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What’s open and closed in Wellesley on Patriot’s Day

April 18, 2026 by admin Leave a Comment

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Boston Marathon, Wellesley

Wellesley municipal buildings and departments will be closed on Monday, April 20 for Patriot’s Day.

Road closures and parking bans: Please see detailed information from the Wellesley Police Department about road closures and parking bans—Roads close at 8:30am in Wellesley on Marathon Monday.

The Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF) and Wellesley Free Libraries will be closed.

Buildings will be open for business on Tuesday, April 21. Please check individual department webpages for specific hours.

Wellesley Public Schools will be closed Monday through Friday next week for April break.

Good luck to all runners, especially those who are running and raising funds for local nonprofits.

Filed Under: Holidays, Sports

     

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Sports

Wellesley Athlete of the Week: Girls’ golf’s Ruby Savarese

April 17, 2026 by admin 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.


Athlete of the Week: Ruby Savarese

 

girls golf champ
Coach Ken Bateman, golfers Ayla Sansone, Sanah Goenka, Denise Pan, Alika Lavu, Jenna Saini, Ruby Savarese (2025 championship photo by Peyton Doyle)

 

Sport: Golf (captain, 11th grade)

When & how you got involved in golf: My father introduced me to golf ever since I was 7 years old. Ever since, I’ve been involved in many junior golf programs including Nehoiden and Kohr golf. Now, I have been working with my coach Burgess Houston for about 3 years.

What you love most about golf: My favorite aspect of this sport is my golf team. My team is so fun to be around and we are all genuinely rooting for each other. High school golf helped me gain even more appreciation for the sport.

Pre-match routine: I always eat a protein bar or a piece of bread before. My mother makes sure of that.

Top goal for this season: My goal for this season is to help the golf team get to States and give our team a good shot at winning it.

Thoughts about this year’s team: The team this year is wonderful. The girls are so, so fun to be around, and I love sharing new moments together. Skill wise, I think we got a promising team and a good shot at winning this year.

An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of: Last year, I was out for majority of the season because I got a stress fracture in my back. However, I was able to make it back for sectionals and states and I am so happy I got the chance to help my team win.

A funny or inspiring story related to your involvement with this team: We share a lot of funny moments on the golf team. My favorite one is when we had a team “dunch” last year after practice. We all squished into a booth at Chipotle. It was so fun, and we talked about music, golf, and pop culture.

Interests outside of golf: I like to play guitar, read, play basketball, draw, and do metals work. My favorite subject has always been English.

What other sports do you play, if any? I used to play basketball.

Coach Ken Bateman on Ruby Savarese: “Ruby was named captain by her teammates, and she is a leader on and off the course. She is invaluable as a captain because she is able to bring everyone together and make them feel like they are part of a team. She encourages her teammates at practice and during matches to play the best they can, and if they do not, she is there to remind them that they did the best they could.  At the same time, she consistently leads our team in scoring on the course.”

(Athletes of the Week are nominated by their coaches.)

Past Athlete of the Week profiles


Deland, Gibson, Wellesley

Filed Under: Athlete of the Week, Sports, Wellesley High School

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Sports

Wellesley middle & high school runners to compete at pre-Boston Marathon races

April 16, 2026 by admin

BAA logoA handful of Wellesley Public Schools student-athletes have been selected to run on Saturday, April 18 in the BAA Middle School 1k and BAA Invitational Scholastic Mile races on the streets around the Boston Marathon finish line.

Boys 1k race

Fleet Taylor, Wellesley Middle School 8th grader. Personal best Mile 5:44. Fishing is his hidden talent, and the mile is his favorite distance to run.

Girls 1k race (event record is 3:14.05 by Abigail Beggans of Wellesley in 2022)

Cora Gibby, Wellesley Middle School 6th grader. Personal best mile is 6:31: She achieved her PB this year at the Harvard Friends and Family kids meet. The 5K is her favorite distance to run.

Maren Tamburelli, Wellesley Middle School 7th grader. She also skis and swims.

Boys Invitational Mile

Sami Juma, Wellesley High School senior. Mile personal best is 4:27.91 . He ran a 15:45 5K (his favorite distance to run), at the Bay State Invitational. He also plays the piano and enjoys 12x400m workouts.

Alex Bonnette, Wellesley High School senior. Mile personal best is 4:32. ompeted at the Bay State cross country championships in 2025. His favorite workout is the 6×800, and his hidden talent is playing the saxophone

Girls Invitational Mile

Eloise Crissman, Wellesley High School junior. Mile personal best is 5:48.10. Eloise’s hidden talent is that she can do a headstand. She also completed a half marathon last spring.

Courtney Edmonds, Wellesley High School senior. Mile personal best is 6:00.4. Courtney’s hidden talent is that she can hold a plank for 11 minutes. She achieved her personal best in the mile during her junior season.

