Sports

Space Still Available for Watertown Rec’s Adult Tennis, Pickleball Programs

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Watertown Recreation’s adult tennis and pickleball programs begin this week, and there is still space available. The Recreation Department provided the following descriptions:

Tennis

The fall tennis program participants will have the opportunity to sharpen many tennis skills including forehand, backhand, serving, and scoring. Players will also have the opportunity to compete in singles match play. All participants are encouraged to bring their own tennis racquet. For those without equipment, racquets will be provided.

COVID-19

Many Changes in Store for WHS Sports During COVID-19

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Watertown High School’s field hockey team, and other sports, will soon start their fall season, but with several changes due to COVID-19. Weekend games, reduced schedules and very limited fans — these are just some of the changes in store for Watertown High School athletes this fall. Last week, the School Committee approved the plans for holding high school sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Watertown High School fall sports teams will be getting ready for their season to begin in late September. Outdoor sports, except for football, will compete this fall.

Sports

Watertown’s Jerry York Named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

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Boston College hockey coach Jerry York. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs named Boston College coach Jerry York, a Watertown native and resident, to its Class of 2020. York has the most wins in college hockey history, and has won five national championships (four at BC and one at Bowling Green). He will be entering his 27th year as the head coach at his alma mater. He first became a head coach in 1972 at age 26 at Clarkson.

Sports

High School Sports to Look Much Different During 2020-21

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The Raiders celebrate a first quarter touchdown against Burlington at Victory Field. Many details remain up in the air for high school sports this school year, but some things are already clear: there will be no Thanksgiving Day football game and no field hockey state championship for Watertown this year. The COVID-19 pandemic will have a great impact on Massachusetts high school sports, particularly on the fall season, which will have no state tournaments in 2020 (tourneys in other seasons have not been decided yet). Also, the football season will be delayed until early 2021. The MIAA announced those and other details about high school sports last week.

Sports

Watertown Youth Baseball, Softball Returning to Action During COVID-19 Reopening

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While COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the normal youth baseball and softball seasons, Watertown Youth Baseball recently began having games during the summer as the state reopens. During Phase 2 of the reopening, players could begin practicing and doing drills. Groups were limited to 12 players and coaches. While Phase 2 started on June 9, Watertown did not start practicing until June 26, said Bill Furtado, president of Watertown Youth Baseball. Last week, the first games were held for Watertown teams traveling to other towns, and on July 13, the first games in Watertown will take place, Furtado said.

Around Town

Banners in Watertown Square Feature Student Artwork, Tell Tales of Migration

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One of the banners now hanging in Watertown Square. This one features the artwork of Hosmer School students and show their families’ migration story. The following information was provided by the creators of the Watertown Square Banners Project:

The next time you travel through Watertown Square take a few minutesto admire the colorful new banners hanging on poles throughout the square. They were the brainstorm of local graphic designer Carole Katz and feature works developed by students from the Hosmer School and the Watertown Middle School. Driving through the square one day Katz decided the square needed some colorful banners to replace the current historical banners (that she designed) that have been hanging for several years now.

Government

Town Council Approves Lights for Fields at Filippello Park

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Filippello Park’s two athletic fields, picnic area, playground and more draw lots of visitors. The biggest park on the Eastside of Watertown will receive new lighting at its two athletic fields after the Town Council approved funding for a project that has been in the works for more than a year. The $1.3 million project at Filippello Park replaces the lights on seven poles at the Grove Street Field with LED lights, and adds four poles with LED lighting at the Arlington Street Field, mostly used for soccer. The project also replaces the scoreboard at the Grove Street Field, which is used for softball and soccer, and replaces the backstop and infield fencing at that field. One of the impetuses for the project was the lack of lit field space in Town.

Around Town

Town Council Discussing Filippello Park Lighting Tuesday, See How to Watch & Participate

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The Town Council will likely vote Tuesday on the proposed lighting project at Filippello Park. The plan calls for installing new lights at the field near Arlington Street (on the left), and replacing the lights on the Grove Street Field (in the middle of the map, marked “Softball” and “Soccer”). The Town Council will meet virtually Tuesday night at 7 p.m. and are scheduled to have a public hearing and vote on the lighting project at Filippello Park. The Recreation Department has proposed putting up new lights at the Arlington Street Field at the park on the Eastside of town, and replace the lights at the softball field closer to the Grove Street side of the park. A new scoreboard will also be installed.