Charlie and Elena Bean first opened The Bean Family Farm in 1971. Now, 52 years later, their 27-year-old grandson, Christopher, has taken over day-to-day operations and is leading the charge into a new era of farming and customer service.
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By Tom Leyden
Photo By: Rick Bern Photography
Golden Hour approaches on a steamy summer Monday afternoon as Christopher Bean makes his way toward the freshly-staked tomato plants lining The Bean Family Farm's eastern edge. Almost twenty feet behind Chris, and certainly too soft for him to hear, his grandmother, Elena, says sweetly,
"His grandfather would be so, so proud."
Exactly 52 years since Charlie Bean took ownership of the historic farm on Clapboardtree Street, the day-to-day operations are now handled by his oldest grandson, a towering 6'5" 27-year-old who learned the ins and outs of owning and operating a farm at Cornell, where he majored in Agricultural Sciences, with a concentration in crop production and management. In truth, much of what Chris puts into practice each day comes from hands-on, tangible experience.
"For me, it all started when I was in middle school and my grandfather was slowing down and sick with prostate cancer," said Chris. "At that point my father and his three brothers were well established in their own independent careers, successful in what they were doing. There wasn't a lot happening on the farm. We had a couple younger kids from the Norfolk Aggie School growing some crops to keep the farm going while my grandfather was ill, and I took a really big interest in agriculture in general. I think being around my grandfather as a kid, spending time here with him on the farm, really sparked my interest to do something with it and keep it going."
Some history…
A tradition of grit and determination in the Bean family goes back 14 generations, when John MacBean came over from Scotland in 1652 (he dropped the Mac) and settled in Exeter, New Hampshire. He became a founding father of the town by building a sawmill on the river and farming the land. Much later, Chris’ great grandfather, Leon Arthur Bean, was first cousin to L.L. Bean (which stands for Leon Leonwood), a hunter and fisherman who founded the company in 1912 in Freeport, Maine. Leon and L.L. drank Scotch together in his office when he first opened.
Chris’ grandfather and Leon’s only child, Charlie Bean, started working the land on Clapboardtree in the 1950s, 300 years after John MacBean arrived in the United States. Charlie ultimately took ownership from the Russell family in 1971. Just as The Bean Family Farm opened, the Bean family tree grew its final branch of the next generation. Four boys - Chuck, Peter, Joe and Tom would play vital roles in the years ahead.
"To me, the farm meant family," said Joe, a residential real estate broker who lives in Reading with his wife, Kathy, and family. "That's probably the most important thing because we were always together. My brothers and I grew up around tractors and trucks our whole youth. We were always together, always with my dad and mom. You just don't see that today."
"I was the youngest of the four," said Tom, who runs a heavy equipment and excavation company and lives across the street from the farm on Clapboardtree with his wife, Jennifer, and family. "I was along for the ride. I had no say in anything - still don't to a degree. My father always asked us when we were kids, 'Do you feel strong today?' It was a loaded question, because even when we responded no, because we were weak and tired, we were still going outside to help Dad. We were picking corn and tomatoes before we hopped on the bus and we didn't catch on until we were teenagers that there was life outside the farm."
"Mom and Dad instilled a tremendous work ethic in each of us with strong family values that typically don’t exist today," said Chuck, Chris' father and the founder and chairman of Heritage Financial Services, a wealth management firm based in Westwood. Chuck and his wife, Kerri, live across the street from the farm where they raised their four children. "We worked from sun-up to sun-down, working our tails off in the fields. Our family was extremely tight and friends envied us. They loved the endless farm stories, but also saw how hard we worked. All four of us played football and Dad was successful in recruiting our friends to help out by saying “You feel strong today young man?” But, overall, this farm meant family, friends and a livelihood."
Peter, a commercial realtor, the second-oldest son of Charlie and Elena, lives with his wife, Suzanne, and his family not too far from the farm, on a property his dad purchased shortly after the Blizzard of '78 because he needed additional barn storage. Two of the original three barns still remain on Peter's property, a tangible reminder of the long, hard days he spent with his dad and brothers.
"We used to fight like crazy because there were some bad jobs you wanted to avoid," said Peter. "Picking corn in the fall before school... the leaves in the corn stalks were soaking wet. You got to the end of the row and you were drenched. That, and cutting, splitting and delivering firewood in the winter time. We'd argue all the time, but in the end it was a bonding experience."
As it turns out, Charlie had a grand master plan for his boys. They would work for him throughout their childhood without collecting a dollar, and in the end, he'd give them each two acres of land.
"My dad's wish came true," said Peter. "Three out of the four of us live in Westwood. He made good on his promise. There's a picture of me on the tractor when I was six-years-old. Us plowing the fields as kids was my father's version of babysitting."
The fact all four Bean brothers were born within five years has kept them tightly connected. On Father's Day, the entire family - matriarch Elena (aka Grammie), her four boys and their wives, and 13 grandchildren gathered together to take photos for this feature. You could sense immediately this is a group that finishes each other's sentences, gets in playful jabs whenever possible and truly cherishes any time they spend together.
"It tends to be pretty raucous," said Peter. "My mother always worried that we were making fun of each other, but it's in the most loving way."
Chris rolls up his sleeves and prepares to sweat through his clothes every day, managing the science of farming with the art of business and customer service, following in the footsteps of his forefathers as he grows corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, pumpkins and more, while tending to chickens and pigs along with managing a small staff and keeping an eye on the farm's profitability.
"There's so much detail and science-based evidence and chemistry involved in growing and tending to crops that a lot of people don't realize when they're taking a bite with their fork," said Chris. "There's so much I have to do on the back end that no one sees me doing out in the field to make sure everything out there is beautiful and fresh - a healthy product for everyone to take home and eat. Right now, the number of animals is small and we're gonna keep it that way. It's great for the kids to be able to come and see some livestock on the farm. I enjoy having the fresh eggs to sell to customers and I enjoy doing the broiler chickens that are pasture-raised and the pork. But, unfortunately, the animals do take up a lot of time and energy and I also have to devote a lot of time and energy to the field. So that's what's kept me from scaling up any livestock production."
Set to celebrate her 83rd birthday later this month, Elena still visits Charlie's grave regularly. It's been 13 years since her husband died, but every day Elena thinks of him and gives thanks that Chris is taking the reins of the family business and adding to the Bean legacy.
"I feel like I'm going through the farm a second time around, and I know that my husband is smiling from up above," said Elena. "He would be thrilled to know Christopher has continued the farm. The farm was in my husband's blood. They had a mink ranch and vegetable farm in Dover for years and years and years, where his father started farming on Haven Street in Dover. This is what we do."
"Chris is the younger version of my father," said Tom. "He has the same love of the farm that my father had, the same drive. I hope that he can make a living at it and be successful. Chris is just as social as my father was. Dad would love it when people would visit the farm and talk to him for a while. Chris is the miniature version of my father - although he's twice the size."
Farming in 2023 presents great challenges as costs continue to rise across the board and farmland is scarce. Chris is patiently scaling the business, understanding the obstacles he faces but with his sights set on modern-day expansion that can take the family business to the next level.
