Over a few days in June 2007, four Wayland High School Class of 2006 graduates pulled together a summer softball league. As former high school athletes, they recognized the need for structured activities to fill their summer nights.
Photo by: Damien Parseghian
This June, that fledgling league – WayCo Softball League – marks its 18th year, with 120 young guys playing Monday and Wednesday nights at the Cochituate Ballfield. Divided into eight teams, the League this year drew a roster of 16 Wayland High students entering junior year. The remaining team members range in age from 17 to around 25, with participation steady at 120 players. WayCo remains the community’s only structured recreational activity for this age group.
Throughout its 18 years, the League has been buoyed by team sponsors, whose donations help keep player fees low. In return, WayCo Softball, operating under the auspices of the nonprofit WayCo Amateur Sports Development, Inc., has fundraised for numerous causes, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation, local scholarship programs, the Eliza J. Norton Foundation, the Wayland Food Pantry, and supporting families in need.
From the players’ perspective, many unabashedly call opening night “their favorite night of the year.” Adam Goodfellow, 21, an Endicott College student, lives in a house facing the ballfield and has been a WayCo fan since he was in early elementary school. He is a team captain and WayCo volunteer along with his twin brother, Sean.
“I’ve played for five years now,” Goodfellow said as the League wrapped up its second week. “WayCo is the best for spending time with friends, having something to look forward to in the summer, and some good competition.”
The summer schedule includes special events, like two Ben & Jerry’s ice cream nights, made possible by the Natick store. There’s also an annual pizza night and a new tradition started last summer: Family Night.
Family Night, scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, brings parents, neighbors, and fans to the games, with volunteers providing refreshments. Two games begin at 6:30 pm, and two more start at 7:45 pm.
WayCo continues in memory of its founder, Dan Burgess, who passed away unexpectedly in 2008. His co-founders – Joe Dorr, Connor Hanlon, and Dan Hogan – are now working professionals who remain on the nonprofit’s Board of Directors. In their stead over nearly two decades, countless community members have stepped forward to keep WayCo going, and the original vision of those four young college students comes alive every Monday and Wednesday night under the lights in Cochituate.
WayCAM is broadcasting WayCo games. Videos are available online at:
