Sports

[Received last Friday -- webmaster]

Dear Westborough Little League Families,

We hope you are having a great start to your summer and staying cool!

The Westborough 10-year old All Star team is participating in the Jimmy Fund baseball tournament, and the team will be out in the community during July to help raise donations for the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This is a great way to teach children the importance of helping others.

We will be directly contributing to the Jimmy Fund in the following ways and would like your help in spreading the word to family/friends:

• The players will be out in their uniforms collecting in our community—look for us this Saturday at the town dump. 
• Strike Out Cancer Read-A-Thon – open to children of all ages—the goal? To get kids reading! Donate $10 online at: www.jimmyfundevents.kintera.org/littleleague2010/westborough10yearoldallstars
  Click on “Read-A-Thon” and make your donation. Then, email Jen McGrath at: jmcgrath819@verizon.net to register your child. Please provide your name and your name(s) and age(s) of your child(ren). Upon receipt of your registration, you will be provided instructions. There will be fun weekly prizes, a chance to win a $50 Target gift card and an ice cream party in August. 
•  Come to our player-run carwash, date to be determined.

Also, on Sunday, July 25 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Target Field, come to our Home Run Derby/ Family Field Day. This is a great way to have fun with your entire family and friends at an affordable price! The cost is $5 per child for unlimited game activities such as:

• Baseball home run derby
• Lots of Field Day games, both baseball and non-baseball related
• Face painting
• Arts and crafts

There will be food, fun, and prizes to be had! There will also be a baseball card maker and raffles.

All proceeds from this event will be donated to The Jimmy Fund. So, please bring your family and friends, and help the Westborough 10-Year old All Star team take a swing at cancer!

We need your help to make this a successful fundraising campaign. Please help by spreading the word.

For more information, contact Jane Flerra at: janeflerra@yahoo.com, 508-898-9962 or Jen McGrath at:jmcgrath819@verizon.net or 508-836-3634.

Thanks for your support! Happy Summer!

Westboro Little League and Softball, P.O. Box 164, Westboro, MA, 01581 http://www.westborolittleleague.org, tmcgoldrick@charter.net, 508-981-5468
SportsManager site: www.sportsmanager.us/WestboroLittleLeague.htm
To register on-line: www.sportsmanager.us/links/WestboroLittleLeague/OnlineRegistration.asp
Parent Login for updating information: www.sportsmanager.us/links/WestboroLittleLeague/ParentLogin.asp :

Westborough Little League is now taking applications for student support staff to assist the Game Director in the running of the District 5 Little League Millbury 11 Year Old Memorial Baseball Tournament, being held at Target Fields from July 5 through 21.

You must be a Westborough resident and student in grade 10 or above. College students welcome.

Please see www.westborolittleleague.org on how to apply.

Westboro Little League and Softball, P.O. Box 164, Westboro, MA, 01581
SportsManager site: www.sportsmanager.us/WestboroLittleLeague.htm

Links:

• Register on-line
• Parent Login for updating information

Having faced the challenge of cartilage operations on both knees and living in a town with no affiliation to the sport, Westborough HS junior Sarah Hart is heading to Cincinnati OH to compete in the US Rowing Youth Nationals in early June. Sarah Hart is a member of the highly successful Community Rowing Inc. (CRI) competitive youth squad, currently holding a seat in their girls’ top Varsity 8 boat which medaled silver at the May regional heats held recently on the Merrimack River in Lowell.

Alongside her commitment to school activities, including playing/singing in Band and Chorus and also being treasurer of the Model United Nations club, Hart travels six days a week after school into Brighton, MA to train and practice on the Charles - requiring her to dedicate considerable time and energy to a sport she was first introduced to at the home of rowing, Henley on Thames in the UK. "I'd suffered a torn meniscus in my right knee" said Hart "and I needed a sport where I could regain the strength in my leg without making things worse. I was lucky that Debbie Flood - herself a GB Olympic medalist in the sport - was a member of our then local Church and introduced me to rowing. The initial development I received has proved tremendously important in ensuring not just my fitness but also technique in a sport that requires both intense power and stamina".

Two years ago, having moved to the US in 2006, Sarah suffered a further setback when she required a similar operation on her other knee and it was only in the fall of last year that she really got into competitive rowing through CRI. "I truly did not believe I could or would have advanced so far in such a short time. With crew, I constantly have to challenge myself to get past that point of feeling like I can’t do it anymore. But then I pull harder and (hopefully) we go faster,” Hart said.

As a club, CRI qualified ten boats overall for nationals but not all of them are looking to medal. "For instance, our boat is in transition, losing some seniors to other commitments. It may not be reasonable to expect a top three finish at national level", said Hart "but the opportunity to bring in fresh faces from the boats below and to develop a team for the future - which will include getting ready to compete in the famous Head of the Charles race in the Fall - is one of the things I relish about being part of the squad. We will certainly be going for it, taking part is a tremendous honor and will undoubtedly be a great experience".

The Youth Nationals take place 10 - 13 June, followed by US Club Nationals in TN in mid-July.

Any Westborough student interested in taking up rowing as a sport is welcome to contact Hart at hart.westborough@charter.net.

A final word from Sarah Hart. "In recent times CRI has twice been voted rowing Club of the Year and has some great programs, none more so than those for a growing group of novices. I'd be happy to introduce anyone to the sport and who knows, maybe one day we could get enough interest locally to put the town of Westborough on the rowing map. Why not go for it?"

This evening, WBZ and Fox News reported that the Varsity Boys Lacrosse coach, Frank Arena, had been suspended.  

It's alleged that he "fired lacrosse balls on the players to punish them" for the recent 14-1 loss to Nashoba at this past Tuesday's game.

WBZ story here, titled "Lacrosse Coach Suspended After Alleged Team Abuse".

Fox News here, titled "Lacrosse coach suspended after throwing balls at players".