"I would say a top priority is to hopefully build and operate a retail farm store, a venue to sell all of our farm's products," said Chris as he motioned to the area behind the current farm stand. "An enclosed space that's heated and air-conditioned. We can really make it a beacon in town that keeps the family farm alive and keeps this land from becoming developed into housing lots."
"Through my wealth management business and the contacts I have in the industry, we're helping Chris with the finances of building up a small business, running the books, forecasting and budgeting," said Chuck. "Regardless of what you're selling, growing or what your industry is, you need to keep an eye on the bottom line. We're also looking forward to building a beautiful post-and-beam, barn-looking farm stand that will be a beacon in town and something the whole family and community will be very proud of."
Interesting how aligned father and son are in language and vision - a vision that's been dutifully and effectively been passed from one generation to the next, with love and pride.
By Tom Bean
My father had a bunch of pigs and I was in school with Joe and Pete. Chuck had graduated the year before, but had the same experience when he was in school. When the pigs got loose, which happened quite often, my father would call the school because he needed our help to get the pigs back. We knew the routine.
"Peter Bean, Joe Bean, Tom Bean, please report to the office."
All of our friends would scream, "The pigs are loose! The pigs are loose! Bean, go get your pigs... the pigs are loose!"
We'd walk to the front of the school and Dad would be eagerly waiting for us to get in the back of the truck so we could go around town and throw a rope around the pigs to corral and take them back to the makeshift pen my dad used.
You can't make it up. But we'll never forget it.
In all seriousness, what was great about our family, and still is - is that we're all so close in age and can relate to each other. Our wives are also close in age. Our kids are close in age. It's a good family dynamic. I see the cousins all get along like I do with my brothers. Three just graduated from college this year - Hannah, Charlie and Katie. When we get together it's a lot of fun!
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Presented by Westwood Media Center
Learn more about the people and businesses in Westwood as Tom Leyden hosts a series of one-on-one conversations.
By Jay Resha
WESTWOOD – The sand slips through quicker now. That August feeling of running out of time. Yes, the end of summer looms.
But before beginning the business of the day, I have an aside to share. For it seems there is a certain word which has been banned from publication here at the proper, prudent Westwood Living offices. Oh, our fair Tom did not reject this word – but the software we use did. And let me tell you, I use this word frequently, in both print and my actual real life (the one where I speak out loud to people, or animals, or drivers of other motor vehicles.)
Anyway, since I am wholly incapable of restraint when it comes to usage of this unsanctioned expletive, I will encode it for you with a substitute word. This way, I can utter it with my usual unfettered abandon. What is the scandalous word, you ask? Well, let’s just say it is a very hot place…where a very evil one lives…and if you are a very bad person in your life…you may be headed there for a very long, scorching time!
Drum roll, please! The replacement word, I have decided, is “helmet.”
I believe it’ll be easy to slip this code word into conversation without being nabbed by the technocracy behind the curtain, if you catch my drift. Compared to finally getting the Occult Hand into a column, this should truly be a piece of cake. I mean, everyone says it! And if your faithful, hard-working magazine founder and publisher thinks that this word is not so bad, then why the helmet does the computer not agree?
What’s worse was the lack of notification. No opportunity to recant, edit, or at least bribe. Helmet, in a recent column they just changed it to some Greek-mythology-underworld-River-Styx-sort-of-word that was a helmet of a lot less effective. They Didn’t Even Capitalize It!
Folks, we really need to circle back to my summer’s impending ending venting before I next get shut off by the word count counters. And you know, that is just another irritating reminder of all this unnecessary technology; it makes me want to put a piece of duct tape over that webcam camera eye thing that stares at me while I surf the web and buy stuff online. I mean, while I write.
In the past, I didn’t care – helmet, if someone wants to stare at THIS face for that long, then that is really THEIR problem, yes? But now I feel different, much more skeptical. The machines are getting smarter. A.I. is real, and promises to effect great change on the ways in which technology is part of our lives. Some have been saying that we are all going to Helmet in a hand basket soon, and I’m no longer so sure they are wrong!
Okay, okay. Back to the column, for real, I promise. Here we go:
The dog days are fixing to wane, my friends, and the days are growing shorter now. The cooler air will soon arrive to replace the helmetish heat of high summer. The school buses will roll again. The weeds in my yard will lose their stranglehold (ah, this is uncertain, actually.) My daughter will attack another autumn of volleyball for Westwood High. Just a couple hundred yards down Nahatan Street, my son will don shoulder pads and his um...uh, his head protection device with attached face mask…and he will try out for Thurston Middle School football.
It will be another season of beginnings, and though I will miss the summer, I’m always ready for what’s next. HELMET YEAH!
Westwood Living? No…thank YOU for living in Westwood. See you next month, and I look forward to hearing from you any time at jayresha@comcast.net.
By Tom Leyden
Well before the rush of customers converges on Bubbling Brook, Marie Adams and I sit in a corner booth, catching up on an unpredictable series of events that has provided new opportunity,
but also led to great change in the way Marie's family runs the well-established landmark business on the corner of High Street and North Street in Westwood. Through it all, one thing remains constant.
"Ice cream's been a part of my life since I was four," said Marie, the daughter of Gloria and Ed Cortas. "We grew up in West Virginia and we had Baskin Robbins stores. My family owned two and managed a third, so I grew up going to the stores, standing on milk crates and working the cash registers to help my parents. That was where we went after school."
Gloria had New England ties, so the family moved north in 1988, partnering with Bubbling Brook's former owner, who knew the Cortas family was an ice cream family. For 15 years, the partnership
went through many phases, and Marie spent eight years working at Meditech, but things changed in 2003.
"My parents purchased the business and we've been here since then. I joined them in 2005, so I've been here almost 20 years with them."
You'll still see Ed and Gloria when you stop by Bubbling Brook, but there's no question Marie is the glue that keeps the operation together. In-season, Marie works seven days a week, even though Bubbling Brook is closed on Mondays. The pandemic certainly changed the way the business operated, prioritizing the concept of take-out, and the evolution of life also led to a big decision.
This year, Marie and her family decided to focus on ice cream only, shutting down the food kitchen. It was a tough decision made after great consideration.
"It was certainly not an easy decision for us," said Marie. "We had three members of our kitchen staff that had been here 20 years. Two of them are brothers. It's a busy kitchen and it's intense when
it's busy. It's very intense. It's hard to find those extra kitchen helpers to fill in for shorter shifts, so those guys worked close to 80 hours a week, every week. If they wanted additional time off, it was hard to do.
"They have young families now, as I do, and they just decided they wanted something with a different schedule, more year-round work, a little bit less nights and weekends, because it's every weekend.
It's every night. So my husband, Brian, being the third member of the kitchen, he's now home. We have two boys that are three and four and now they get to have one of their parents home with them, which is so wonderful.
Sometimes we just need to take a step back and take time for your family and put your family first and say, what's best for the young ones in your lives, the older ones in your lives?"
