SR 74 — Celebrating the life of Louis Anderson, Jr.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24100698D I SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

74 OfferedE February 13, 2024 N Celebrating the life of Louis Anderson, Jr.

TN Patrons––HashmiAgreed andto Bagbyby the Senate, February 15, 2024 R ––––––––––O WHEREAS, Louis Anderson, Jr., a highly admired football coach who inspired generations of O student-athletes in Central Virginia to achieve greatness in sports and in the classroom, died Dnon October 13,L 2023;13,WHEREAS, Louis "Lou" Anderson grew up in Richmond and graduated from Maggie L.

andWalker WHEREAS,L LouisHigh "Lou"School; Anderson grew up in Richmond and graduated from Maggie L.

Walkerhe Ucontinued Highhis School;education by earning an associate degree from Kittrell College in North E Carolina and a bachelor's degree from what is now Clafin University in South Carolina, where he was captain of both the football and basketball teams;

heand continuedD hisworking educationas bya earninggovernment anteacher, associateassistant degreefootball fromcoach, Kittrelland Collegeassistant inCNorthbasketball Carolinacoach anduntil a1970, bachelor'swhen degreehe fromreturned whatto ishis nowalma Clafinmater Universityto inreplace Southhis Carolina,own whereformer hementor, wasFred capWHEREAS,Cooper, Louas Andersonhead begancoach hisof careerthe atMaggie LutherL. H.

Foster High School in Nottoway County E working as a government teacher, assistant football coach, and assistant basketball coach until 1970, when he returned to his alma mater to replace his own former mentor, Fred Cooper, as head coach of the Maggie L.

and WHEREAS, in 1979, Lou Anderson became the head football coach of John Marshall High School, whichcourse laterof mergeda withdecade, Maggiehe L.led the football team to six district championships, two regional championships, S and two state semifinal appearances;

Walkerand R WHEREAS, Lou Anderson subsequently coached at Armstrong High School for one season, then E became the first local high school coach to formtransition Marshall-Walkerto Highthe School;college level when he joined Virginia State R UniWHEREAS, Lou Anderson led the Virginia State University Trojans to an impressive 10-1 record in and back-to-back Colonial Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship titles in 1995 and 1996;

overand theWHEREAS, courseLou ofAnderson aencouraged decade,his heplayers ledto thereach footballtheir teamfullest toacademic sixpotential districtand championships,gain twostudent-athletes regionalfrom championships,the andRichmond tworegion stateachieve semifinalcollege appearances;scholarships;

andlds, and becamehe proudly helped WHEREAS, among many accolades over the firstcourse localof highhis schoolcareer, coachLou toAnderson transitionwas totwice named the collegeCIAA levelCoach whenof hethe joinedYear Virginiaand Statereceived Universitythe inRichmond 1991;Touchdown Club Coach of the Year Award and the Richmond City Outstanding Citizen Award;

andhe Rwas WHEREAS,inducted Louinto Andersonathletic ledhalls theof Virginiafame Stateat UniversityJohn TrojansB. to an impressive 10-1 record in 1993 and back-to-back Colonial Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship titles in 1995 and 1996;

and WHEREAS, Lou Anderson encouraged his players to reach their fullest academic potential and gain the tools they needed to become leaders in their communities and career fields, and he proudly helped student-athletes from the Richmond region achieve college scholarships;

and the CIAA Coach of the Year and received the Richmond Touchdown Club Coach of the Year Awardd and the Richmond City Outstanding Citizen Award;

he was inducted into athletic halls of fame at Virginia State University, Clafin University, and Marshall-Walker High School, as well as the CIAA John B.

andUniversity, and 35Marshall-Walker High School, as well as the CIAA WHEREAS, after his well-earned retirement in 2001, Lou Anderson served as a mentor to former 36 coaches and players through an annual football camp, and he offered his wise insights as a frequent 37 guest on a sports talk radio station, where he was hailed as the godfather of local athletics;

and 38 WHEREAS, a man of deep and abiding faith throughout his life, Lou Anderson served as a trustee at a member of the men's choir, sports ministry, and men's fellowship group;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Louis Anderson, Jr., a longtime fixture of high school and college football in the Richmond region who touched the lives of countless young people in Central Virginia;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for hispresentation memory.n to the family of Louis Anderson, Jr., as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.