A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MADISON-RIDGELAND ACADEMY'S COACH RICHARD DUEASE UPON HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 51 YEARS OF COACHING AND UPON BEING ONE OF THE WINNINGEST COACHES IN MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL HISTORY.
Summary
House Resolution 113 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Madison-Ridgeland Academy boys basketball coach Richard Duease upon his retirement after 51 years of coaching. The resolution recounts his long career, including 44 years at Madison-Ridgeland Academy, his start in 1975 at Manchester Academy, and his final game on February 24, 2026, which ended with MRA winning the 2026 MAIS Overall Boys Basketball Championship.
The resolution highlights Duease’s record-setting achievements, including 1,888 total wins across boys’ and girls’ basketball, a .723 winning percentage, 42 MAIS championships, 16 MAIS Overall Tournament titles, a 77-game winning streak, and more than 30 MAIS Coach of the Year honors. It also notes his induction into the MAIS Athletics Hall of Fame and his becoming Mississippi’s career wins leader in 2017. The measure does not change substantive law; it is a formal expression of appreciation by the House and directs that copies be sent to Duease, the school’s head of school, and the Capitol Press Corps.
Impact
HR 113 has no regulatory or fiscal effect and does not amend any Mississippi statutes. Its impact is limited to official legislative recognition of an individual and his career, serving as a public commendation and historical record of Duease’s accomplishments in Mississippi high school basketball and the MAIS independent school athletic system.
Sentiment
The sentiment around the resolution is overwhelmingly positive and celebratory. The House adopted it as a tribute to a highly successful and widely respected coach, emphasizing his longevity, championships, sportsmanship, and influence on student-athletes. There is no recorded opposition, vote controversy, or committee dispute in the provided materials.
Contention
There is no notable contention reflected in the bill text, voting history, or committee materials provided. Because the resolution is honorary rather than policy-driven, it does not present competing viewpoints or policy disagreements; the only substantive content is praise for Coach Duease’s career and accomplishments.