Marie and her staff will reassess the situation after Bubbling Brook closes for the season and determine their best path forward, but there's no question the essence of Bubbling Brook is unaffected.
You still see lines twenty to thirty feet deep at each window, neighbors from Westwood and surrounding towns gathering in the summer heat for a cone, cup, blast, shake, sundae or float.
Sometimes customers enjoy their treats in the parking lot, getting caught up on the most recent games as they stand in uniform. Sometimes they retreat to Bubbling Brook's picnic tables and grassy area, where dogs, kids, parents, grandparents and friends all convene.
"We appreciate that," said Marie. "We try to create a welcoming environment for everyone. Those picnic tables, we wouldn't have survived COVID if we didn't have that nice outdoor area with 30 tables for people.
We do our best to keep it clean and welcoming. It's a gathering place. Everyone likes to meet here and see their friends that they haven't seen. So it's nice to see all of those gatherings here whenever possible."
Another byproduct of the pandemic was the purchase of extra freezers, which has allowed Bubbling Brook to create and have ready for pick-up a collection of ice cream pies and other grab-and-go items.
This past winter, Marie started taking holiday orders and customers answered the call - myself included. There was nothing like a Bubbling Brook peppermint ice cream pie on Christmas Day.
As the fall approaches you'll be able to buy a pumpkin ice cream pie for Thanksgiving, among other options.
Here's the big takeaway. Life changes. Priorities shift and spending time with family has to be atop that list. The Cortas and Adams families have always served the Westwood community and
provided a spot this town is incredibly proud to call our own.
Listen to my full conversation with Marie by visiting the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, Buzzsprout and YouTube.
A typical scene on a summer night at Bubbling Brook, with customers eagerly preparing an order.
By Tom Leyden
If you drive around Westwood, you’ve likely seen Chris Hancock at one point or another. His signature tanned dome sets him apart and it’s not unusual for Chris to hear a chorus of car horns as he runs the streets.
“I get that all the time - Hey, I saw you on High Street,” said Chris. “And I have other people that look like me getting credit for being me.”
Anyone who may have been mistaken for Chris has a long way to go to match the impact he’s made advocating for The Boston House, an organization that resonates with the entire Hancock family.
“I was one of nine kids - we had eight boys and a girl,” said Chris about his early days in Brockton. “We were on food stamps. At the time, you don't realize that there’s a stigma to food stamps. At the time, none of us cared. Now, I wear it like a badge of honor. You know, you were on food stamps when you grew up and now you live in Westwood.”
Early in his life, Chris and his family were dealt a huge blow, when the youngest Hancock, Paul, was diagnosed with leukemia.
“I’m getting choked up about it even now,” said Chris. “He was diagnosed when he was three. I was the only match for a bone marrow transplant, which was experimental back then. Unfortunately, he got too sick to go forward with the transplant. He died about six weeks after they said he couldn’t have the transplant.”
That intensely sad and monumental loss rocked the Hancock family, but invigorated Chris’ parents to make a difference. In 1979, Carol and Dave Hancock founded the original Ronald McDonald House in Boston, a home away from home for kids and their families who are undergoing treatment at Dana Farber.
“I think they charged 10 bucks a night for a family,” said Chris. “So instead of $2-300 a night at a hotel in Boston, the families would stay at the house. My parents were the founding members, on the Board of Directors, and my mother, to this day, still volunteers. She’s 84.”
This will be the 18th consecutive year Chris will run the Falmouth Road Race to benefit The Boston House. He’s always been an athlete, playing football and basketball in school, so fitness has been a major part of his existence dating back to the 80s. Philanthropy is a close second, and with each year, the numbers become more and more staggering.
“We’ve raised close to $200,000 over the course of time,” said Chris. “It started low, raising $3-4000 a year. At the time, I thought it was great. Last year, I raised $25,000, which was pretty amazing. I think everyone I know at this point knows this is what I do and they expect it. They expect me to come with a hand out and ask because they know it’s not for me. I just use the memory of my brother as motivation to say, screw it, I don’t care. I’m not going to feel like I’m groveling for someone to give money because it’s not going to my bank account. It’s going to a great place.”
As we wrapped up our chat, just for fun I asked Chris to rattle off the names of all the Hancock kids.
“Marty, Cindy, Teddy, Michael, John, Danny, Jimmy, Chris, Paul. Easy.”
---
Meanwhile, across town, there’s another team preparing for the seven mile run through the rolling hills of Falmouth. Leading the way are Sarah Spinello and Katie Collins, a pair of Westwood moms who both brought children into the world prematurely. Dealing with an unexpected and unpredictable reality, Sarah found hope in connecting with Katie, who had previously experienced an early childbirth.
“We were at Il Massimo, it was the new hit place to go because it just recently opened,” said Katie. “We were in the back room and I had known Sarah through the Westwood Young Women’s Club, but we were never close. She was pregnant at the time. I had already had my daughter Willa and Willa was born at 34 weeks. I was in the antepartum floor for a while at Beth Israel and then afterwards, Willa went into the NICU. Sarah came to me during that meeting, basically saying she was headed to BI herself for monitoring.”
With her head spinning and unsure of what to expect in the days and weeks ahead, Sarah leaned on Katie for support.
“Going into it, it can be a very scary experience, not knowing,” said Katie. “A few weeks later, I ended up being admitted to BI at 26 ½ weeks and my first call was to Katie, saying, ‘What do I do? I have a toddler at home, I have this high-risk baby. I don't know how to fill my time.’ I was spending all my days in and out of doctor’s appointments. Katie became a confidant and helped me through the whole process.”
That guiding presence opened Sarah’s eyes to Project Sweet Peas, an organization focused on helping families as they travel the path of premature delivery.
“I think it all comes back to grief and loss,” said Sarah. “Grief of a full-term pregnancy loss, of what you think might be a healthy child, uncertainty around the outcomes. I remember looking in the doctor's eyes and asking, ‘What is going to happen?’ And they can't predict, but they also have to be really honest with you about potential outcomes. Knowing that and sitting in that feeling is really a hard place to be.”
Exactly why the team at Project Sweet Peas becomes so vital. They’re familiar with the emotion and anxiety, able to provide comfort during the most uneasy days and nights.
“Their goal is to provide support to families who have experienced pregnancy loss and who have had NICU journeys,” said Sarah. “They do it in a variety of ways. They deliver little goodie bags around the holidays to show moms and families they're caring for them, thinking of them. They provide some financial assistance to help with transportation, housing, gift cards, and they provide support in the form of memory boxes for families who have lost infants.”
When you’ve experienced such intensity, it’s easy to focus your effort on supporting a cause so personally significant. Both Katie and Sarah are runners, each with Boston Marathons to their credit, so engaging in a fund-raising campaign through the Falmouth Road Race is a natural way for them to give back to an organization that gave them, and others like them, so much. They’ve run for Beth Israel in the past, but this year the team is dedicated to Project Sweet Peas, hoping to raise more than the impressive $12,000 they finished with in 2022.
