Senate Resolution No. 869 BY: Senator TEDISCO HONORING John DeMeo upon the occasion of his induction into the Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame on September 11, 2023 WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to those outstanding athletes who inspired and brought pride to their school and community by achieving outstanding success in competition, attaining unprecedented success and the highest level of personal achievement; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor John DeMeo upon the occasion of his induction into the Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame, to be celebrated at its Athletic Hall of Fame and Reunion Dinner on Monday, September 11, 2023, at Rivers Casino and Resort, Schenectady, New York; and 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 development of the young people of this State, preparing them for the future 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, An outstanding four-sport athlete at Mont Pleasant High School, John DeMeo was an All-Area running back and the all-time leading scorer in the history of Mont Pleasant football with 168 points; and WHEREAS, John DeMeo won two Section II wrestling championships and finished fourth in the 1974 NYSPHSAA Championships, compiling an unbeaten record in dual meets as a junior and senior; and WHEREAS, As an accomplished track and field athlete, John DeMeo ran on Mont Pleasant's 440-yard relay teams that won the Eddy Meet championships in 1972 and 1973; and WHEREAS, John DeMeo also demonstrated skills on the baseball diamond as a 1974 Class "A" League All-Star; and WHEREAS, John DeMeo spent his collegiate career as a member of SUNY Brockport's 1977 NCAA Division III wrestling championship team, while qualifying Individually, for the 1977 NCAA Tournament; and WHEREAS, As a two-time Greco-Roman All-American wrestler, John DeMeo also qualified for the 1976 Olympic Final Trials (freestyle) and for the 1979 Final Trials for the U.S. Pan American Games team; and WHEREAS, John DeMeo proudly and patriotically represented the United States at the 1980 Aschaffenburg International Tournament in West Germany and is a member of the Section II Wrestling Hall of Fame; and WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion presents a unique opportunity for this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to John DeMeo for his extraordinary athletic accomplishments which are a tribute to his skill, dedication, and commitment; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individuals of such outstanding athletic accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor John DeMeo upon the occasion of his induction into the Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame on September 11, 2023; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to John DeMeo, and the Schenectady City School District Athletic Hall of Fame.