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     WHEREAS, Coach Normand “Bill” Belisle has been a motivating soul, a dedicated

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father, husband, and mentor, and an inspiration for many generations of Rhode Islanders. He is a

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true living legend; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Normand “Bill” Belisle for his selfless contributions

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to ice hockey and for furthering the sport in Rhode Island. We commend him on receiving the

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esteemed Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society 2013 Native-Born Hockey Achievement Award;

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and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Normand “Bill” Belisle.

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