“Over the years as we've done different fundraising methods for all of our Falmouth Road Races, our biggest takeaway has been this - the support of the Westwood community is unflappable,” said Sarah. “We’ve had kids come out donating all of their lawnmowing money to us. We’ve had bake sales benefit the cause. People are just extremely generous. They know our kids and know our story and their support is invaluable.”
Both Sarah and Katie remain incredibly dedicated to supporting mothers and families going through the NICU experience. They regularly assemble goodie bags and deliver them to the antepartum unit at Beth Israel.
The Falmouth Road Race is scheduled for August 20 and the time to support Chris, Katie and Sarah is now. You can find their pages by visiting https://falmouthroadrace.com/get-involved/donate/ and searching for their names.
You can listen to listen to our full conversations by visiting the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon and YouTube.
Chris Hancock, Katie Collins and Sarah Spinello are all running in this year's Falmouth Road Race
By Tom Leyden
The sun is out and a light breeze is blowing as we walk the neighborhood, warming up for a one-on-one training session while chatting about life, business and the opportunity for growth. Rachel Milbury is a busy woman – trainer, realtor, behavioral therapist, Mom. Putting the pieces of this complicated puzzle together keeps Rachel active and engaged, two characteristics that appropriately describe her personality.
Rachel, a Westwood resident since 2013, is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach and creator of “The Milbury Method,” a comprehensive approach to health and wellness that combines vital components of exercise, diet and behavior to transform a person’s mindset and physical fitness.
“I would say I got started because of my own experience of getting overweight and learning how to lose weight,” said Rachel. “That’s my expertise. I learned how to count my calories, consider portion sizes and exercise efficiently in order to lose weight. I personally lost 40 pounds back in college. After I had children, I started CrossFit and that’s really where I found my passion and got into really good shape. I started coaching CrossFit and then I had people looking for individual coaching. That’s when I started doing personal training and created ‘The Milbury Method.’”
Since May, I’ve been working with Rachel to tone up, being more conscious about what I eat and striving to create a more sustainable, healthy lifestyle. Her approach is comprehensive and customized to each client she works with. During workouts, Rachel is calm and assertive, challenging you to push your physical limits. As you cool down, she goes over a checklist of what you ate in the last week and what adjustments you made to your diet, with tips on how to sharpen your focus moving forward.
“You have to start with the basics and teach people how to cut out certain things,” said Rachel. “I don't like to say cut out all sweets or all sugar or all carbs ever - everything is in moderation. But making small changes to your diet and nutrition is smart. People become more aware of what kind of things you shouldn't be doing. Maybe cut out a couple beers each week, try to cut down on those things and try to cut out some of the candy and sweets. As you get more comfortable with that, maybe you want to go up a level and want to start getting specific about how many grams of protein you're eating each day. Maybe eventually you'll want to weigh it and measure it and log it, but maybe not. Sometimes the basics are good enough for some people. Others want more intense coaching and get very specific with their nutrition. I just do my best to try to encourage.”
When Rachel is not working with fitness and nutrition clients, she’s helping people buy and sell homes as a Realtor.
“I started working with Berkshire Hathaway back in January,” said Rachel. “I found they provided a lot of training, education and support. We meet usually once or twice a week and get all the market updates. I have to market myself, which is something I'm not super comfortable with - putting myself out there and making real estate videos and things like that, so that’s on the horizon, but I’m just working on building up my community and contact list and getting myself out there as much as I can.”
The crossover is natural between the personal connections Rachel makes through fitness training and the personal connections so important to success in real estate.
Rachel’s three children, Dawson, Delaney and Rylan, range in age from 12-16, which keeps her constantly on her toes and in her car. Many of us can relate. She also regularly works with a neurodiverse child as a behavioral therapist.
“I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work,” said Rachel. “I’m working with a five-year-old, helping him learn how to communicate better, how to get along socially, how to do academic things like counting. He’s amazing and it’s really fun and rewarding.”
When you look at Rachel’s ad in Westwood Living, you get an understanding of her approach to life – finding balance and investing in yourself to be a better person.
“My strength is working with people, giving one-on-one individualized attention and consultations,” said Rachel. “I love the real estate field right now, helping people find the right house or sell their own house and giving solid, individualized attention to them. It starts with relationships.”
Listen to my full conversation with Rachel by visiting the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon and YouTube.
Rachel with her three children, Rylan, Dawson and Delaney.
By Serina Barkley
The Westwood 11A summer baseball team has capped off another fun and successful
season, making it all the way to the Suburban Summer League Finals! The team, this year led by
head coach Brendan Reeves, and assistant coaches Brendan Levesque, Ryan Kelleher, and Noah
French, have played together in summers past but excelled this year in their skills, sportsmanship
and teamwork.
All incoming 6th graders to the Thurston Middle School, this well-rounded team of
defensive and offensive players included: Danny Barkley, Trent Levesque, Kenji French, Tyler
Phillips, James Pallotta, Braden Briller, Jackson Kelleher, Tyler Phillips, Simon Reeves, Jack
Shevory, Dennis Ash, Harrison Gibbons & Drew Appel.
Although each ballgame was an adventure, the highlight of the season was the team
taking home the championship at the 2023 annual Summer Blast tournament held in Sandwich,
MA. The tournament, held July 20 th through July 23 rd , resulted with the Westwood 11A emerging
as the best of a field 14 teams from Massachusetts and Connecticut. No Westwood team has
won this tournament at any age level since 2012. To accomplish this feat, the boys won 6 of 7
games played over 3 days, including 6 straight wins.
The tournament started off on Friday July 21st with a 7-5 setback loss against archrival
Milton National. Despite a strong complete game pitching performance from Kenji French, the
boys came up just short, starting out the tournament 0-1. That would not be the last time these
teams squared off in the tournament, but it would be the last time the Westwood boys suffered a
defeat.
Having shaken off the loss with some team bonding time in the hotel pool and a late night
game of manhunt, the boys were back at it on Saturday. Pool play wrapped up Saturday July 22 nd
with two solid wins for Westwood. Danny Barkley and Trent Levesque combined strong
pitching performances, and the entire lineup hit the ball, slugging out a 15-2 win against Canton.
Saturday’s second game ended with a narrow victory against a strong Norwell team, with Tyler
Phillips and James Pallotta pitching the team to an 8-7 win, fueled by key hits by Braden Briller
and Jackson Kelleher.
The 2-1 record in pool play earned Westwood the 4 th seed entering single elimination play
on Sunday. In the first game, Westwood and Norwell rematched, and the game came down to the
final inning. Danny Barkley starred with a complete game, 2 hit, pitching performance. Tyler
Phillips came up big at the plate, driving in Braden Briller and James Pallotta with a key base hit,
helping Westwood grind out a 3-2 win.
The first round win earned Westwood a second round matchup against Falmouth.
Westwood started Trent Levesque on the mound, and he battled a tough lineup for a complete
game win. Westwood entered the final inning down 4-2 and plated 3 in the bottom of the 6 th for a
5-4 walk off win, with the game winning hit coming from Simon Reeves, advancing the team to
the semifinals.
