After Half Century Wait, Chenery Football Returns to Harris Field

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They ranged from six-footers to those challenged to break five feet; ones who run like the wind and others who still have the looping strides of a kid in the playground.

But each member of the Chenery Middle School Football team who took Harris Field at Belmont High School were making history on Friday, Oct. 3.

It’s been five decades since the last Belmont middle school team ran onto the home field of the town’s football teams.

“I told the kids, if they choose to play in high school, they only play about 20 games on this field, their field, so they had to make the most of it,” said Chenery’s Head Coach James MacIsaac.

And how they performed. Before a vocal throng of family and fans, the Cheetahs tackled (sometimes), caught passes (sometimes) and ran (a lot) as a team against a polished and older Melrose squad.

“We have some terrific players and all the kids have worked very hard which caught me by surprise of the caliber of play in our league,” said MacIsaac, who is leading the resurgence of middle school football which has laid dormant since the 1960s.

The new middle school football team, for upper school students in 7th and 8th grade, has been on the field since the final week of August, learning fundamental skills and formations while adding their own inert football knowledge to their play.

“The progression of the team [since August] has been great. I can’t say enough of how quick the kids get everything the coaches give them. We don’t have problems with kids not showing up for practice. It’s been a great experience for all of us,” said MacIsaac.
The middle school program is part of the resurrection of a football culture in Belmont, which has been on the wane since Belmont High School won the unofficial state championship 50 years ago this fall.

With the town-wide sports boosters club on the rise and a new young head coach at the High School, “I hope we see a return of football that is a great sport. It offers a lot of kids who don’t play a lot of other sports the opportunity to be around other kids their own age and compete,” said MacIsaac, who has been an assistant coach at the High School.

As for the score? Belmont lost as time ran out as Melrose stopped the Cheetahs on the goal line.

I would have liked to win, but everyone had fun today and that’s what we strive to do with our program,” said MacIsaac.

Harris Field ‘On Schedule’ for Mid-August Return

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Belmont High School Athletic Director Jim Davis’ list of things to do this summer has one item that is underlined with a series of stars next to it.

★ Harris Field Renovation!! ★

In the past two weeks since work began on Belmont High’s field and track adjacent to the Skip Viglirolo Skating Rink and the White Field House on Concord Avenue, Davis’ summer project is going to plan. An excavator has been parked on the barren field having removed the turf to the foundation as huge white bags of plastic pellets and sand are stationed next to the pitch.IMG_1407

“They are on scsedule,” Davis said of the work by Quirk Construction of Georgetown, Mass. which submitted the win bid of $815,300 in March. 

“They have removed all the old turf and trucked it away and now they are drilling the anchors for the fence,” said Davis, who meets each week with the school’s consultant, Activitas, on all aspects of replacing the original synthetic field installed in 2001.

“It’s being helped with all the good weather we’ve had so far,” said Davis, who is confident the turf field and track will be refurbished by Aug. 18, just before training for the fall sports season begins.

Next up for the crew is to clean the drainage around the field and placing a cushioning padding on which the artificial “grass” will rest, with the hope that serious tumbles on the surface will be softened and prevents injuries. In addition, the drainage around the track has been checked and cleaned.

The job in which the synthetic turf “carpet” will be replaced, fencing and walkways repaired and the track resurfaced and relined was authorized by the special Town Meeting in November 2013 for $960,000 with funding from an extension of bonding that purchased the uni-vents at the High School. 

The work so far succeeded in uncovering the electrical conduit on the field once thought lost, said Davis.

Belmont High’s Harris Field Closed Until August

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Belmont High School’s Harris Field and its running track at the Concord Avenue Athletic Complex, a favorite destination in Belmont for youth teams, runners and for pickup games, are now officially “closed” for long-anticipated renovations beginning today, Monday, June 16, according to Judi Carmody, business manager of the Belmont Department of Public Works. 

The work is expected to last until Aug. 15, a week before the beginning of practice for the fall High School sports season. 

The $960,000 job, in which the synthetic turf “carpet” will be replaced, fencing and walkways repaired and the track resurfaced and relined, was authorized by the special Town Meeting in November 2013. The funding is coming from an extension of bonding that paid for the uni-vents at the High School. 

“We regret any inconvenience that these improvements may cause,” said Carmody. Residents who have any questions can call the DPW at 617-993-2680 or email at BelmontDPW@belmont-ma.gov

Harris Field Resurfacing Starts on June 16

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It’s official: Belmont High School’s Harris Field and the running tack at the Concord Avenue Athletic Complex will be closed for its long anticipated renovations beginning on Monday, June 16, according to Judi Carmody, business manager of the Belmont Department of Public Works. 

The work is expected to last until Aug. 15, a week before the beginning of practice for the fall High School sports season. 

The $960,000 job, in which the synthetic turf field will be replaced and the track will be resurfaced and relined, was authorized by the special Town Meeting in November 2013. 

“We regret any inconvenience that these improvements may cause,” said Carmody. Residents who have any questions can call the DPW at 617-993-2680 or email at BelmontDPW@belmont-ma.gov

New Harris Field Price Tag Discounted

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Want some good news, Belmont taxpayers?

The price to renovate Harris Field, the turf and track athletic facility used by Belmont High School and youth teams, will likely to be cheaper than first thought.

Maybe lots cheaper.

Action during Belmont High School's Grils' Lacrosse's 2014 season opener with Newton North.

Action during Belmont High School’s Grils’ Lacrosse’s 2014 season opener with Newton North.

David Kale, Belmont’s town administrator, announced at Monday’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, March 31, that Quirk Construction of Georgetown, Mass. submitted the win bid of $815,300 for replacing the artificial turf field, refurbishing the track, repairing cement walkways and putting up new fencing at the major sports facility in town.

The amount is far below the $960,000 the special fall Town Meeting in November, 2013, set aside for the job.

Kale said the town received three bids for the project which Quirk – which has done work at schools in Weston, Newton and Marblehead – “gave the town a very favorable rate.” Kale added that the price tag does not include a contingency that could increase the cost of the project.

Because the town is accepting the bid now, the work on the field and track will start on June 16 with an expected finish date of August 15, a week before fall sports practices begin.

“This is a good deal for the town,” said Selectman Andy Rojas.