Massena Silver and Black Raiders

The Massena Silver & Black Raiders were started in theory in 2006 by Christopher Morin at the end of the 2006 EFL season with the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers.

The Trailblazers brought back Semi-Pro football in 2002 with Mike Britton's dream of having a team from the north country in the Empire Football League. In actuality in 2001 Christopher Morin thought about a football team in northern NY after seeing a Watertown Red and Black sports clip on the news.

Chris thought about trying out for the Red and Black but didn't want to take that hour and a half drive to Watertown. So the thought of a team up north was just a thought, until he saw what he was looking for in the Massena Courier Observer just a few days later an ad for a semi-pro football team forming in St. Lawrence County. In 2002 Chris played for the St. Lawrence Valley Trailblazers who went to their very first game with just 23 dedicated, play for the LOVE of the game, individuals and 1 dedicated, everything for the game, head coach Mike Britton. Trailblazers lost that game 0-21 to the Orange County Bulldogs from Monroe NY just 45 minutes out of NY city.

After the 5th year, 2006 with the Trailblazers, Chris Morin had an idea to start his own team in Massena since the Trailblazers were based in Potsdam just 20 minutes south. Having alot to do with sports in the Massena community Chris figured there was enough talent in the north country to fuel both these teams.

Chris waited and watched the Trailblazers for the 2007 season and figured it was time, he called the New York Amatuer Football League (NYAFL) in late fall to find out what was needed to put a team in their league, since the EFL had a 50 mile radius for teams and Canadian teams which has caused some problems of getting across the border with a full roster on game day. Which both together was a big factor in choosing the NYAFL.

After being accepted into the NYAFL now the NFA, the Trailblazers were acceptd at the same time. A special rule was put in just as a favor to head coach Mike Britton. Any player that played for the Trailblazers in 2007 could not play for the Massena Silver & Black Raiders. This rule was put in to help the Trailblazers keep a team. The actual rule is just supposed to be for existing NYAFL teams. Any new teams that go into a league are not suppose to have rosters but MIke Britton got his way to try and stop guys from playing, it was either play for him or not play for 2 years because the ban was put in for 2 years. He was trying to force guys to play for him or not play at all. The Massena Silver & Black Raiders were gonna stick up for these players so they decided to withdraw from the NFA so players could play where they wish. They did this for the players and communities. This level of play is for the love of the game. No player gets paid so after their contracts are up after their last game with that team they become free agents. To have a team jump leagues to go into the same league as a new team to try and keep his team together by force is uncalled for. The Massena Silver & Black Raiders are for ALL. We are here to build a tradition and our own history.

As a die hard Oakland Raiders fan Chris thought of first calling it the Upstate Silver & Black, but soon settled on the Massena Silver & Black Raiders in early Jan. of 2008. It just seemed to click. Once people heard of a possible team in the Massena area Morin started recieving calls from interested players and coaches. It wasn't until Morin was interviewed by the Watertown Daily Times that everything took off, then Mel Busler from wwnytv7 called and aired that the Massena Silver & Black Raiders were organizing in the area. Within the first week of media attention Morin had compiled a list of some 60 individuals that were interested in playing, coaching or helping out the team.

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