Wellesley Athlete of the Week: Lily Jin

December 3, 2021 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: Lily Jin

Sport: Cross Country/Track and Field

Year: Sophomore

Pump-Up Song: Salute by Little Mix or New Romantics by Taylor Swift

Favorite Class: Pre-Calculus

Siblings: Younger brother in seventh grade

Lily Jin started running in middle school, when after the mini marathon in sixth grade she realized she could run longer distances, and was fast as well. She soon joined the local Waltham Track Club, where she began running competitively.

“I didn’t even know competitive running was a thing,” she said, “but I really liked it so I continued on the middle school track and cross country teams and then at the high school.”

Last year, Jin made it to the All-State Championship during the outdoor track season in the mile race, which she cites as her greatest athletic accomplishment. Not only did she just participate, she came eleventh in the state with a 5:09 mile as just a freshman.

lily jin — Wellesley High School sophomore Lily Jin had a standout cross country season, most recently placing sixth at the Division 1 All-State Championship. Photo courtesy of Bay State Running.

This year, the girls’ cross country team came third in the state with Jin as their top runner. Last year, as a freshman, Jin ran a blazing 19:44 5K, and this year, she set her sights even higher. She won the sophomore race by almost a minute at the highly competitive Twilight Invitational, came in third at the Bay State Conference Championship, won the Division 1B Championship, and came in sixth in the Division 1 All-State Championship, where she obliterated her previous personal record by more than a minute by finishing the 5K in 18:30.

Jin is a determined hard worker who gives 100% effort in every race and workout. “Crossing the finish line is the best part of running when you can see the culmination of all your hard work,” she said.

In addition to being a standout runner, Jin encapsulates what makes a great teammate. “My favorite aspect of running is the team element,” she said. “When you have a great team, that’s all that matters.”

Junior cross country captain Grace Wheelan sees Jin as a leader by example. “Lily is such a positive person to have on the team and comes to every single practice with a smile on her face. She works so hard consistently and inspires everyone around her to give 100% effort,” she said. “[Jin] also cares so deeply about every single one of her teammates and makes everyone feel like a valued part of the team.”

On meet days, Jin likes to eat a hearty and healthy breakfast filled with carbs and ride with her mom to the race. “I warm up with the team 45 minutes before the race and then I roll out and stretch. I make sure to triple tie my shoes and have everything prepared the night before to make sure my warmup goes smoothly” she said.

Outside of running, Jin likes reading, watching movies, spending time with friends, and taking walks.

Jin looks up to many “local legend” runners like Natick’s Grace Connolly, who now runs at Stanford, Holliston’s Carmen Luisi, and her friend Ellie Shea from Belmont. She hopes to continue running throughout her life, saying, “I hope to run competitively in college and someday, when I’m older, run the Boston Marathon. That’s a big goal of mine.”

Article written by The Bradford’s Caroline Thornton.

Wellesley Thanksgiving triple header: Turkey trot, Raiders football & the Meal

November 25, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

It was a jam-packed Swellesley Thanksgiving day, starting with the annual Wellesley Turkey Trot at Linden Square.

Wellesley High alums and former Raider runners Maggie and Drew Donahue took first place respectively in the women’s and men’s categories (full results), as families and friends streamed through town at their own speed. Last year, the race went virtual, so runners and spectators were excited to get together in person again.

And for those who running 5K wasn’t enough, there was the Frozen Turkey Swim at Morses Pond hosted by Glen M. While h didn’t join in, Jim, Lee, Dan, and Sean braved 44F for a brief but refreshing swim. “All agreed that neoprene gloves would have improved the experience. Next year!” Sean says.

Raiders 34, Rockets 28

Over at the football field, Wellesley High (8-3) and Needham High (2-9) renewed their rivalry before a big crowd full of bro hugs and spirited cheering in Wellesley.

The Raiders jumped out early by a score of 14-0 thanks to some turnovers, including a long runback on an interception by Sam Gear. But the Rockets hung tough, scoring a touchdown with 1 second left in the half to tighten the score to 21-14. After Needham tied the game in the 3rd quarter, Gear made a spectacular one-handed grab and ran for a 55-yard touchdown to put the Raiders up by seven again. Needham tied the score at 28 during the 4th quarter, but the Raiders pulled out the win 34-28 on a Louis Person touchdown run in overtime.

