Sean Ford

As witnessed on this very website, the high schools in town have a very active sports schedule. Both Walpole High and the Aggie have multiple games, spread across multiple sports, scheduled per day, so the opportunity to watch a great game in town has never been better.

For the most part, the stands at a youth or high school sporting event tends to be filled with parents, siblings, grandparents, and for the high school sports, other students or friends. What I would propose is that you do not have to have a player in the game to enjoy watching it and cheering on the local team.

My wife, son, and I recently attended a WHS varsity basketball game. Granted, we were enticed to go to the game because the opposing head coach is my cousin, his team plays very well, and they were right up the street at WHS. From what I had been told, the opposing team has a better than .500 record, while WHS had only won 3 games, putting them well below .500; I fully expected that we would witness a Walpole defeat. Well…

WHS Basketball

WALPOLE PLAYED OUT OF THEIR MINDS! The first half of the game seemed to go the other way, with Walpole struggling to maintain pace with an opposing lead in the double digits. The second half of the game showed a renewed spirit for the Walpole team and the momentum swung to Walpole who took a commanding lead in the 4th quarter. Walpole won the game with some seriously exciting play along with an incredible effort on the floor and off the bench. As pure entertainment, it couldn’t be beat; just a fantastic game.

As a bonus, we were also treated to a half-time game put on by the Walpole Youth Basketball Association. Two travel teams, with surprising talent, battled each other for a 5 minute game of honor.

After consoling my cousin and wishing him luck for the bus ride home, it occurred to me that it had been a great way to spend a Friday evening. At $6 per adult ticket, and $3 for a student ticket, it’s a light hit on the wallet. Pizza was available from a local shop at $2 per slice, a can of soda (I actually prefer the term tonic) or bottle of water was $1, a sports drink was $1.50. A great game, cold drinks, and good pizza for 3 of us at less than $30. How can you beat that?

As entertainment, with no one actually playing in the game, you can cheer on the home team and enjoy yourself for short money. In this economic climate, this a viable option with little to no downside. AND… you’re supporting the local high school program. Where is the down side to this? I can’t think of one.

Be sure to check WalpoleSports.org for the latest  WHS and NCAHS schedule. Bring your family, or go alone; you’re sure to see people you recognize, meet some friends, and get caught up in the game. The teams will appreciate your support and you will feel that you are a greater part of the community.

Walpole High School schedule: http://walpolesports.org/high-school-schedules/walpole-high-school/

Norfolk County Agricultural High School (Aggie) schedule: http://walpolesports.org/high-school-schedules/norfolk-county-agricultural-high-school/

UPDATE: I’m adding Tri-County and Xaverian schedules to the site, since so many of our Walpole athletes attend these schools.

Tri-County Tech High School: http://walpolesports.org/high-school-schedules/tri-county-tech-high-school/

Xaverian Brothers High School: http://walpolesports.org/high-school-schedules/xaverian-brothers-high-school/