Sports

By Ginger DeShaney Bo Cleary is just an old-school Southie soul.  His Southie upbringing – he grew up in Old Harbor, then in City Point – and so many good people here helped him along the way. He now settles in doing some fit coaching and once-in-a-blue-moon acting, stunts, and voiceovers as a Screen Actors Guild member. “It was an amazing place for me to grow up. I had some amazing people,” Bo said, noting it would take too long to name them all. “I like to call them good old-school souls that I benefited from being around, and I still cherish their relationships. “Some of the best people I've known come from South Boston,” said Bo, who divides his time between Cape Ann and [...]

By Ginger DeShaney Through her participation in sports and her work with Boston Police Department District C-6, Irinna Rosa has grown into a confident young woman. As a tennis player and judo brown belt, Irinna has learned “confidence, leadership, don't be afraid to do things, and even though you are down, you always find a way to get out of your situation,” she said. “I have also learned that even though you're really stressing out, you should always give it your all and try your best at all times.” In turn, she mentors young people to try to instill those same traits and help them grow. “It just gives me joy helping people,” said the daughter of Isa and Francisco Rosa of South Boston. “Since [...]

The Murphy Rink in South Boston is open for public skating until March 20 as part of the DCR’s program.  South Boston Online stopped by on a recent Sunday morning to check it out.  A group from East Boston was having a blast on the small rink while South Boston Youth Hockey games were being played on the large rink. The Eastie parents had been looking for a rink that was open in the morning – before naptime – and saw Murphy Rink offered that. The parents appreciated that a smaller rink was available for their young children, ages 2 and 3. The rink offers skate rentals, and for new skaters, crates and other aids are available. If you’re looking for a great activity this [...]

Photos by Ginger DeShaney Kids ages 7 to 15 got a taste of what it’s like to do a triathlon.  Kids Day at the Columbia Threadneedle Investments Boston Triathlon at DCR’s Mother’s Rest Saturday, Aug. 28, featured the USA Triathlon-sanctioned Splash & Dash event, which is designed to introduce young athletes to the sport of triathlon.  The youngsters participated in a swim and run based on their age group. The weather was cloudy and cool, but that didn’t deter the kids as they tackled a 100-yard swim (age groups 7-8 and 9-10) or a 200-yard swim along Carson Beach in shallow water. Once out of the water, the kids raced to put on their shoes to run a 1K on the Harborwalk and the DCR [...]

By Ginger DeShaney The youngsters at Moakley Park’s tennis courts had a blast sharpening their skills, getting in some reading, and playing group games Friday as Tenacity ended its 2021 summer run. Thousands of kids across 18 Boston locations took part in the six-week tennis and reading program. Families could sign up their kids for just one week, all six weeks, or any number of weeks in between. It’s completely free. The morning sessions were for kids ages 6 to 10; the afternoon sessions for kids 11 to 15. South Boston Online stopped by the morning session Friday to take photos. During the summer, the kids’ daily schedule would start with exercises, stretching, and group activities. Then they would go to stations for tennis, reading, [...]

By Ginger DeShaney With bibs proudly pinned to their shirts, the excited young runners lined up on the Saunders Stadium track. At Coach Thomas White’s direction, the runners blazed down the track, wearing their game faces, which ranged from wide smiles to determined seriousness.  Once that group reached the finish line, Thomas prepared the next group of runners for their race. About 60 kids ages 6-13 gathered at the Moakley Park stadium Monday for their weekly session of the Youth Enrichment Services (YES) summer track and field program. While the younger kids took part in the developmental meet, the older kids did drills. The previous week, it was reversed, with the older kids having a meet and the younger kids doing drills.   Those drills included [...]

By Ginger DeShaney “Be the person you needed when you were younger.”  That’s Allison Baker’s favorite saying. “I try to live that quote,” she said. And she is succeeding … big time. Allison is a lifelong Southie fixture who works tirelessly for the neighborhood’s children through the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club, local community centers, the CYO basketball program, and her nonprofit organization Kickoff for Kids. When she was younger, Allison had the people she needed: Katie O’Connell, Barbara Kelly, Joe Kelly, Kathy Davis, Kevin Lally, John Lydon, Sean Monahan, Ronald “Cheech” Maciejewski, and so many others. “All these people still do youth work,” Allison said. “Those people have been role models to me.” Allison spent much of her youth at all [...]

By Ginger DeShaney Armed with sticks, boundless energy, and positive attitudes, the girls at Alpha Atleta’s South Boston field hockey clinic are eager to learn. “There’s zero field hockey in South Boston,” said Megan Shea. “Let’s bring it to Southie.”  Megan and her wife, Nicole Poli, started Alpha Atleta “for camps, clinics, and to grow the game,” said Megan. “We just wanted to bring field hockey to South Boston and get the girls going,” added Megan, the head field hockey coach for Division 1 Merrimack College. “And honestly, they’ve gotten so much better.” According to the duo, “We are committed to delivering an outstanding player experience for athletes and families who are looking to start field hockey for the first time or to continue their [...]