For the Rockets, they scored 28 more points than they did in a 34-0 loss to the Raiders in March during the previous season’s schedule, which got reworked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Update 11/29/21: Relive the game via Wellesley Media recording)

wellesley needham football thanksgiving 21 — TD!

Happy Thanksgiving

From there, it was back home and on to the Thanksgiving feast, which didn’t disappoint. Forgot to take a photo until we were on to Round 2…

Wellesley NRC gets track & field light pitch from schools

November 23, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Dialogue has started in earnest between Wellesley Public Schools and the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) regarding the possibility of lights at the high school track and field.

The School Committee’s Linda Chow gave an overview of the proposal at the Nov. 18 NRC meeting, which devoted more than 2 hours to the topic, following related discussion about restroom and team rooms (view Wellesley Media recording starting at about the 1-hour mark). The introduction of lighting would require a land use change of the NRC’s Hunnewell track & field property that raises questions about its impact on natural resources and the neighborhood, as well as the financial costs of doing so.

Even if the NRC gives the plan its blessing, that only kicks off a process that will involve meetings with a bunch of other Wellesley boards etc, and fundraising campaigns to pay for the lights as well as team rooms and a new sound system. The issue has already been the subject of numerous NRC, School Committee, and Playing Fields Task Force meetings. The NRC in January started the year with a lights discussion.

Chow at the Nov. 18 NRC meeting introduced a parade of consultants who discussed everything from the latest in lighting techniques designed to illuminate fields without burning neighbors or causing light pollution to sound systems that direct noise the fields and fans at a relatively low 78 decibels (“governor” technology would keep overenthusiastic students from cranking up the tunes and shaking foundations with booming bass). Among the consultants was 1 that worked with Wellesley College when it lit up its track and field a number of years back.

Traffic, parking, and trash were also covered.

Cost estimates include $130K for sound, $400K-$450K to install the lighting system and another $3K yearly to run them.

“I hope that folks see that we certainly have tried our best to try and address and come up with steps to mitigate the impact on all these various criteria,” Chow said, noting that next steps would include addressing any NRC questions.

The lighting team has held individual and group meetings with neighbors and conducted a survey to get their input. End-of-season debriefings would also be part of the plan. Chow said firming up any changes to the lighting usage policy will be key, providing assurances about things such as the maximum number of games allowed under the lights.

Still, some neighbors aren’t convinced lights are a good idea, that they aren’t very neighborly in an area where they say homes are much closer to the field than in other communities. They also worry that initial limits on use could be loosened over time, creating a slippery slope situation. One neighbor made his comments during the NRC meeting from his mostly dark driveway (aside from tennis court lights) to help make a point about how quiet and light-free it usually is around there at night. Another speaker ticked off a list of questions or issues she’d like to see addressed more thoroughly, including how night-time use of the field will be divvied up between boys and girls teams. And another asked the NRC if allowing lights is truly in line with its mission.

Those in support of the lights argue that they will enable more community-wide events, something they says is increasingly important in light of the pandemic forcing so many people part over the past 2 years. Others cited the ability of lights to bring Wellesley up to par with other nearby communities, allowing Wellesley High to host playoff games at night, preventing student-athletes from skipping out of school early for practice, and making it easier for parents and guardians to see kids play sports. Proponents also point to a petition signed by nearly 4,300 resident who want the lights and a thorough study by a Playing Fields Task Force subcommittee. They emphasize, too, that the lights proposed are energy efficient to the point where they won’t have much of an impact on the environment.

NRC Chair Raina McManus started off discussion among commissioners by referencing the recent history of the track and field, including a renovation conceived 7 years ago. Compromises were made at the time, allowing for artificial turf (“not the best environmental choice”) to support more use and assurances during a public hearing that lighting wouldn’t be part of the project, she said. As the issue of lighting is now revisited, she said: “The question we’ll eventually have at hand is this: ‘Can there be any scenario that balances all interests?'”

Commissioners said they had pages of questions about the situation based on correspondence from the public and the NRC meeting presentations, so they attempted to get some of those answered that night and would work to consolidate the rest for follow-up.