As if on a collision course, Westwood faced an unbeaten Milton National team in the
semifinals. As the visiting team, Westwood jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first, but to hold the
lead, the team would need strong pitching and defense. Enter James Pallotta, who pitched a
complete game gem, supported by some spectacular defense in center field from Jack Shevory,
who also terrorized Milton on the base paths. Milton battled back, as they always do, but
Westwood hung on for the 7-6 victory, taking the lead on a clutch single up the middle by
Dennis Ash.
With 12 teams having been eliminated, the final 2, Westwood and Barnstable, laced them
up one more time for a 6 p.m. first pitch. With both teams exhausted, Westwood knew it had to
get out to a quick lead. They put up 4 runs in the first and never looked back. Tyler Phillips
pitched 5 strong innings, as Westwood bludgeoned Barnstable with hit after hit, including
multiple hit games from Harrison Gibbons, Braden Briller, James Pallotta and Danny Barkley,
and a blast ground rule double by Trent Levesque, building a 12-2 lead. Drew Appel took the
mound for the 6 th inning, slamming the door and securing the win.
Head coach Brendan Reeves, and assistant coaches Brendan Levesque, Ryan Kelleher,
and Noah French, could not have been prouder of the boys. Said coach Reeves: “One of the
highlights of coaching youth sports is seeing a kid accomplish something you didn’t know (and
maybe they didn’t know) they could do.” On Sunday alone, Braden Briller caught 15 innings
behind the plate in sweltering heat, stopping everything thrown his way. James Pallotta caught 9
innings, including 3 innings after his complete game pitching performance. Danny Barkley
played 3 games at shortstop, turning in some defensive gems, after pitching a complete game in
the first Sunday game and 9 innings in the tournament. Tyler Phillips pitched 5 strong innings
after throwing 4 innings the day before. The team won 4 consecutive games by 1 run. The boys
swung the bats aggressively, backed each other up in the field, never gave up, and grew closer as
a team. It was an experience they will never forget.
Let’s congratulate this team full of Westwood pride on a fantastic season and wish them the best
of luck as they enter the Thurston Middle School.
By Tom Leyden
Erica Resha is a 2005 graduate of Westwood High School and the owner of Fitish Activewear. She and I had the opportunity to catch up at The Muffin House.
Tom:
Take me back to growing up here - What it was like going through the school system, what you remember about being a kid in Westwood?
Erica:
So, I just remember begging my parents to drop me off at Chili's and then going to the movies. That was my big memory - and now that is Legacy Place, so things have definitely changed. We grew up over by Bubbling Brook. Really, really fun. I have two siblings. We grew up there with my parents - then Thurston Middle School, Westwood High School. I was part of the group that went undefeated for a while for girls basketball. I played basketball, ran cross country. I graduated from Westwood and then went to BC, so stayed local most of my life.
Tom:
Take me, if you would, to the moment where you said, 'You know, I'm into fashion, and I'm into clothing and I'm into trying to make a living in that world.'
Erica:
So it's actually pretty crazy. I was pre-law at Boston College. I wanted to be a lawyer - loved to read. I have a dorky side for sure. Then the economy crashed and law school applications went up 250%. The Wall Street Journal released an article in 2009, the year I was leaving BC, reporting 90% of college grads were graduating unemployed. So everyone was going to school because they couldn't get a job. I had worked for my dad in his home decor, home linens, curtains, blankets, pillows, business all throughout college, so I got an interview with a company in fashion and I went there. Then, I started a food blog.
While I was spontaneously cooking, teaching, educating there I was working with a gym on a “Healthy meals that still taste good,” type of spin.
The more fit I got, the more people had something to say about what I ate. Like, “You don't eat the doughnut you post. You don’t eat that pasta dish.” So, I said everything, in moderation, is very real for me. Balance is the point of the company that I started and that's how it started. Fitish was kind of born out of that.
Tom:
Fitish Activewear has really taken Instagram by storm. You hit it at just the right time. How has that basically defined the way you do business?
Erica:
Yeah, it's everything. It is the way to do it. I have an Etsy shop and I can see that 92% of my sales through Etsy are driven through Instagram - they give you that fact. It is my end-all be-all. I do a lot of markets and Pop-Ups and of course that's amazing, but you're in front of people. The merchandise can sell itself, but I think Instagram is it for me and I'm the older end of that, right? So now it's TikTok.
Tom:
Are you finding that you are going to shift more to TikTok or is that just going to augment what you're already doing successfully on Instagram?
Erica:
Well, if anyone from Westwood wants to be a summer intern, they can come run my TikTok because it is hard to learn it.
Tom:
So I've watched the growth of Fitish since you basically started, I think. From my estimation - correct me if I'm wrong – you started with clothing, but there was a moment where you're like, “Wow, jewelry would work.” You took that turn into jewelry and how did that change your business model?
Erica:
It changed everything. You’re right, when I launched it was 100% clothing - activewear with cute quotes like, “We prefer Donuts Over Dumbbells or Pizza Over Pilates.” Things like that. Then I would go to the gym and see people’s necks would be green or I’d see tarnished jewelry, so I felt I could fit a need. We launched about a year and a half ago, waterproof jewelry – sweat-proof, tarnish free, hypoallergenic. It exploded. I mean, it really is what put us on the map. I would say now it’s 60/40 jewelry.
Tom:
Isn't it also hard to balance what is inherently a desire for you to have great customer service, and a personal touch? As you get more and more sales, how do you keep up with that?
Erica:
I always joke that I'm team no sleep. It's difficult.
Tom:
Yeah. You can't sleep, right?
Erica:
A perfect example - I landed from Los Angeles last night at 6pm and I had about 10 orders to pack as soon as I got home, so it's hard. It's definitely hard, but I think I'm willing to do hard for something that I love.
Tom:
So, advice that you might give to kids who are following your footsteps? Kids who live in Westwood now who are in high school, who feel the pressure? This town is lovely, but there is a lot of pressure associated with it. You know, the whole “Perfect Westwood,” everyone goes to college - that's not necessarily the case. What sort of advice do you give to kids based on what you've learned?
Erica:
Well, I think one of the things I don't share often, which people who hear this say, “You definitely should.” I started Fitish with $500.
Tom:
Whoa.
Erica:
My parents, one year for Christmas gave us $500- go buy what you want, right? I said, “I'm going to start a company. I'm going to see what I can do with $500.”
I started with a mug and it said the word Fitish. It said the definition was “Likes to work out, but prefers donuts over dumbbells.” I sold a couple, some of them shattered when I shipped them. You learn fast, right? I sold them and then I bought a few shirts with the same definitions. And then I bought a few things that didn't say cute things. I bought true activewear that I want to wear when I work out - so think Lululemon quality, but affordable prices. It just kept going and then it funded itself.
So the thing I would say is, “You have enough!” Whatever you have is enough to start. And if you have an idea, keep it close to your chest. When I launched jewelry, I told no one. You have an idea and there's a reason you have it. Don't get me wrong - you have to do your research. I've done a ton of research. I've made a ton of mistakes. You have enough doubt for 10 people, so as soon as you start telling people and they poke holes, it becomes bigger. Your doubt becomes bigger than your idea.
