LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating the Albany Metro Mallers upon the
occasion of capturing the 2008 Consensus National Championship of minor
league football

WHEREAS, Excellence and success in competitive sports can be achieved
only through strenuous practice, team play and team spirit, nurtured by
dedicated coaching and strategic planning; and
WHEREAS, Athletic competition enhances the moral and physical develop-
ment of the people of this State, by instilling in them the value of
teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy living, imparting a desire
for success and developing a sense of fair play and competition; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is proud to congratulate the
Albany Metro Mallers upon the occasion of capturing the 2008 Consensus
National Championship of minor league football; and
WHEREAS, The Albany Metro Mallers are a minor league, or adult
amateur, football team located in Albany, New York; adult amateur foot-
ball is played by nearly 1,300 clubs across the United States and Cana-
da; the Mallers participate at the AAA level, the highest level of
amateur football in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Tracing its lineage in the Capital District of New York back
to 1972, the term "Mallers" pays homage to the workers involved in the
construction of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, known as
the "South Mall" in those days; and
WHEREAS, On January 17, 2009, the Albany Metro Mallers captured the
2008 Consensus National Championship of minor league football by defeat-
ing the Prince William Monarchs of Virginia by a score of 33-8 in the
USFA/MLFN National Championship game held in DeLand, Florida; and
WHEREAS, Winning the Northeastern Football Alliance (NFA) league title
and the regional tournament, Harvest Bowl XII, on their way to the
national championship, the Albany Metro Mallers compiled a 16-3 record
during the season; and
WHEREAS, The NFA includes 12 teams from across New York State--from
the Albany and Troy area to the Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo area;
during the Mallers playoff run, they defeated teams from Troy, Lyndon-
ville, Syracuse, and Brooklyn, New York, as well as teams from Milford,
Connecticut, and Prince William County, Virginia; and
WHEREAS, The Albany Metro Mallers are staffed by local residents:
owner, Frank Rogers; General Manager, Sharon Barbagallo; Head Coach,
Chris Brown; Assistant Coach and Director of Communications, Steve Trot-
ter; in addition, either by birth or relocation, the Mallers' players
are mostly from the Capital Region; and
WHEREAS, The exceptional athletes of the Albany Metro Mallers receive
no compensation; they are young men from the local community who play in
front of their family and friends for the love of the game; they are the
future educational, economic, and political leaders in their region,
whose achievements deserve to be recognized in order to help them become
positive role models to younger men and women in their community; and
WHEREAS, The hallmarks of the Albany Metro Mallers, from the opening
game of the season to their championship triumph, were a brotherhood of
athletic ability, an unbeatable combination of talents, and a dedication
to winning that reflected favorably on their team, league and community;
and
WHEREAS, Sports competition instills the values of teamwork, pride and
accomplishment; the Albany Metro Mallers' outstanding athletes have
clearly made a contribution to the spirit of excellence which is their
tradition; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the Albany Metro Mallers upon the occasion of capturing the
2008 Consensus National Championship of minor league football; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the members, coaches, and staff of the Albany Metro Mallers.