Westport has a robust youth sports scene. Kids fill our fields and courts, running, playing, laughing and learning life lessons.
None of it would be possible without parent coaches. Thousands of boys and girls benefit greatly from the volunteer efforts of hundreds of dads and moms.
Well — mostly dads.
Tara McCarthy is both a Westport Soccer Association board member, and a youth coach. She’s been surprised at how few other women coach. She writes:
I moved to Westport from New York City in June 2017. The next year — as soon as my daughter Allie started kindergarten, I began coached her “Rec” soccer teams.
Tara McCarthy, with Allie and Leo.
The Westport Soccer Association is a great organization, with wonderful professional coaches (Kelvin is a favorite!) and parent volunteers. Our town is lucky to have it.
That being said, I was so disappointed that first year because there was only one other “mom coach” in the girls’ kindergarten division.
Since then, I have tried to encourage other moms I’ve met to coach their daughters’ soccer teams. As far as I know, I have only successfully recruited one.
For all ages, the vast majority of coaches Rec coaches continue to be dads. Please don’t misunderstand: It’s amazing that dads coach their daughters (and their sons!).
My husband Kevin coaches our son Leo’s Rec soccer team. My own dad coached me in a bunch of sports when I was growing up.
But every season that I have coached, little girls (usually from the opposing team) tell me that they “didn’t know moms could coach.”
For this reason (and so many more), I believe it is important for girls to see that moms can (and do) coach too.
Tara McCarthy, at “work.”
While this is one reason I coach, the main one is because getting out there every Saturday with my daughter is fun! It is an activity that Allie and I do together–just us.
Allie gets to see a side of me that is different from the mom she’s used to seeing (the one that nags her to eat broccoli).
Similarly, I get to see a side of Allie that I wouldn’t necessarily see had I not been out there on the field. She’s determined, resilient, and even tougher than I thought.
Another bonus is that I have gotten to know Allie’s friends and teammates better than I would have had they just come over for a playdate.
It has been a joy to coach Allie and her little friends these past few years. I get way more out of the experience than the girls.
I encourage my fellow moms to coach their daughters’ teams. It’s easy. At least for the younger divisions, no experience is required. It’s mainly about making sure every child plays roughly the same amount of minutes, encouraging them, and teaching good sportsmanship.
Oh, and tying (a lot) of cleats!
Tara has a great idea. It applies to all sports. But I’d add another thought: More women should coach their sons’ teams, too. Boys need those role models. They need to see their mothers in those new lights. It’s a win-win!
“06880” gave the wrong date yesterday for the 42nd annual Compo Beach Point to Point Swim. The correct date is Sunday, July 18.
The rest of the story was correct. Its a ton of fun — and a key fundraiser for the Westport Weston Family YMCA’s aquatics program.
There are awards for the top 3 male and female finishers, and t-shirts for all. To register, click here. For more information email jrojas@wesetporty.org, or call 203-226-8981, ext. 139.
On Monday night I drove on Hillspoint Road, from the Post Road to the Mill Pond. Just before 10 p.m., I saw 3 separate groups of 2 or 3 teens (or “tweens”) on bikes with no lights heading north, probably from the beach.
It was scary! I want parents to know: Please set your kids’ bikes up with lights. A set of rechargeable white front headlight and red taillight can be ordered through Amazon for under $20. A priceless investment! (Most safety-conscious bicyclists use strobing lights in broad daylight to increase visibility and safety.)
Just a moment of driver inattention or distraction could have tragic consequences. Parents need to know the dangers their kids are facing!
Got a question, complaint or (even) praise for Jim Himes? Tell him in person.
Our congressman holds a “town hall”-style meeting at the Westport Library on Saturday, July 17 (11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.). Seating is limited; click here to register.
Congressman Jim Himes, at a previous “town hall” meeting at Bedford Middle School. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Speaking of politics: As one of the youngest state politicians in the country, 2014 Staples High School graduate (and state senator) Will Haskell often gets calls from students and recent graduates. They ask how to run for office.
He doesn’t have all the answers. But he’s put his thoughts together in a new Simon & Schuster book. “100,000 First Bosses: My Unlikely Path as a 22-Year-Old Lawmaker” describes his 2018 campaign, and first year in the Connecticut Senate.