Tom:
So when are we going to see a Pop-Up here?
Erica:
I know – a hometown Pop-Up. Actually, someone asked me to collaborate with them for Westwood Day, so we might be here in the near future.
Tom:
Nice.
For more, listen to my conversation with Erica on the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon and YouTube.
The Westwood 16U Select Softball Team unleashed a barrage of offense, spraying 72 hits around the field over the course of six games en route to winning the Battle N' The Burg championship in Fitchburg, MA. Westwood put the finishing touches on a dominant weekend with a 12-1 win over the North County Spark in Sunday's final.
Addy Keaveney was the tone-setter on the mound and at the plate for Westwood throughout the tournament, striking out 29 batters in 18 innings while pounding 11 hits in 18 at-bats, including three doubles, three triples and two home runs. Keaveney scored more runs, individually (13), than Westwood allowed all weekend as a team (11).
The hitting was contagious and spread throughout the Westwood lineup. Every player on the roster compiled video-game numbers, with the team batting .542 after being one-hit in a weekend-opening loss in pool play.
Mary Stronach was equally effective both pitching and hitting, striking out 19 batters in 14 innings while raking 10 hits across six games at the plate. Alaina Martin caught five games in the intense heat and consistently delivered, erasing runners on the bases and knocking in five runs on seven hits.
Amelia O'Neill, Dahlia Leyden, Kate McLeish, Sasha Marino, Abby Johnson, Livy Leyden, Mia Poles and Jordan Sabatino all contributed offensively throughout the weekend, and the entire lineup got hits in the championship game.
Highlights included Poles coming up big on her birthday with four hits and an outstanding throw out from left field, Marino pounding two doubles and driving in three runs in the final, Livy Leyden ending the semifinal with a run-scoring double and Dahlia Leyden ending the final by fielding a hot shot to first base. Johnson and Sabatino were flawless in the field.
Of note, after the outstanding weekend in Fitchburg, this group of players improved to 58-25 dating back to 2020.
By Tom Leyden
Not every topic we discuss, or task we tackle in life is fun and entertaining. Some of the most vital decisions we make require focus, serious attention, and strategic thought. When we travel out of our comfort zone, it's vital to feel safe by surrounding ourselves with a team of experts who know the answers, are trained to teach, and are dedicated to serving you with care. Tiffany O'Connell and her team at the O'Connell Law certainly qualify in each of those categories.
Planning your estate should be at the top of your list, but if you haven't done so yet, you're not alone. In her book, "Do You Have A Plan? How to Avoid Leaving a Mess," Tiffany details her top observation from more than three decades of working in this complex field.
"I've observed that people fear having the necessary conversations that deal with illness, incapacity or death, delaying or never dealing with them," she writes. "I've seen it happen too often that because a person did not meet with me in time, a mess was left for their loved ones to deal with. I genuinely feel that the person would not have wanted to leave such chaos, yet a nightmare was left to deal with because of their inaction."
After graduating from Boston College, Tiffany pursued her J.D. from the New England School of Law, graduating in 1994. She is considered to be among the top Elder Law and Estate Planning attorneys in New England and frequently lectures on the topic of Alzheimer's and dementia as well as Trusts and Estates. Her attention to detail sets her apart, and so does her sense of humor.
The O'Connell Law's marketing campaign humanizes the topic of estate planning, connecting sentiment with emotion and reason, painting a picture of what "could be" based on the decisions you make (or don't make) today. The tongue-in-cheek approach is intentional because breaking that barrier of fear is critical as she and her team open the eyes of potential clients.
"It's not just a Will and or a Trust," said Tiffany. "It's also having a Power of Attorney in place so that if someone needs to handle financial stuff in your name, someone can do it when it's needed. And what about health decisions? So many people think, 'Oh, an estate plan is just for when I've died.' No, an estate plan is also for when you're living, for when you just can't take care of things, whether it's the financial, Power of Attorney or Trust, or health decisions, which in Massachusetts, we call a healthcare proxy. So those documents are crucial, not just for you, but for your loved ones."
What draws someone to a career in Estate Planning and Elder Law? Tiffany's path to this complex field was paved during her time in the U.S. Army, serving as a Reserve in the JAG Corps.
"I always tell people I was mightier with the pen than the sword, but it was really, truly my honor," said Tiffany of her time in the military. "I never served overseas, but I did serve a two-year period of active duty in Washington DC. My role was to represent disabled soldiers as they were going through the disability process at the Walter Reed Hospital. It was such an honorable position, at times a very sad position, but it was just so wonderful trying to help these soldiers. It was through that experience that I found out I loved estate planning because talking with the soldiers and realizing, oh my gosh, this is about people, this is about values, this is about helping people, that I realized estate planning was for me."
The sense of order gleaned from Tiffany's time in D.C. has translated into the way O'Connell Law functions each day. The staff's efficiency is apparent in every communication, along with attention to detail.
Cathy, a client who has worked with the O'Connell Law team, said, "The entire staff --support, legal assistants, attorneys-- is personable, supportive, and efficient. They were welcoming, caring, knowledgeable, and professional, providing excellent guidance and expertise. The process and fees were explained to me in advance, so I knew what to expect. Calls and meetings were scheduled in a timely manner with a quick turnaround on replying to emails and answering questions. I couldn't be happier being their client and look forward to a long relationship with them!"
Listen to my full conversation with Tiffany by visiting the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon, and YouTube. Learn more at oconnelllawgroup.com
By Derek Field
Field Martial Arts Academy
Hello everyone! Spring is in the air, and with it comes warmer weather, greener trees, and a new round of spring sports! Whether this is a child’s first attempt at whichever activity they choose, or if they are a “veteran” of the sport at hand, there is bound to be a time when your child experiences the desire to quit. Why does this happen, and what can we possibly do about it?
First of all, quitting can be a good thing. Whether it's baseball, soccer, dance, or martial arts, if a child truly does not want to continue with their sport of choice, or if it is negatively impacting their health or grades, it is a sign of strength to speak up and express their feelings.
However, more often than not the desire to quit comes from experiencing some type of difficulty, stress, or failure all of which are vitally important parts of the learning process. If a child gives in to the urge to quit, it can become easier and easier to quit and soon the desire to give up will appear anytime there is some type of difficulty.
So when our kid says “I quit," what do we do? Lets understand some reasons why kids want to quit:
- They are not progressing as quickly as they want to, or perhaps not at all
- The feeling of disappointing teammates or coaches
- The perception that they are not good at it, especially in comparison to others
- Their best efforts are still not getting them to where they want to be
- A friend quit, so they want to as well
- They have experienced some kind of defeat (lost a game, fell during a routine, failed a belt test, etc.)
- Bullying
How can we help our children avoid or deal with this feeling, even when it feels like their mind is made up and they want out? Well, the earlier you can communicate to them the potential challenges they will face, the better…especially if it is before any commitments are made. Help them understand what they need to do to break through the learning curve, and manage their expectations. We don’t want to dissuade them from trying, but it is wise let them know what difficulties lie ahead. We also want to make sure they understand that even though some difficulty is almost guaranteed, it is not impossible to overcome!