The schedule:

11:00 AM    Girls Middle School 1K Race Start

11:10 AM    Boys Middle School 1K Race Start

11:25 AM    Girls Scholastic Mile Race Start

11:35 AM    Boys Scholastic Mile Race Start

The youth races will be followed by professional runner 1-mile races.


More: Boston Marathon 2026—Wellesley guide

Filed Under: Boston Marathon, Sports, Wellesley High School, Wellesley Middle School

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Wellesley Athlete of the Week: Boys’ volleyball’s Paxton Lee

April 10, 2026 by admin

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.


Athlete of the Week: Paxton Lee (9th grade)

 
Paxton Lee, volleyball player

Sport: Volleyball (setter)

When & how you got involved in volleyball: I started playing volleyball at the age of 11 by doing clinics over the summer. Then I started playing club volleyball at the age of 13.

What you love most about volleyball: Being in club volleyball has allowed me to meet people from across the country. I have built relationships with my teammates that I know will last me a lifetime with the memories that we have created. There is a large sense of camaraderie in volleyball.

Pre-match routine: I listen to music before a game and have a protein bar.

Top goal for this season:  To be a better all around volleyball player and help my team improve and win.

Thoughts about this year’s team:  We are still getting used to each other and we’re getting better with each game.

An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of: My club volleyball team is very successful. We are the highest ranked volleyball team in our age group in New England. The last tournament of this past season I received an All Tournament recognition.

A funny or inspiring story related to your involvement with this team: For me the inspiring story on this team is that I have been able to join the varsity team as a setter being an “undersized” freshmen. A setter is equivalent to being the quarterback of the team and that is a lot of pressure as a freshmen. I hope to come out of this experience being a more vocal and better leader by the end of the season.

Interests outside of volleyball: Outside of volleyball I enjoy playing video games and hanging out with friends.

What other sports do you play, if any? I used to play club and town basketball.

Coaches Carlos Mercado and Vivien Huang: “Paxton has truly earned recognition as Athlete of the Week for his outstanding performance and leadership on the court. As a freshman setter for Wellesley Boys Volleyball, he demonstrates a level of poise, vision, and consistency well beyond his years, making smart decisions and elevating the play of everyone around him. His experience competing at the club level with the 15s National Team has clearly shaped his high-level skill set and competitive mindset. Volleyball has been part of Paxton’s life from an early age, inspired by his family’s deep roots in 9-man volleyball, and that passion shines through in every match he plays. With his strong work ethic and natural feel for the game, Paxton is already making a significant impact. We look forward to seeing how he continues to grow and contribute throughout the rest of this season and the years ahead of his high school career.”

(Athletes of the Week are nominated by their coaches.)

Past Athlete of the Week profiles


Deland, Gibson, Wellesley

Filed Under: Athlete of the Week, Sports

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My Gym opens in Wellesley Square with activities for babies and kids

April 5, 2026 by Deborah Brown

The landscape of youth fitness in Wellesley has a new addition as energetic as a kid before recess. My Gym Children’s Fitness Center has officially opened its doors, offering active play experiences and classes for children from as young as three months up to 10 years old. Located at the former We Rock the Spectrum space in Wellesley Square, My Gym, with over 600 franchised locations worldwide, is all about physical play and developmental growth.

My Gym, Wellesley
The Swellesley Report stopped into My Gym during one of the play spaces rare quiet moments.

Under the leadership of Ryan Debin, CEO and founder of Momentum Enterprises, this new location marks the eleventh My Gym under his corporate umbrella. Debin’s Momentum Enterprises, a Boston-based firm, includes a variety of fitness-oriented ventures such as adult fitness clubs and racquet sports. For Debin, the Wellesley opening is more than just a business expansion.

“Opening our eleventh My Gym location in Wellesley is an exciting milestone for Momentum Enterprises,” says Debin. “Everything we do is rooted in helping families feel connected, supported, and inspired.”

Let’s keep it moving, people

The core philosophy of My Gym is simple: keep kids moving. The curriculum is structured so that there is no sitting or waiting in line. Instead, children rotate through various stations with active supervision from trained instructors.

“Every kid loves the ball pit,” says Craig Semenza, director of operations. “The rock wall is a big hit with the older kids, and we also have the trampoline, which they love.” Semenza says a zip line is expected to be operational by the end of the month, pending the arrival of final safety components.

My Gym, Wellesley
Ball pit

Semenza is currently overseeing the Wellesley start-up, hiring staff and establishing the fun-and-safe vibe of the place. He’ll drop down from a full-time presence in Wellesley to occasional visits before he “slowly fades away” to allow the local team to lead.

