Dave Hamilton of Boston!

What does being a Hall of Famer mean to you?

Being a Hall of Famer is means a lot to me.  It's an honor to be included in the list of the other Hall of Famer's who have given so much over the years to the NGFFL, Gay Bowl, and their local league.  I had no idea I was even nominated which makes it even more special knowing that there are others who value my contributions.

What made you decide to “come out and play” in the NGFFL?

I played football for 1 year in high school.  I was a late bloomer.  I found out about the local Boston league through a friend and joined immediately.  When I heard that there was a national organization and championship tournament I was excited to join and get a taste of the increased level of competition.  My first Gay Bowl was Gay Bowl V in San Diego.  I have played in most of them since.

What is your favorite NGFFL memory so far?

I have to say it was in Boston last year when we were able to surprise everyone with Robert Kraft's attendance and the great speech that he gave.  Although, the very first Gay Bowl I played in was pretty special too.

How did the NGFFL make you feel included in the sports community?

Since the very first tournament that I played in, the NGFFL has definitely made me feel welcome into a much larger community.  It is made up of so many great people across the US and Canada.  Without the NGFFL, I would not have had the opportunity to play and captain 3 different teams and had the honor of being co-chair for Gay Bowl Boston.  Thank you so much!

Given the mission/vision of NGFFL: “To proudly foster community, camaraderie, and inclusivity by providing opportunities to engage in competition through flag football” – how do you plan to use your new moniker as Hall of Famer to embody this mission/vision?

I would like to think that I personally embody those and promote that in our local league as well.   I plan to use this to show our local league that what we do is much bigger than Boston and that we are all part of that larger community that should all embrace those values.

What has been the most encouraging NGFFL advancement since you came out to play?

I would have to say the addition of the Women's division and a continued focus on that and the broader outreach to be as inclusive as possible.

What is one manner in which you would like to see the NGFFL advance over the next few years?

Continue to focus on giving back to the communities that we play in.  

Do you have any advice for new players?

Yes, embrace the mission/vision of the NGFFL.  When we all get together to play we all want to be very competitive and to win. But, let's not lose sight of being respectful of all. Pick up someone else's flag once in a while.  Acknowledge a good play by someone on the opposite team.

Do you still have any personal goals you wish to accomplish in the NGFFL?

Win a championship, of course.

Team Swift, Team Perry or Queen Bey – and why?

All amazing, but has to be Queen Bey. She was in a very successful group, has an amazing solo career, she's an amazing dancer, is a producer, golden globe nominated actress, has her own fashion company and is a mom.