Haskell’s book goes on sale in January. It’s available for pre-sale now. Click here to order, and for more information.
Beechwood Arts’ most popular annual event returns August 1 (2 to 6 p.m.).
The grounds at 52 Weston Road will be open. That’s fitting. This year’s theme is “Opening Up.” It’s Beechwood’s first full, in-person arts immersion experience since fall of 2019.
The event marks Beechwood’s 10th year. Favorite musical artists from the past will be on hand; there are special arts installations too, along with spontaneous community performances, an outdoor artist market and sculptures, all on Beechwood’s beautiful property.
Artists and performers are welcome to share their talents. Click here for tickets, and more information on how to take part.
The Westport Police has joined the Gillespie Center food pantry drive.
Now through August, residents can drop items off at the Gillespie Center courtyard (behind Don Memo restaurant, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays), or the Westport Police Department lobby, across from the Gillespie Center men’s shelter on Jesup Road (any time, 24/7).
Non-perishable items needed include canned meats, tuna, salmon, Spam, pasta sauces, hot and cold cereals, canned fruits and soups, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, mac and cheese, paper goods and reusable bags.
Questions? Call 203-226-3426, or email info@hwhct.org.
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Maya Konig and Kathy Belzer met when their children were in Westport preschool. During the pandemic, they tried to think positively. Their combined love for exploring, experiencing and finding beauty in simple things led them to create Local Luxe Co.
It’s a “gift-giving company.” They source local products from artisans and “emerging makers” throughout the Northeast, and offer them online in seasonal collections. Options include real estate broker closing gifts, and corporate and special events.
Products include environmentally friendly beach bags made from oyster traps, home accessories, eco-friendly wellness and beauty products for adults and tweens, and snacks and drinks.
Among their local partners: The Two-Oh-Three, Allison Daniels Designs, Laurel & Vine and Rustic Ridge.
A portion of proceeds will be given to Breathe4ALS, the foundation started by Westporters Jonathan and Iris Greenfield. (Click here for the Local Luxe Co. website.)
Noted artist Barbara Bernstein died last month, from chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. She was 86.
A colorist whose work evokes the legacy of the French Impressionists, she produced landscapes and interiors in both oils and watercolors. She was a founding member of Art/Place Gallery.
Barbara participated in more than 200 group and national juried shows, and won more than 40 awards. She was a juried artists member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society, Connecticut Women Artists and the New Haven Paint and Clay Club. Her works are in the collections of General Electric Corp. the town of Westport and many others.
Passionate about art and education, she received two graduate degrees, in teaching and education. She taught art in the Westport school system for many years.
Barbara was also known for her commitment to social justice. She participated in the 1963 March on Washington, and protested the wars in Vietnam and Iraq in weekly vigils. She was arrested for civil disobedience while protesting the mining of Haiphong Harbor and escalation of the war in Vietnam.
Barbara was also passionate about travel, often bringing her sketchbooks and watercolors on diverse treks. She traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and New Zealand.
Barbara was preceded in death by her brother Albert and sister Alice. She is survived by her husband Joseph; children Eric, Sara and David; 2 nephews and many cousins.
Services are private. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Planned Parenthood or the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. For information or to sign an online register, click here.
The TriBeca Film Festival is back. This year, it’s very New York-centric.
Among the films: “Bernstein’s Wall.”
The Tribeca website describes the world premiere of the film directed by Westporter Douglas Tirola (4thRow Films; co-founder, Westport’s Remarkable Theater):
In this enlightening look at one of the greatest classical music figures of the 20th century, director Douglas Tirola mines a rich trove of interviews, television appearances, home movie footage, photos, letters to craft a comprehensive look at Leonard Bernstein, whose passion and drive took him well beyond the marvelous music he wrote and conducted.
Spanning the breadth of a life interwoven with key historic moments outside the concert hall, Bernstein’s Wall follows the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant who arrives in New York from his Boston hometown to eventually become conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and becomes a household name thanks to his numerous TV appearances, educating the public on all things symphonic, West Side Story, being seen with celebrities and politicians, and his crossing-the-line activism, from protesting the Vietnam War to (controversially) supporting the Black Panthers.
