Title
Honoring and recognizing the winningest coach in Philadelphia basketball history, William “Speedy” Morris, on the occasion of his retirement.
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WHEREAS, William “Speedy” Morris is the epitome of what you hope Philadelphia residents aspire to become, a person who gives back to their hometown and impacts the lives of young men and women; and
WHEREAS, What began as a volunteer position of coaching basketball for St. John the Baptist’s CYO Varsity Basketball team, would lead to notoriety in the Philadelphia basketball community for generations; and
WHEREAS, Speedy then went to coach at Roman Catholic High School where he would coach for 14 seasons, lead the team to 6 Philadelphia Catholic League Championships and leave the school as the coach with the best winning percentage in the school’s history; and
WHEREAS, Penn Charter School would also benefit from Speedy’s leadership with him coaching 2 seasons at the school and leading them to an Inter-Ac Championship; and
WHEREAS, His next coaching job was the women’s teams at LaSalle University. During his two years coaching them, he compiled a record of 43 wins and 17 losses which led to a league championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament; and
WHEREAS, Speedy made the unprecedented move from coaching women to men, the first person in history to do so. His tenure with LaSalle’s men’s team lasted for 15 seasons with a record of 238 wins and 202 losses which led this team to 4 league championships, 4 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 2 NIT Tournament appearances. Speedy also holds the throne of most wins in school history with the Explorers; and
WHEREAS, Where Speedy went his reputation for greatness followed. At St. Joseph’s Preparatory School where he has spent the last 18 seasons coaching he has once again proven that he stands above the rest. With 367 wins and 139 losses, he once again achieved the record for most wins in school history; winning 2 Philadelphia Catholic League Championships, the 2012 4A City Championship, and the 2013 PIAA State Semifinals; and
and
WHEREAS, At the Prep, Speedy earned the prestigious Rev. Charles A. Schnorr, SJ Award for Service, demonstrating once again that he continuously and steadily gives back to his community and is a leader on and off the court. Also, in 2018, Speedy and his wife Mimi were honored at the annual Stand Up for the Prep event and a scholarship was established in their name; and
WHEREAS, In addition to coaching the basketball team, Speedy also served as an adult leader on more than a dozen Kairos retreats and attended nearly every Cape and Sword Drama Society performance. A daily communicant, Speedy has spoken pro bono at hundreds of Communion Breakfasts, CYO banquets, and sports camps; and
WHEREAS, Speedy has earned numerous accolades, including admission to 11 Halls of Fames, which include the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and the Big Five Hall of Fame. He has received honors from La Salle University, Roman Catholic, the Atlantic 10 Conference, and the Basketball Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Speedy leaves behind a sports legacy that spans generations and truly reflects what any coach should embody. The ability to lead, the ability to demonstrate grace both in winning and defeat, and the ability to demonstrate to his players a person they can look to inside and outside the gym and would like to emulate on and off the court; and
WHEREAS, With 1,024 wins and 443 losses and 14 league and conference championships, Speedy will be retiring from coaching at the end of this season; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That William “Speedy” Morris has cemented himself in Philadelphia Sports’ history and has allowed athletes to flourish under his leadership. We, in this legislative body, do hereby congratulate and celebrate Speedy on the occasion of his retirement following a long tenure of success.
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