Wellesley sports: Reidy field due for new scoreboard; 8th grader Bella Gopen wins tennis title; Super Sox fan; Wellesley lax all-stars in A Shot for Life games

February 1, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass. sports news:

Reidy field due for new scoreboard

Wellesley Youth Baseball & Softball is seeking to replace the scoreboard at Reidy Field that was installed in 2007 when the field was renovated.

“We have been nursing our old scoreboard along since 2016, but it finally ‘bit the dust’ in 2021,” says organization admin Ann Williams.

The new board wouldn’t have any “fancy bells and whistles,” but would just include the basics such as home and away scoring, balls, strikes, etc. The hope is to have it in place by opening day, April 24.

The subject is on the Natural Resources Commission agenda for its Feb. 2 meeting.

ALCubs_17Champs-1000x429 — The Reidy Field scoreboard all lit up in better days (2017)

8th grader Bella Gopen wins tennis championship

With her recent United States Tennis Association New England 14-and under Sectional Championship win, Wellesley Middle School 8th grader Bella Gopen has become one of the top young players around.

Gopen didn’t just win the Sectional Championship this year—she dominated at the Jan. 13-15 event at Concord’s Thoreau Club. The Wellesley resident made the finals a year ago as a first-year 14-and-under player, so expectations were high. She handled it by not dropping a set.

Gopen started hitting the ball around with her mom at the age of 8. Now 14, Gopen has been playing USTA competitive tennis since she was 11, and is competing both regionally and nationally.

This past December, she traveled to Tuscon to play in the USTA Winter Nationals LI, where she and doubles partner Sasha Miroshnichenko (Southlake, Texas) reached the quarterfinals of the girls 14 doubles.

“I love the competition aspect of tennis and problem solving on the court,” Gopen says. “I also love my tennis friends who understand the hard work and sacrifice this sport entails to do well.”

Strengths for Gopen are her consistency and “patience to move the ball until I get the right one to be aggressive and put away with my forehand or at net.” Running down balls and playing tough defense are also signature skills.

Off the court, Gopen loves to cook and hang out with her friends and family.

Super Sox fan Lynne Smith gets AARP’s attention

Wellesley’s Lynne Smith, she of the eye-catching Red Sox outfits, is among the fans over 50 highlighted in an AARP online magazine article. While others obsess over Harry Styles or The Sopranos, Smith (and husband Gary) are huge Sox fans, and Lynne wears her devotion on her sleeve and pretty much everywhere else.

“A few years ago, the Red Sox made me a special ambassador, and I can go anywhere in the park. It’s a magical place, and fans like to get their picture taken with the Hat Lady. I once calculated that I’ve been in about 10,000 photos,” she tells AARP.

Lynne Smith, Fenway Hat Lady, Wellesley — Wellesley’s Lynne Smith, with ex-Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley

Wellesley lacrosse all-stars tapped to play in A Shot for Life game

Wellesley residents Charlie Hazard (Belmont Hill) and Avery Mather (Dana Hall) have been selected to participate in a lacrosse all-star game dubbed A Shot for Life that raises funds for the Mass General Cancer Center. A Shot for Life events also include other sports, including baseball, softball, basketball, and soccer.

This cause is of special interest to Mather, whose mother Heather says Avery’s grandmother has been successfully treated at MGH. “So this lacrosse fundraising seemed like the perfect confluence of interests for her.”

The Clash Against Cancer games will be played later in February (the girls’ game is on Feb. 26 at Union Point in Weymouth).

More: Wellesley’s 2023 Boston Marathon charity runners

Wellesley charity runners: Share your Boston Marathon profile

January 25, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

We’ve created a page where we will post profiles of those from Wellesley who are taking part in the 2023 Boston Marathon on April 18 for a charity as well as those who are running for a Wellesley charity.

Fill out this form if you’d like for us to include your bio and a link to your fundraising page on our site.

We’re also happy to hear from others who will be taking part in the race in any way if you’ve got a great story to tell: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

More: Charities awarded marathon bibs by Wellesley

Wellesley Athlete of the Week: Wrestling’s Darren Jimenez

January 24, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.