Tirola incorporates Bernstein’s personal life — his fraught relationship with his father, his marriage, his family life, his struggles to be at peace with his sexuality — to paint a complex portrait of a complex, driven individual who produced some of the most memorable music of his time as a product of those times.
(“Bernstein’s Wall” is available for streaming from June 15-23. Click here for details. Hat tip: Kerry Long)
Yesterday’s Yappy Hour at MoCA Westport was paws-itively cool.
The arts center hosted plenty of dogs (and their owners) on its expansive Newtown Turnpike lawn. Food was collected for PAWS and Westport Animal Shelter Advocates.
Missed yesterday? Doggone it! The next one is July 1.
Yappy Hour at MoCA Westport! The next one will be held on Thursday, July 1.
Just in time for the end of the spring sports season: Westport Rotary Club and the Westport Soccer Association are collecting used soccer uniforms, clothing, shoes, shin guards, balls and other equipment.
They’ll ship it all to Nicaragua. Rotary already works there with NicaPhoteo, a non-profit that helps communities.
The soccer equipment is much needed. Soft backpack bags, old balls, socks, jerseys and shirts — it will all go to good use.
The drop-off location is 5 Sugar Maple Lane, Westport (off Whitney Street). There’s a box on the front porch. Please wash clothing items first!
Dr. Donald Cohen’s nationally televised show — in which, well, kids talked (about everything in their lives) is being relaunched. Fittingly for a new century, it’s a livestream, on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.
The first episode of the relaunch is tonight (Thursday, June 10), at 7 p.m. The topic is body image and eating disorders. Teenage guests come from Westport — and around the country.
“Kids Are Talking” started in 1990 at Fairfield University. It became a national radio call-in show on WICC, simulcast on Cablevision. In the late ’90s it found a home on WWPT-FM, broadcast from Toquet Hall.
“Kids Are Talking” and its host, Cohen, have been featured on “The CBS Morning Show” and ABC-TV, as well as in the New York Times.
TAP Strength Lab is the latest business to join the “Summer of Pride” promotion.
The downtown personalized fitness coaching, therapy, nutrition and preventative health center will donate 10% of the first month of membership (for new members who sign up now through August) to Westport Pride. Mention the code “Summer of Love.”
Oh, yeah: They’ve got a special Pride logo for this month too.
Patricia Rogers Suda, died peacefully at home on May 24, surrounded by her loving family after a courageous fight against cancer. She was 69.
Born in New Haven, her family moved to Westport in 1959. She graduated in 1970 from Staples High, where she met and married the love of her life, Mark R. Suda.
Patti and Mark moved to Norwalk. They were married for nearly 50 years, before he passed in 2020.
Survivors include sons, Mark Suda Jr. (Michelle) and Joseph Suda (Amy); grandchildren Skyler, Madyson, Samantha and Joseph Jr.; brothers Bill, Paul and John Rogers; sister Janet Aitoro, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Patti loved watching her sons in their sports. From Cranbury League baseball and Pop Warner football, to high school baseball and football, she was there. She also enjoyed watching her grandkids in softball, baseball, gymnastics, soccer and hockey.
Patti retired in December 2017 as a bookkeeper after 32 years, to spend time with her family.
Her words to all family and friends are, “Live life to the fullest, with love and respect to others, because you never know what tomorrow brings.”
The coronavirus continues to play havoc with Connecticut life.
Gov. Ned Lamont has declared both a public health emergency and a civil preparedness emergency.
The first edict gives the state power over quarantine. The second allows the governor to restrict travel, and close public schools and buildings, among other powers..
Right now, however, Lamont says that decisions about school closings and large gatherings are being made by local government and public health officials.
The Westport Library will postpone or cancel all “in-person programming” through the end of March. Some events may be live-streamed — as was Sunday’s public meeting on the COVID-19 virus.
The Spring Book Sale scheduled for this weekend has also been canceled. The summer book sale will be held July 18 through 21, at a new location: Staples High School.