As a parent, it is important to remember that we must remain empathetic to our child when they hit this point. Avoid showing frustration, and instead try to get to the root of the issue.
Some questions that could give some insight are: “You were really excited to do this at first, what changed?”, “Are you disappointed with how you are doing?”, “Is someone hurting you, physically or emotionally?”, and “Would you like to play the same sport/activity, but on a different team/somewhere else?”
In martial arts, we talk about the importance of perseverance all the time. Not giving up in the face of difficulty is a core tenet that we believe is critical to install in all of us, and especially in our kids. I have seen many students get to the point of wanting to quit, and do just that. I have also had many break through that point, and go on to be their best! If you feel like your child does indeed need to stick by their sport, remind them of the commitment made by them and you (buying equipment, signing up for a season/term, etc) and that they at least have to finish what they signed up for. If after they still want to quit or do something else, they at least fulfilled their commitment.
If we, as parents and coaches, can show empathy and belief in our children, and help guide them through challenges, difficulties, and defeats, we are setting them up for future success. They will have learned that if they want to achieve something, as difficult as it may be, quitting is not how to reach that goal. Work hard, and come out smiling on the other side!
Until next time.
Learn more about Derek Field and Field Martial Arts by listening to our full conversation on the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube
By Tom Leyden
Jackie MacMullan is a Hall of Fame sports journalist who retired in 2021 after more than 40 years covering sports, representing The Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated and ESPN over the course of her career. Jackie graduated from Westwood High School in 1978. I chatted with her to reflect on her time in Westwood and how it molded her life and career.
Tom:
What are your memories of growing up here in Westwood?
Jackie:
My best friends in the world are from Westwood. I have eight women I'm still friends with, we're called the "YaYas." I'm 62 years old and I travel the world with them. They're my oldest and best friends. Westwood is really important to me. It was a great place to grow up. We had a great neighborhood. I grew up on Stanford Drive - played street hockey every day with all the boys in the neighborhood. I was in the marching band, so I used to march in the parade right down High Street.
Tom:
Take me back to the days when you were in high school because you were a bit of a stand-out athlete.
Jackie:
I wouldn't call myself a standout. I was afraid to try out for the basketball team. I showed up for tryouts my freshman year, I looked in the door, lost my nerve and said, "I'll do it next year." Then my sophomore year, I was on the varsity field hockey team. I was a track athlete. I looked in the door again and I just didn't have the courage to do it, but I liked to be around Kathy Delaney-Smith because I thought she was such a powerful, independent woman that was getting things done. I was very drawn to her and I remember sitting in her office and listening.
She said, "I went down to the junior high today. I saw your sister, Suzie, play. At least I'll get one MacMullan to play for me."
I'm a junior in high school at this point. I said, "Oh, well I'll play."
Then she looked at me with this horrified look on her face and I said, "Oh, it's too late. It's too late."
She had no idea that I wanted to play. She didn't know. So she said, "Well, just come to the gym. Come just before school."
She worked with me so that I could make the team. I really had never played. So I was on the JV as a junior, but once I started playing, I didn't stop playing until I had neck surgery later in life. She moved me up to the varsity for the state tournament and I actually played a lot in the state tournament that year. And then my senior year, we went to the state championship and lost by a point at the buzzer. Oh - and then the next year, my sister's team won it all.
Tom:
No kidding. Do you remember who you lost to?
Jackie:
Of course I do. Drury. 42-41. I missed the last shot - a turnaround jump shot, rolled halfway down and out. Got the rebound, thought I was gonna go to the line to win it, and they called me for an offensive foul. I remember it very well.
Tom:
Oh, I can imagine why you would. But it was clear in what I read about you, that you had the bug early to shift your focus to the journalistic side and the writing side. Where did you catch that bug?
Jackie:
My parents were voracious readers. My dad loved newspapers. He was a New York City native. He was a traveling salesman. So he'd come home from his travels and I'd read the New York Post and the New York Daily News and the Boston Herald. There were a lot of newspapers in our house. My dad loved sports. but he had a rule in our house. You couldn't read the sports section until you read the rest of the paper first. That was my dad's rule. It was a good rule. So I was curious about newspapers. I was interested in them.
When I was in high school, the girls teams were amazing. I wasn't even playing at this point. I hadn't even tried out yet, but everybody was great and every time I picked up The Daily Transcript, I don't even know if that exists anymore, they were always writing about the boys. So I was like, "What is this about?
I was really annoyed by it and my dad said, "Well, all you do is complain about it. Why don't you do something about it?"
So he stood right next to me and I called Mr. Wall, the sports editor and I said, "I just wonder why you don't cover the girls?"
He said, "Oh, I, I don't have anybody. It's just me. You want to do it?"
I said, "Well, I'm 15, you know?"
He said, "If it stinks, I won't print it."
So I had a sports column in high school. I wrote for The Daily Transcript. Sometimes I was writing about my field hockey team and if I had a goal, I wondered if I was supposed to put in there that I had a goal? It was kind of weird, you know, but I only wrote about girls. I would not write about the boys, only the girls. I only wrote about the girls. One of my friends, her name was Sandy Friedl, she was a swimmer and she broke two school records for boys and for girls.She was amazing. So I wrote about her. It was a lot of fun.
Tom:
Well, times have changed. And you've been such a major part of that change, not just locally, but nationally. I don't even know if you could encapsulate it or summarize it in a short amount of time because so much has changed, but I guess what are you most proud of that has changed in the many years since you embarked on your career?
Jackie:
Well, I think now when a woman walks in to cover an athletic event and nobody really even blinks. For many, many years I would cover colleges and then later, I got to do the pros. Nine times out of 10, I was the only woman there. I was very fortunate. There was another young woman who was my age who's now old like me, Karen Guregian from the Boston Herald. She's fantastic - a terrific reporter, terrific person, but she was a hockey writer and I was more of a basketball writer, although we would both be there for the Red Sox World Series games and we'd both be there for the Patriots' Super Bowls. I always enjoyed that because, I suppose technically Karen and I were competitors, but we were great friends and she was a great support to me. I hope I was the same to her, but we were the exception, not the rule. The last 20, or I would even say 25 years of my career, I was never the only woman, but in the beginning I was always the only woman and it's lonely and it's intimidating and it's difficult.
Tom:
You just referenced your retirement. I'm not alone in wondering what you are doing. What's keeping you busy?
Jackie:
Yeah, I have so much fun. We moved to the New Hampshire Sea Coast, so I put my kayak on these little wheels and I go across the street and I get out in the ocean and sea kayak a little bit. I took up pickleball just long enough to wreck my back. We've got a great garden out back. We live behind a marsh, so I've become a complete bird nerd. It's really fun to learn about all the birds and we do a ton of traveling because our daughter lives in Colorado and our son's in New York City, so we spend a lot of time hanging out with them, which is really fun.