Pregame Rituals: Keep to myself and listen to my pump-up playlist

School/Sports Balance: Strict schedule, get everything done ASAP, no wasted time

Fun Fact about Wrestling: Way more conditioning than people think

Goal for the Season: I want to make states

Darren Jimenez is a versatile Wellesley High School athlete. In the fall, he starts as an inside linebacker for the football team, and in the winter, he is one off the wrestling team’s top performers. Coming off of a victory over Milton, where Jimenez remained undefeated (4-0), the Raiders’ wrestling squad (4-7) hopes to continue its winning streak for a chance to compete at states.

Jimenez has worked to become a vital piece to this Raiders team, but he almost chose a different path.

During his sophomore football season, Jimenez played on the D-Line, where he got to know Chris Sywetz, an assistant coach. As the season closed, Jimenez went to see Coach Sywetz, curious about an off-season workout plan. When Sywetz first recommended wrestling, Jimenez was skeptical, fearing he could hurt himself. After several attempts, Sywetz convinced Jimenez to try wrestling that winter.

Coach Sywetz himself was a highly decorated wrestler. He originally got into wrestling for the same reasons as Jimenez: He wanted to stay in shape for football. Having wrestled in high school, Sywetz saw how much it helped him on the football field. After playing football at Bryant University, Sywetz joined the Framingham High wrestling staff as an assistant in 2016, where he stayed until he landed the head coaching job at Wellesley in 2021.

Given his experience, Sywetz can judge what makes a successful wrestler. Jimenez has impressed Sywetz: “I selected Darren Jimenez for Athlete of the Week because he has that ‘it’ factor coaches look for in athletes.”

The “it” factor refers to intangible qualities that include work ethic, commitment, focus, and leadership. It is essential for an athlete to be internally motivated to possess the “it” factor. They must be able to do extra workouts on their own and not care if anyone finds out how much time they are devoting to getting better. They must be able to play harder than everyone when things get tough. Jimenez’s natural instincts, innate abilities, and constant desire for success have helped him excel in a sport that he hasn’t participated in for very long.

Jimenez has already seen progress, according to Sywetz, “After coming out last year in hopes of becoming a better football player, he’s transformed his body while shaving off the baby fat and packing on the muscle.”

Sywetz further expounded on Jimenez’s commitment: “He is also a fierce competitor.”

He has the unique ability to flip a switch, going from calm to locked in. Jimenez’s acute focus allows him to elevate his performance on the mat while also inspiring his teammates to work harder.

Praising Jimenez’s leadership, Sywetz said, “He’s the glue to the team.” Although only a junior, so many look up to him on the mat and also in how he interacts with others. “As a kind kid, he always tries to bring people together; he never wants a rub between teammates.”

Sywetz also lauded how Jimenez has helped to rebuild the Wellesley wrestling team. “Darren has had numerous moments of being a great leader at the high school, but none more special than what he’s doing with the wrestling program. As he helps Wellesley build back their struggling wrestling program, he’s creating a team where hard work, focus, and respect are the core values.”

Finally, Sywetz noted how Jimenez’s grit has helped him dominate this year. He mentioned how countless times Jimenez rallied during tough matches to help seal the victory for Wellesley. Although Jimenez had many memorable moments, Sywetz’s favorite came during Jimenez’s match against Milton. “He was going back and forth until Darren went into beast mode and dominated his opponent. Pinning the other athlete and following it with a grand gesture of emotion, flexing his muscles and letting out a big scream. That was when I knew Darren would be a great wrestler.”

Proud of his rise to become one of the best wrestlers in the MIAA Bay State Conference, Jimeniz said:, “I hope that I can continue to win my matches, not only for my record but most importantly, so that our team can continue to emerge victorious.”

Jimenez expressed gratitude for his peers. He said he would not have achieved his success to date if it weren’t for his “teammates and coaches who push me to get better every day. Even when I feel like I can’t give it anymore, they instill belief in me that I can conquer anything in my way.”