Right now, the library plans to remain open for patrons, and is “extra vigilant” about cleanliness.
Executive director Bill Harmer encourages users to take advantage of the library’s “extensive downloadable and streaming digital resource, eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines, music, movies, and many other entertaining and educational resources are available to all cardholders.” Click here for links to the digital collection.
Staples Players’ production of “Seussical” — scheduled for a 2-week run, beginning this weekend — has been postponed until April 24 and 25 (matinee and evening shows) and April 26.
Ticket holders will be contacted by the box office within the next few days regarding transitions or exchanges.
“We will work as quickly as we can to respond to patrons, but we ask the public to be patient,” say directors David Roth and Kerry Long.
The actors and tech crew — who have dedicated themselves to the show since December — are not the only Staples students disappointed by the effects of the rapidly spreading virus.
Wrecker basketball players were stunned today to learn that the Connecticut State Interscholastic Athletic Conference canceled the boys and girls state tournaments. (Click here for a video of the announcement.)
Both Staples teams were having their best seasons in decades. Last night, the girls beat Glastonbury to advance to the semifinals. The boys were set to begin their tournament this evening, home against Enfield.
It’s an abrupt ending for both squads.
Meanwhile, the Westport Soccer Association’s WIN tournament — for over 30 years, the kickoff to the spring season — has been canceled too.
The event — which draws over 160 boys and girls teams to indoor and outdoor fields at Staples High and Bedford Middle Schools — is a fundraiser for the Coleman Brother Foundation.
Over the years, it has collected and donated more than $100,000 in scholarships.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce — which looks out for the interests of local businesses — has forwarded a CDC document: “Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers/Plan, Prepare and Respond to Coronavirus.” Click here for the link.
One day in the mid-1980s, Stuart McCarthy — a former Staples star now coaching a Westport Soccer Association girls team — told Todd Coleman, “It’s time you gave something back to the program.” McCarthy named him coach of the WSA’s Under-17 girls squad.
Coleman was all of 19 years old.
He coached girls for 3 seasons. And McCarthy’s words have resonated ever since.
Todd Coleman
Coleman is in his 3rd decade of giving back. Now — as the new Westport Soccer Association co-president — he’s in a unique position. A former WSA player who has seen the program and sport evolve, he’s trying to balance the fun, play-with-your-buddies aspect he remembers with the realities of youth sports, 2014-style.
Coleman’s introduction to soccer came in 4th grade, at Hillspoint Elementary School. New to Westport, he had no idea what it meant when Rob Sweetnam asked at recess, “Want to kick?”
But he quickly learned. He played WSA recreation soccer, and made his 1st travel team at 13. Each year, his teammates’ bonds tightened.
Coleman went on to captain the Staples soccer and wrestling squads. He earned the Block “S” MVP award and Loeffler Scholarship, and won a state championship as a junior. At Bates College he was a 4-year starter and captain. He won another state title with Westport’s Under-23 Kixx team.
“Real life” followed. He worked in financial services in Europe and San Francisco. His brothers Scott (a soccer player) and Keith (a wrestler) were killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11. But soccer kept him connected. When his buddies formed a Westport Over-30 team to honor Scott, Coleman played whenever he could. That team too won a state title.
Todd Coleman (top row, 3rd from left) with the Westport Over-30 team, on a tour of England. To his left is Ivan Gazidis, Arsenal CEO, who played with Westport when he was assistant commissioner of MLS. To Coleman’s right is Mark Noonan, a former Staples teammate who won a national championship at Duke. Other former WSA and Staples players include Dr. Jonathan Sollinger, Guy Claveloux, Brian Sullivan, Dan Donovan and Mike Brown.
Seven years ago — now back in Westport — Coleman volunteered at the WSA’s indoor tournament. (A portion of the profits go to the organization’s Coleman Brothers Foundation.) He liked what he saw. He got more involved. And he always remembered McCarthy’s words.
“Volunteering makes you a better person,” Coleman says. “Giving back helps you get a little bit outside yourself.”
The WSA has expanded greatly since Coleman’s playing days, when there was 1 travel team per age group, and parental involvement was limited to coaching and driving. There are now 1,500 players; 29 travel teams; a robust recreational program, and professional coaches.
