Senate Resolution No. 2028 BY: Senator TEDISCO CONGRATULATING the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team and Head Coach Megan James upon the occasion of capturing the 2024 New York State 4 x 400 Relay Federation Championship WHEREAS, Individual and team championships are highly sought after in high school sports; this Legislative Body commends rare athletic achievements and pays special recognition to those who pursue such excellence and become examples for the youth of this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Athletic competition helps to enhance both the moral and physical development of young athletes, preparing them for the future by instilling in them the importance of teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy living, and developing a sense of fair play and competition; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team and Head Coach Megan James upon the occasion of capturing the 2024 New York State 4 x 400 Relay Federation Championship on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, New York; and WHEREAS, These are not uncharted waters for the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team which won its second consecutive state title at the Indoor States Competition; and WHEREAS, Demonstrating speed and superlative teamwork, the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School foursome won the State and Federation titles with an impressive time of 3:54.76, breaking their own school and Section II records of 3:55.72 that had been set in the preliminary race on the same day, both of which had bettered the previous school record mark of 3:56.47 from 2023 and the Section II record of 3:57.70 from 2007; and WHEREAS, Proudly donning the school's colors of maroon and white, family, friends, and the community at large loyally supported the Spartans throughout their journey as the team also finished first at the New York State Section II State Qualifier meet and first at the Section II, Division II Championship meet; and WHEREAS, In a sport, such as track and field, which demands speed, agility, and mental fortitude, Head Coach Megan James and her skilled coaching staff worked hard to hone the skills of this championship team, teaching these outstanding athletes lessons which will prove invaluable both on and off the course; and WHEREAS, Head Coach Megan James and all of the outstanding athletes on the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team have clearly utilized dedication, determination, and teamwork in providing a lasting contribution to the spirit of excellence which is a tradition of their school; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate the members of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team: Julia James, Adalyn Wood, Cassidy Robleno, Alexandra O'Rourke, and Mia Paolino; Head Coach Megan James; and Assistant Coaches Matt Shell and Eric Freestone on their truly legendary and successful season; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the members of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Girls Relay Team, Head Coach Megan James, the aforementioned Assistant Coaches, Athletic Director Joe Scalise, Principal Timothy Brunson, and Superintendent Patrick McGrath, Jr.