Article written by John Battaglino, Bradford ‘24

Sounding off on Wellesley pickleball noise

January 3, 2023 by Bob Brown 12 Comments

The increased popularity of pickleball in Wellesley has prompted various town bodies (Recreation, Natural Resources Commission, School Committee) to respond by making more court time available indoors and by carving out places to play on existing outdoor sports courts, such as at Sprague Fields and Perrin Park.

The rise of pickleball has presented territorial challenges, as the pickleball players share space previously used only for tennis or basketball, and the town has attempted to manage this situation by using an online reservation system.

The latest pickleball issue to get the Recreation Commission’s attention is the noise generated by the hard plastic balls smacking against the paddles, in addition to the players’ voices.

Neighbors of the pickleball courts at the Sprague Fields brought their concerns to the Wellesley Recreation Commission at its Oct. 13 meeting (about 4 minutes into the Wellesley Media recording). Neighbor John Maccini described the pickleball noise as being “very loud, it’s annoying, it’s intrusive, I can hear it in every room in my house. I’m sitting out on my new porch trying to read something and I really can’t concentrate.” He surveyed neighbors, including those the nearby townhouses, and found that the noise is also bothering them. “I don’t think anybody on those boards [Recreation, School Committee] had any idea how noisy pickleball is,” he said, adding his wish that the pickleball courts be moved to the Hunnewell tennis courts along Washington Street.

Recreation Commission Chair Paul Cramer said during the meeting the Wellesley High Athletic Department is against converting any Hunnewell courts for pickleball use, though notes this could be revisited.

Maccini also questioned why the pickleball courts were marked off on the southerly end of the courts area, closest to the homes, again suggesting that town bodies hadn’t really considered the potential for noise.

sprague pickleball — Pickleball on far court, tennis on near court at Sprague Fields

While this is yet another case where observers have said “You live near X, you should expect noise, traffic, or whatever,” it’s also true that pickleball has only emerged in recent years, long after some residents moved in. Some Sprague Fields neighbors feel under siege of late, with plans for a lacrosse rebound wall also generating opposition (though proponents claim the noise from this will be surprisingly unobtrusive).

The Recreation Commission picked up the pickleball noise issue at its Nov. 29 meeting (just before the 26-minute mark of the Wellesley Media recording) and said part of its response could involve restricting playing times, including using its online reservation system to make Sprague courts available only after others are filled.

But it also discussed possible use of a noise mitigation panels that could be hung from the fencing around a section of the courts. This has been used in Burlington, Mass., where the Recreation & Parks department told Cramer the noise abatement effort has worked pretty well. According to the vendor, the noise protection would work better for those on the same level as the courts as opposed to those uphill from them. The panels could cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“It does seem that pickleball in some way is here to stay,” said Cramer, suggesting longer-term plans should be developed. This could involve finding a spot for dedicated courts away from homes and maybe even exploring covered courts.

Recreation Director Matt Chin suggested another public hearing on this issue is likely to get input from neighbors and pickleball players.

Separately, Department of Public Works Director Dave Cohen mentioned during the Board of Public Works meeting on Dec. 13 that it is deferring by a year work to resurface the Hunnewell tennis courts as part of budget planning (in in light of rising costs to do the job). Related to that, Cohen said there has been discussion to repurpose the practice wall at the Hunnewell tennis courts as a separate pickleball court, but that no final decision had been made on this.

Here, by the way, is what Weston has planned on the pickleball court front.

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Happy winter solstice, Wellesley

December 21, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

A group of about 30 runners and a very fast dog ran 3 loops around the Elm Bank Reservation road on Wednesday morning to celebrate winter solstice for the 12th year in a row.

This crew, which started its run at 7am, will get to maximize its daylight consumption on the shortest day of the year.

The run was followed by coffee, chatting, and delicious homemade breakfast bars. But no sledding like in some past years.