Many questions focused on what exactly neighbors might see from their yards in terms of new light, and whether it would even be noticeable vs. existing street lights.

photometric map of field lighting — Photometric map of proposed field lighting (see more on this at the 1-hour 15-minute point of Wellesley Media recording)

Among the requests from McManus was to get something set up at the field that would mimic the 80-foot high light arrays so that people can get a sense of what the 4 proposed light poles would look like regardless of whether the lights are on.

The lighting group will digest the NRC questions and return to continue the discussion, possibly as soon as early December.

Wellesley High, Dana Hall student-athletes sign letters of intent

November 14, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Some of Wellesley’s top high school athletes this past week signed national letters of intent to continue playing sports at 4-year colleges.

Alanna Dumulac, a star women’s lacrosse player for Wellesley High, has committed to play for Davidson College.

Max Stakun-Pickering, a track & field leader for Wellesley High and winner of the Outdoor Nationals decathlon over the summer, will bring his talents to the University of North Carolina.

Alanna Dumalac (Davidson Lacrosse) and Max Stakun-Pickering — Max Stakun-Pickering (UNC, track & field) and Alanna Dumalac (Davidson lacrosse)

Dana Hall School in Wellesley is celebrating student-athlete Keira McGrath, who signed her national letter of intent to swim for Loyola University Maryland. A resident of Charlestown, McGrath set a school record for the 100 meter breast stroke at 1:10.63.

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Wellesley Athlete of the Week: Pati Cerda

November 12, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

Athlete of the Week: Pati Cerda

Year: Senior

Sport: Volleyball

Role Model Athlete: Courtney Thompson

Pump-Up Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Favorite Class: AP Psychology

Pati Cerda tried a lot of different sports when she was younger, but none of them clicked until she picked up volleyball in sixth grade. “My dad used to play [volleyball], so we stared playing in my backyard. I did a bunch of summer camps and I honestly fell in love and didn’t want to do anything besides volleyball,” Cerda said.

Cerda is a setter for the Wellesley High School volleyball team and she is very proud of learning to love the position that is so integral to the game. In volleyball, a setter is in charge of passing to their teammates and setting up hitters to hit the ball back to the other side.

Pati Cerda, volleyball wellesley high — Senior captain Pati Cerda
(Photo by Liv Rodrigue)

Cerda has an average of about 34 to 36 assists per match. Her coach, Fabian Ardila, said this is very important to “create an opportunity for a hitter, and to be the one person that touches the ball more than anyone else in the game, she does that very well.”

Ardila was especially complementary of Cerda’s ability to jack the ball, meaning hitting it from the back corner to the front by the net for a hitter to be successful. He remembered her doing this in a match against Natick, which helped them win the point and eventually the match.

“She’s very intelligent in the game of volleyball, which allows her to understand where the ball is going to go before it actually happens. She places herself on the court in a very easy manner. She understands how the defense on the other side can be compromised based on which player she sets, which makes her extremely valuable for us,” Ardila said.

One of her favorite volleyball memories was from the Natick match this season.

“Everything just clicked. We were a team and we were all playing really well, and it was a very satisfying moment for me, especially as a captain, to see something we’ve all worked really hard on actually working, ” Cerda said.

Cerda’s emphasis is always on teamwork. As a setter, her job is to make plays for hitters, so communication is vital. She prepares for each game by getting mentally prepared with her team by knowing the quirks and minor details of each different opponent and making sure to communicate that to the rest of the team. Cerda takes inspiration from Courtney Thompson, a former setter for the US National Team who preaches mental toughness and always being there for the team.

The team made it to the state tournament, winning its first-round game, but bowing out in the Round of 16 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury. Cerda’s approach to the tournament was that the team “put our heart into it and play our best.”

Cerda will play volleyball at Hamilton College and hopes to study psychology. She would like to go into sports psychology and help athletes struggling with mental health issues. Cerda also enjoys singing and is a member of Keynote Singers and Inchordination A Capella at the high school. In her free time, she coaches volleyball for younger kids.

Article written by The Bradford’s Caroline Thornton.