But though the organization has grown, its core mission remains the same. “The WSA should be as inclusive as possible,” he says. “I want it to be fun for the kids. I want them to have the same love for soccer I had when I was young. When I was 10, I didn’t feel pressured to make travel or think about college.”
Parents are involved, he says, “almost more than the kids now.” But Coleman has nothing but praise for the WSA’s 165 volunteers. “They’re enthusiastic about soccer, and they’re focused on the benefits for everyone. There are board members whose kids did not make a travel team. No one complained.”
Youth soccer — all youth sports — are different today than when Coleman was first invited to “have a kick.” (It was a red playground ball, he laughs — not even a real soccer ball.) Travel teams begin at younger ages. Parents drive further distances. Children are “showcased” for colleges.
Coleman can’t change that. But he will do everything he can to make sure that the organization he now heads holds true to the same principle — “soccer is fun” — that powered it when he was young.
And that impelled him to give back to it, starting at the ripe old age of 19.
Over 6,000 Westport kids play sports. Many do more than one. And — as every parent knows — many sports are now played in more than one season.
It’s a grand slam of opportunities — and a grand problem for kids (multiple demands), parents (conflicting schedules) and administrators (not a lot of fields).
Westport’s Parks & Rec Department is trying to bring some order to the pileup.
As de facto coordinator of youth sports in town — it oversees most facilities, and runs several programs itself — Parks & Rec has organized a Westport Youth Sports Council.
Members include every major organization in town: Little League baseball and softball; PAL (lacrosse, football, track, wrestling, basketball, cheerleading); the Westport Soccer Association, and Westport Field Hockey. They meet several times a year.
The goal, says Parks & Rec program manager and Council director Karen Puskas, is for every group to be “on the same page.” In the same ballpark, if you will.
Soon after the holidays, they’ll roll out a new website. It will offer a master schedule; links to every program; a code of conduct; concussion awareness, and information for current residents, as well as anyone with sports-loving kids considering a move to Westport.
This spring, the council plans an open house. Every organization can showcase its program.
Also in the works: informational sessions for parents about college athletics, and townwide forums on topics like specialization and burnout.
“It’s a work in progress,” Puskas admits. “We’re all busy, and everyone is a volunteer. It will only be successful if everyone works together.”
But, she notes, 2 years ago Westport won a National Alliance for Youth Sports award for its comprehensive programs. This council builds on that cooperation.
Westport’s sports organizations are filled with “great people,” Puskas says. “For everyone, it’s all about the kids.”
(If your browser does not connect you directly to YouTube, click here.)
Sweet Frog is Westport’s newest entrant in the self-serve, all-natural, pick-your-flavors-and-add-your-toppings yogurt bar wars. (They say they have a “secret ingredient,” though. They call it “fun.”)
Sweet Frog hopes to open tomorrow (Friday), just down from Fresh Market in the space previously occupied by Xenia Mediterranean restaurant.
The Virginia-based franchise prides itself on giving back to the community — particularly through youth sports, clubs and arts.
Even before opening, they bought an ad in the Westport Soccer Association‘s program book for the March 16-17 tournament. And threw in 2 free frozen yogurts for a year to the tourney prize list.
Then they said that for anyone bringing in the ad from the program book, 25% of their purchase will be donated to the WSA.
I assume Sweet Frog has a pretty good product — after all, they’re wildly successful in other places.
But I do know for sure that they’ve “kick”-started their presence in Westport in a big, friendly way.
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The first edict gives the state power over quarantine. The second allows the governor to restrict travel, and close public schools and buildings, among other powers..
Right now, the library plans to remain open for patrons, and is “extra vigilant” about cleanliness.
Ticket holders will be contacted by the box office within the next few days regarding transitions or exchanges.
Wrecker basketball players were stunned today to learn that the Connecticut State Interscholastic Athletic Conference canceled the boys and girls state tournaments. (
The event — which draws over 160 boys and girls teams to indoor and outdoor fields at Staples High and Bedford Middle Schools — is a fundraiser for the Coleman Brother Foundation.
