The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF PAUL LUPINSKI ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE LUZERNE
COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME
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HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 29, 2021
Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor former athlete, coach, and Northeastern Pennsylvania native Paul Lupinski. Paul will be inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 for his distinct athletic and coaching achievements in the sports of soccer, basketball, golf, swimming, baseball, and football. He and his fellow inductees will be honored at a reception on August 8, 2021.
Each year, the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame honors those who have brought fame and recognition to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through their outstanding achievements and contributions in athletic endeavors.
At Tunkhannock Area High School, Paul was a standout multi-sport athlete, earning letters in soccer, golf, basketball, swimming, and baseball. He was named All-Conference in soccer, swimming, and baseball, and his senior year, he received All-State Honors in swimming. In the pool, he set school records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle relay, and he won three district gold medals, one in the 50 freestyle and two in the 100 freestyle. In 1995, he went on to swim at the state championships, placing third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free. That year he was named to the High School Academic All-American Team. He was named to the 1994 and 1995 Times Leader Wyoming Valley Conference Swimming All-Star Team, as well as the 1995 Wyoming Valley Conference Baseball All-Star Team. He was also a Dutch Keller and Procter and Gamble Scholarship recipient.
At the end of Paul's senior year in baseball, he suffered a stroke caused by endocarditis due to a defective aortic valve. However, he was determined to honor his commitment to swim for Penn State University that fall. He made an impressive recovery and went on to have a collegiate swimming career. He placed third in the 200 free relay at the 1997 Big Ten Conference Meet, and he was named Academic All-Big Ten athlete for the 1996-1997 season.
Paul's heart condition was monitored as he swam for two seasons at Penn State, but there were still signs of leakage in his heart. Despite deciding to give up swimming, he went on to play fall baseball for Penn State, and, in the spring, he was the last person cut from the team. In 1999, Paul graduated with a degree in chemical engineering.
While monitoring his heart condition after two open heart surgeries, Paul stays active and encourages young people to reach their full potential in sport. He has coached junior high baseball, age group swimming, rec league soccer, baseball, and basketball. He has served as the Tunkhannock Youth Soccer Commissioner and the Tunkhannock Youth Basketball Association Treasurer. He was on the board of the Wyoming County United Way and a trustee of the Center Moreland United Methodist Church. Paul shared his story of perseverance and overcoming adversity with the students of his alma mater as the keynote speaker of the Tunkhannock High School Honors Banquet.
It is an honor to recognize Paul on his induction into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame. May his unique story and athletic career serve as an inspiration to future Pennsylvania students striving for personal excellence.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 133
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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