Rockford Sun

State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) recently congratulated the Chicago Sky for its clinching the WNBA championship.

“We took a brief break today from the partisan and divisive issues being debated in Springfield to come together to congratulate the Chicago Sky on their 2021 WNBA championship,” Keicher posted on Facebook in the wake of the team recently earning the franchise’s first WNBA title. “It was a moment of unity and celebration that we need more of in Illinois. Congratulations to these remarkable women, their coaches and fans.”

Keicher isn’t the only Illinois politician reveling in the team’s accomplishments, with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declaring the team's triumph will go down as one of the biggest in the city’s sports history.

"Thank you for being here to celebrate one of the most important moments in sports history," Lightfoot told a crowd gathered at Millennium Park for a team rally. “They persevered. That’s a lesson for all of us. That if you work hard. If you come together as a team, you can get it done."

Lightfoot singled out savvy Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot for special praise.

"As an old point guard myself, I watch her and marvel. If there’s a better point guard in basketball, men or women, I haven’t met them,” she added.

Both from the Chicagoland area, star forward Candace Parker (Naperville Central) and guard Allie Quigley (Joliet Catholic Academy) were also instrumental in helping to drive the Sky to an 8-2 postseason run after the team went 16-16 over the regular season.  

Now nearing his fourth year of serving in the 70th District, Keicher was also recently recognized by the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) for his work in Springfield that includes taking a stand against a bill that would have reclassified nearly professional-grade fireworks as novelty items.

On Oct. 7, the ISFA presented Keicher with the Life Safety Award.

"Honored to be awarded the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Award today," Keicher wrote in a tweet. "Thank you for all your work!!"

Keicher was nominated for the award by the IFSA’s Margaret Vaughn, who said in a press release, "We were very fortunate to have Rep. Keicher educating legislators at the statehouse on how bad the bill was and was prepared to speak against it during the floor debate." .

The bill ultimately advanced to the House floor, but never made it for a vote during the final hours of the last session.