I go to the library every week, and my only homework for myself is to read one book a week. To be honest, it's easy. I've been waiting years to have the time to relax and read. So I've really, really enjoyed it. I'm reading all the Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction novels from current all the way back. Then when I'm done with that, I'll do the same thing with the non-fiction. So it's fun.
Tom:
Last one... you referenced your experience growing up in Westwood, but what's your understanding of what Westwood is now, after all of the years since you made it your home?
Jackie:
I don't go there very often. I have a couple of friends that live there. One of my "YaYas" still lives there. I purposely don't go by my old house because I did that once and they had made some changes. They had cut down my dad's dogwood tree and that upset me, so why put myself through that? But I'm very proud to be from there. It's a place that very much shaped my life. There's no question about it. Some of my biggest disappointments were there. Some of my greatest successes were there. And certainly the relationships that I fostered there are lifelong ones. It's a lifelong commitment, this Westwood thing.
Jackie wrote for The Daily Transcript when she was a student at Westwood High School
By Tom Leyden
Sitting across from PJ Vande Rydt and Bill Crabtree, I immediately felt an energy and excitement for what they do each day. Both men are born coaches, dedicated to improving the skills and improving the lives of the student-athletes they work with every day. The fact two Westwood guys have built a football program that's churning out successful college players on a regular basis is remarkable. The resume speaks for itself.
Just last season, four players who went through the Mass Elite program played in the College Football Playoff. Zak Zinter and Greg Crippen were two anchors on the Michigan offensive line, while Kalel Mullings made a series of big plays in the Wolverines win over Ohio State in November. Meanwhile, Xavier Truss has continued to enjoy success at Georgia and played a significant role in the Bulldogs back to back national championships.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had that part planned," said Crabtree through a big smile and laugh. "PJ and I knew that was gonna happen, we planned that up. Remember that PJ?"
Getting serious for a moment, Vande Rydt recalled, "That clinic when we saw Zac for the first time, we looked at each other and saw his footwork and was like, 'Oh my God, I've never seen anyone with footwork at that level before,' you know? He ended up going to BB&N, received numerous offers, and there he is today at Michigan. a potential first round draft pick. Billy's been the catalyst behind that lineman clinic, and it's grown every single year."
Crabtree coached at Westwood High School from 1983-89, while Vande Rydt was head coach of the Westwood middle school program from from 2008-2015 before taking over as head coach of Xaverian's middle school program seven years ago.
With Mass Elite's success has come growth. When young players and their parents see an established track record, it's no surprise the Mass Elite clinics fill up fast. Not only do you learn, but you're seen by the most influential eyeballs in high school and college football.
"When we first started we had one camp, and this year, we'll have 11 camps," said Vande Rydt. "Our big one is in June - it's a three day camp. That's our oldest one. We do have public high school coaches with us coaching, but it's mostly private school coaches. It's definitely unique because we have more than 30 high school head coaches, so it's not only a great technique and fundamental camp, it's also a recruiting clinic for some of these kids.
"And I know some of the public school coaches probably won't like me saying that, but these kids are going to find their way regardless, right? We just give them a tool. We've had great success with that over the years."
"When we started this, we didn't plan it to be what it has turned into," said Crabtree. "We're about technique and fundamentals, but we have become a bit of a pathway to the private schools such as BB&N and St. Sebastian's, Milton Academy, Xaverian, Dexter. Although we don't push it, if players want our help and advice or to do recommendations or connect them with a coach, we do that. We do a lot more than bring kids in for a three-hour clinic. We're still in touch with all of our kids, so it's a lot more than just the football."
Before the clinics became such a success, PJ and Bill raised the bar by forming an All-Star team of middle schoolers to represent Massachusetts on the national stage. The first team, led by former Purdue quarterback Austin Burton, finished fourth in the country at the FBU National Championship in San Antonio. That success opened eyes around the US, with scouts and college coaches paying more attention to what's happening in Massachusetts.
"Our former players, like Preston Zinter, who has enrolled early at Notre Dame to play football, always like to come back and be part of the camps," said Vande Rydt. "When he comes home, he talks to the kids So they love coming back. It's great for them. They want to give back what they had when they were younger."
As the tree of success grows, the branches reach further and further, but the essence of Mass Elite's mission remains the same. Stick to the fundamentals. Network. Empower. Encourage.
You can learn more about Mass Elite Football by listening to our conversation on the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon and YouTube. Visit www.masselitefootball.com for all the information you need to sign up for one of their clinics, including the three-day camp at Xaverian scheduled for June 23-25.
By Tom Leyden
Dining at Casa Loca Cantina can best be described as a sensory experience. When you walk through the door, you see the smiles on the staff as you're greeted by a high-energy soundtrack. As you wait for a table or maybe for your drink at the bar, you soak in the scents of Mexican cuisine, a sizzling fajita goes by on its way to a table, the smell of enchiladas with rice and beans wafts through the air.
If you're like me, you eagerly await a margarita, Raspberry in my case, and when you get it, the taste is perfect, and there's a reason for that.
"Margaritas, of course, are the staple and we do it a little uniquely," said Brittany Tucker, the Regional General Manager for Wellesley Restaurant Group who runs the day-to-day operations at Casa Loca
"Our standard margaritas that are on the menu are draft margaritas. We batch those daily, fresh, we make our sours mix from scratch. We then add the liquors to it, mix it, and it goes into our draft system so that every margarita is poured exactly the same in the exact same proportions every single time. The consistency and the quality are fantastic. People who haven't experienced it before can be a little skeptical, and then they taste them and they say, 'Oh my gosh, this is fantastic.' I was here last week and I'll be here next week and it will taste exactly the same, which is the key to it."
The key to Casa Loca's success has been a commitment to quality and freshness.
"We don't have a microwave on the line. We don't do that," said Tucker.
Instead, the focus is on fresh.
"Our guacamole is sensational," said Tucker. "People rave about it. You can taste the freshness in a guacamole when it's made that way, right from the avocados. We're a fusion restaurant, right? We are Mexican-inspired and we definitely have some traditional dishes, but some of the items we do with our own flair. Street corn, in a lot of Mexican restaurants, is served on the cob. Ours is off the cob and it's made as a saute with cotija cheese. Insane. It's rich and flavorful and filling."
A key to any restaurant's success is becoming involved with the community, and Casa Loca has done that since opening on University Avenue. Not only did Casa Loca host the first-ever Westwood Living Social in October, the team has also supported many local charities and fundraisers as a way of giving back to residents.
"We're always happy to partner with anybody in the community because we want to be a part of the community and have a reputation of being involved and not just a restaurant that happens to be in Westwood," said Tucker. "We want to be a Westwood restaurant."
Back to the sensory experience. We've covered what you see and what you hear, what you smell and what you taste, but only one thing completes the sensory cycle - that's the opportunity to feel your food, which is unique to Mexican cuisine like Tacos and Fajitas.
Taco Tuesdays are a hit because you are able to order tacos a la carte - as many as you like.
"It's a good time. The music is fun. The vibe is nice. It's a great after work spot, and especially on a Taco Tuesday," said Tucker.
Hear more of my conversation with Brittany on the Westwood Living Podcast Network, available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon and YouTube.
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