You’ve got 6 months to train for the summer solstice edition.

winter solstice run — The starting/finish line

Racist incident reported at Wellesley High away game

December 13, 2022 by admin

The following memo was shared by Wellesley Public School administrators with only the school community on Tuesday regarding an incident that took place following an away game for the Wellesley High girls’ basketball team. We thank readers for sharing it with us, so that we can make others in the town aware of the situation:

Dear Members of the WPS Community:

We are writing to inform you of an upsetting incident that occurred over the weekend involving one of our high school student athletes. Following an away game, one of the members of a Wellesley High School team was the target of a racist incident instigated by two students from Medway High School, which was hosting the game.

Our student reported, and the principal of Medway High has corroborated, that the students approached our student in the parking lot after the game, knelt down on one knee, and raised a fist in the air in a way that was clearly an act of racism. The Medway principal and members of his staff have expressed sincere concern and regret for the students’ behavior and have worked closely with us to gather the facts and take quick action. The two students have been identified, and Medway administrators are addressing their behavior.

At WPS, we have taken the appropriate steps, in accordance with the district’s practice when responding to bias incidents involving students. We have met with our student and family and are only offering details of the incident with their support. In accordance with WPS policy and the privacy requests of the student and family, we ask that the community respect their privacy as we would for all students.

We commend our student for immediately reporting this incident to their coach, which allowed all parties to quickly work over the weekend to both investigate the behavior and bring it to light. We appreciate the care, concern and swift action shown by Medway High School and district leadership. In addition, the incident has been reported to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), which actively encourages districts to report any bias-based incidents that occur around sporting events.

As a school community that strives to live up to its core values, we are deeply saddened when one of our community members is targeted based on their identity. Along with our colleagues in Medway, we will continue to work to ensure that all of our students feel safe and supported, both within our community and while representing our districts.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Lussier, Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Jorge Allen, Interim Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Dr. Jamie Chisum, Wellesley High School Principal

John Brown, Athletic Director

(Update: 12/21/22):

The following is a statement from Medway Public Schools Superintendent Armand Pires and High School Principal John Murray issued on Dec. 20

Medway High School administrators were notified Friday night, Dec. 9 by Wellesley High School of an incident that occurred following Friday’s girls varsity basketball game.

It was reported that two Medway High School students knelt and raised their fists in the air – a gesture typically associated with racial justice movements – at a student of color from Wellesley as the student passed them. No words were exchanged.

Upon receiving the report, we immediately launched an internal investigation into the matter. We have been in contact with our counterparts at Wellesley Public Schools throughout this process. We also contacted the Medway Police Department and reported the matter to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).

Medway High School administrators have identified the individuals involved and are taking appropriate measures in partnership with the Wellesley schools to engage in restorative practices focused on repairing the harm caused by this incident and fostering reconciliation between our students and the victim.

We work to create an atmosphere where all students – whether they attend Medway High School or are visiting our school – feel safe, supported and welcomed. This type of behavior is unacceptable and has no place in our schools, at school events or in our community.

Yes, in Wellesley, we can ‘imagine getting passed by this dude’

December 9, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley’s David Westenberg, age 65, last weekend ran an indoor mile in a time of 5:10.61, breaking the American record for that distance in the 65-69 age group.

While the attorney runs plenty of “masters” races, he broke the USA Track & Field record on Saturday at a college track meet at Boston University (“49 college kids, plus me”).

“In college meets like this one the kids are so much faster I often end up running largely alone, making it harder to run a fast time,” Westenberg writes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Heartbreak (@heartbreak.run)

Westenberg describes himself as having been “a decent D3 runner in college.” He never set any records or won any significant championships. He quit running for almost 40 years before reappearing on the racing scene.

In 2019, Westenberg broke the American record in the road mile: “just what it sounds like—a one-mile road race on a flat loop course meeting USATF requirements) for the 60-64 age group that record has since been broken by another guy.”

Now a tad older, Westenberg has his sights set on a few more records in the 65-69 age group in coming months.

The Instagram post embedded above (note: it mistakenly lists the runner’s age as 64, not 65) has been viewed tens of thousands of times and generated what Westenberg terms some funny comments, such as “imagine getting passed by this dude.”

If you run in the area, you probably have been passed by him by now.