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Roach tells personal
experiences as
House considers women's sports resolution
Bonney Lake lawmaker's wife competed in 2008
Beijing Olympics
As state lawmakers today
considered a resolution honoring women and girls who participate in
sports, one lawmaker was able to talk about it from a very personal
point of view.
Rep. Dan Roach
and his wife, Melanie, own and operate a gymnastics business in Sumner.
"We have hundreds of girls
from the community who come in at various ages. It's incredible to see
the progression that they show," said Roach, R-Bonney Lake. "In a matter
of weeks, you can see the transition of these girls going from being
timid to becoming self-assured, taking initiative and really pursuing
their goals. They come away with self-confidence and discipline which
takes in every aspect of their lives."
Roach's wife is also a
champion weightlifter who competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,
China.
"Melanie actually started
as a young gymnast. In gymnastics, she learned discipline, initiative
and hard work. Although she didn't get to a college level in gymnastics,
she did find another sport she ended up being very, very good at," said
Roach. "The structure and the discipline provided to her as a young
child, and the confidence and the initiative that she took as she became
older and more self confident, made it possible for her to compete in
the 2008 Beijing Olympic games."
Roach urged passage of
House Resolution 4613, reminding lawmakers that competitive women's
sports help to "make effective leaders in the future."
The measure passed the
House unanimously.
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Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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