Read the full stored bill text
H. R. No. 113 *HR26/R2655* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
26/HR26/R2655
PAGE 1 (OM\KW)
To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives McMillan, Ford (73rd)
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 113
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MADISON-RIDGELAND 1
ACADEMY'S COACH RICHARD DUEASE UPON HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 51 YEARS 2
OF COACHING AND UPON BEING ONE OF THE WINNINGEST COACHES IN 3
MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL HISTORY. 4
WHEREAS, the legendary Coach Richard Duease, head boys 5
basketball coach at Madison-Ridgeland Academy (MRA), coached his 6
final game on February 24, 2026, at the A.E. Woods Coliseum with a 7
win that made MRA's basketball team the Midsouth Association of 8
Independent Schools (MAIS) 2026 Overall Boys Basketball Champions; 9
and 10
WHEREAS, Coach Duease who began his coaching career in 1975 11
at Manchester Academy in Yazoo City, Mississippi, is retiring with 12
51 years of coaching experience, with 44 of those years spent at 13
MRA; and 14
WHEREAS, remarkably, Coach Duease has the third highest win 15
total in high school basketball history with a record of 1,296-452 16
across 43 years, as a boys coach, and he also excelled many years 17
as a girls coach, where he compiled a record of 592-271 across 26 18
H. R. No. 113 *HR26/R2655* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2655
PAGE 2 (OM\KW)
seasons, and until 2002, he masterfully coached both girls and 19
boys; and 20
WHEREAS, Coach Duease, who is a proud Indianola High School, 21
Delta Community College and Mississippi State University graduate, 22
completed his celebrated career with 1,888 wins (1,296 boys and 23
592 girls) with only 725 losses, which is an impressive 72.3 24
winning percentage; and 25
WHEREAS, Coach Duease is retiring with 42 MAIS championships 26
and 16 MAIS Overall Tournament titles (14 boys and two girls), 27
and he has won 1,248 boys' games and 439 girls' games at MRA, and 28
he has won an amazing 10 titles in a 14-year span from 2005 to 29
2018; and 30
WHEREAS, also, while at MRA, Coach Duease led the school to a 31
77-game winning streak from 2008-2011, and guided the program to 32
five consecutive state championships multiple times, which is a 33
testament of his ability to prepare his teams as he broadened the 34
players' knowledge of the game and refined their skills in 35
execution; and 36
WHEREAS, throughout his iconic career, Coach Duease has been 37
named MAIS Coach of the Year over 30 times, and he was inducted 38
into the MAIS Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006; and 39
WHEREAS, yet another magnificent highlight of Coach Duease's 40
career was when he became the career-wins leader in Mississippi, 41
in 2017, when he earned his 1,024th career victory to surpass 42
previous record holder Norris Ashley; and 43
H. R. No. 113 *HR26/R2655* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2655
PAGE 3 (OM\KW)
ST: Coach Richard Duease; commend upon
retirement from Madison-Ridgeland Academy with
third highest win total in high school
basketball history.
WHEREAS, for over half a century, Coach Duease has superbly 44
coached and inspired thousands of young student-athletes as he 45
helped them develop a winning and cooperative spirit as well as a 46
high degree of sportsmanship both on and off the basketball court, 47
and he has served as an inspiration to his students and colleagues 48
throughout his famed career; and 49
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 50
recognize and commend an iconic and legendary coach such as Coach 51
Duease whose incredible 51-year coaching career will stand as a 52
role model and as an inspiration for generations to come: 53
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 54
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 55
commend and congratulate Coach Richard Duease upon his retirement 56
from Madison-Ridgeland Academy as one of the winningest coaches in 57
high school basketball history, and wish him continued success in 58
all his future endeavors. 59
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 60
furnished to Coach Richard Duease, Madison-Ridgeland Academy's 61
Head of School, Termie Land, and to the members of the Capitol 62
Press Corps. 63