Wellesley sports news: WHS grad leads Georgetown to XC title; UMass men’s hockey champs coming to town; Columnist Shaughnessy shares sports stories

November 10, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Our roundup of Wellesley sports news:

Maggie Donahue leads Georgetown cross country to title

Wellesley High grad Maggie Donahue, now a junior at Georgetown University, recently won the Big East women’s cross country individual title in leading the Hoyas to the league championship. Here’s the post-race interview:

UMass men’s hockey showing off championship banner, trophy

This Thursday Nov. 11 at 4:30pm, the Boston Sports Institute on Rte. 9 east in Wellesley is hosting the NCAA men’s hockey champion UMass Minutemen, which will raise their banner and have their trophy on hand for a meet and greet, and photos.

All are welcome to stop by.

Columnist Shaughnessy shares sports stories

Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy regaled Eastern Mass Senior Softball League players (men’s softball league for those ages 50+) at their banquet at the The Natick Elks club with stories involving many of Boston’s sports legends, from Pedro Martinez to Tom Brady to the recently deceased Jerry Remy.

shaughnessy softball — Columnist Dan Shaughnessy and Wellesley’s Arthur Priver. Photo courtesy AW.

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Wellesley Rec seeks to get everyone playing nice on town courts

November 5, 2021 by Bob Brown 5 Comments

While the rise of pickleball in Wellesley and elsewhere has been well documented, interest in tennis has boomed locally as well since the start of the pandemic. Residents have been encouraged to get outside in the fresh air, and tennis has provided a way for people to do that while staying relatively distant from those they play with.

All of which has upped demand for a limited resource—outdoor courts—despite Wellesley Recreation’s efforts to allow more pickleball options both on top of what traditionally have been tennis courts, on the basketball court at the Warren Building, and eventually at Perrin Park. Rec also uses a system that allows players to reserve time online at the Hunnewell and Sprague courts, though we’re sure there are those who know the right times and places to just show up and play. We’ve seen devoted tennis and pickleball players on the courts at all hours and in all weather conditions.

What’s squeezed court availability even more is the increased presence of those offering paid lessons on the courts, and that’s got the Rec Department and Recreation Commission reviewing its policies around court use since permits, tax documents, CORI checks, etc., are required for such use.

Rec Commission Chair Paul Cramer described during the recent Rec Commission meeting (see Wellesley Media recording) a scene at the Sprague courts recently where a tennis instructor who doesn’t live in town blocked off 3 hours of prime weeknd court time to give lessons. Cramer had also heard from a neighbor who’d been prevented from playing at Schofield because the court was taken up for lessons. Cramer says he would have kicked the man at the Sprague courts off if he’d had on hand the town’s policy on use of private facilities for public gain, adding that the ability of someone to reserve a facility for 3 hours is itself something the town should take a look at.

“I think this is a problem already and is only going to become a bigger problem,” Cramer said, noting that usage rules apply to the town’s baseball, softball and other fields as well.

Rec Commission’s Jim Rodrigue said: “My suspicion is that this happens a lot more frequently than all of us are aware of.” He advocated for increasing public awareness of the rules.

Mike Sabin, who coaches the Wellesley High boys’ tennis team and teaches tennis via Rec, said there is abuse of the town’s court rules by those seeking personal gain, but that most instructors he knows aren’t “trying to get away with anything.” He said for the most part the instructors he works with take a reasonable approach to offering lessons if they do so outside of Rec-sanctioned coaching, seeking opportunities to do so on underused courts or during less popular hours. “COVID has changed things. a bit,” he acknowledged, citing the closure of some indoor facilities and reluctance among some players to play indoors.

This “tradition of just don’t get in the way of people” has been tested by the pandemic and increase in people scheduling court time and looking to play pickleball as well, Rec Commission Chair Cramer said. That might require a policy that at the very least restricts lessons by such instructors outside of the most popular court times, he said. Given that some of those court hours blocked off are for taxpaying residents to take lessons, it’s not as simple as just outlawing such services.

Town Counsel Tom Harrington was invited to join the Rec Commission conversation to help shed legal light on court usage topic. Since the courts are town property, overseen by either the schools or Natural Resources Commission with the Rec Department’s support, Wellesley “can control them however we want,” he said.

Wellesley could take the steps through Town Meeting of amending its bylaws to define violations and citation amounts. One approach to backing up such changes would be hiring a park ranger to monitor the most heavily used facilities and to issue citations up to $300 per violation if warranted, Harrington said.

If changes were to be proposed for Town Meeting in the spring, Rec will need to get together relatively soon with the schools and Natural Resources Commission and hammer out some language.