Healthy body, healthy mind

The programming at My Gym is built around four core developmental pillars:

  • Cognitive Development:Focusing on following directions and creative problem-solving.
  • Physical Growth:Promoting strength, balance, and agility.
  • Emotional IQ: Building trust, confidence, and self-esteem.
  • Social Skills: Moving from parallel play to teamwork and fostering friendships.

For the youngest participants, the gym serves as a resource for caretakers as well. Semenza observed that parents and guardians often use the class time to discuss learning milestones and share parenting insights.

My Gym, Wellesley

Class structure and accessibility

To ensure safety and personalized attention, My Gym maintains capacity strict limits and instructor ratios. The facility is designed to be family-friendly, welcoming grandparents to participate or watch. There’s also a comfortable entry area with a sofa for parents who need to catch up on work while their children play.

There are no long-term contracts or membership fees, and families can start or pause their enrollment at any time.

For more information on class schedules or to book an introductory session, check out My Gym’s website.

My Gym, Wellesley
Rock wall/parallel bar

Filed Under: Business, Kids, Sports

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‘Play Ball’: Heading to Fenway from Wellesley on Opening Day

April 3, 2026 by Bob Brown

The trains headed through Wellesley were filled with Red Sox fans on Friday afternoon for Opening Day at Fenway. The Sox delivered, with a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres.

fenway train wellesley hills
Photo courtesy of Erry Johnson
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Mr. Swellesley’s remote work site

Filed Under: Sports

Sports

French soccer ‘bleus’: World Cup team not training in Wellesley after all

March 25, 2026 by Bob Brown

Reports surfaced early this year—including here—that the French World Cup soccer team, Les Bleus, had chosen Babson College as its training site. However, reports out of France’s L’Equipe newspaper this week say it looked as if the team would train instead at Bentley University in Waltham.

And indeed, Bentley announced on March 26 that this would be the case. “Bentley University will welcome the French national football team, l’Équipe de France de Football, to campus this June as its official Team Base Camp Training Site for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The decision positions Bentley and the city of Waltham on the global sports stage as one of the world’s most celebrated soccer teams prepares for the tournament.”

fffBabson declined to comment on the original reports of the soccer team coming here in January. We reached out again earlier this week for comment on the latest, but did not hear back.

The French Football Federation in January said it had chosen Babson College as its home base for this summer’s FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. It posted a video showing FFF officials touring the grounds at the Wellesley business school.

Their arrival would have created both excitement and public safety challenges in town.

Les Bleus—led by star player Kylian Mbappé—is set to play Norway at the rebranded Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 26 as part of the opening group stage World Cup matches.

France and Brazil actually have a friendly match slated for this Thursday in Foxborough.

This article was updated on March 27, 2026 with confirmation from Bentley about the news.

Filed Under: Sports

Down Under School of Yoga opens in Wellesley

March 18, 2026 by Deborah Brown

SPONSORED CONTENT: Step into Down Under Yoga in Wellesley—a studio where movement, recovery, and community come together under one roof. Move through the multi-room space, which offers Hot Power and Vinyasa yoga, barre and strength training, Pilates Reformer classes, a Finnish sauna, invigorating ice showers, and a red light recovery suite designed to support your body in every phase of wellness.

Down Under Yoga, Wellesley
Down Under Yoga check in area. Pilates studio, right

What sets Down Under apart is its people, and its inclusivity. A powerhouse faculty—deeply committed to the craft of teaching and the strength of community—brings each class to life with intention and care.

For nearly two decades, Down Under has stayed true to a simple mission: to offer comfort, inspire reflection, and ignite movement through yoga and fitness. That purpose is felt in every detail, every class, every teacher, every room.

In Wellesley, an experienced team of  instructors carries that vision forward. With a focus on alignment, flow, and stillness, they welcome each student with openness, whether you’re stepping onto the mat for the first time or returning for your thousandth practice.

“You’ll notice throughout the studio there are no Buddha heads, no religious iconography. It’s meant to be a very welcoming space to all,” says Justine Wiltshire Cohen, owner of the Wellesley studio. Down Under also has two locations in Cambridge, one in Newton, and one in Boston’s South End.

Down Under Yoga, Wellesley
Yoga studio. “The light in all of these rooms is just gorgeous,” says Justine Wiltshire Cohen,” owner of Down Under.

Down Under Yoga, Wellesley

Located at 159 Linden Street, this newest studio is more than a place to work out. It’s a place to belong. It’s where you show up, roll out your mat, meet new teachers, and reconnect with yourself and others. It’s the kind of community that feels like home.

The class schedule is now live, and if you haven’t visited yet, contact Down Under Yoga for a free class at the Wellesley location.

Down Under Yoga, Wellesley
Sauna for sweat and relaxation.

Filed Under: Business, Sports

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