First Draft of Davey’s Piece

My name is Carly Davey, and I am one of the captains of the Westford Academy girls basketball
team. On December 7, the school committee voted to suspend basketball and hockey for this
year. Although I understand that this decision was difficult, the process by which it came about
was unfair to athletes and coaches. Only part of this story has come to light, and there is more
that has to be explained.

When the sports section of the School Committee meeting began, the first person to speak was
Superintendent Everett “Bill” Olsen. His recommendation to the school committee was clear cut:
allow swim and dive, gymnastics, and nordic ski, but no basketball or hockey. The recent spike
in cases as well as wanting all students back in school were the main reasons explained,
however, he did not mention any data specifically about cases coming directly from basketball or
hockey, or any other sports for that matter.

The next speakers to talk included four doctors on the Westford Covid Task Force, all of which
supported Mr. Olsen. I was extremely disappointed in the way Dr. Michelle Travassos and Dr.
Andrew Popelka talked about competing with other towns. When speaking about having a
different town come to the school, Travossos mentioned “we’ll have kids from Waltham, for
example, coming here.” Dr. Popelka also commented that “adding sports with outside towns,
[like] Waltham, [will have] people coming in on buses.” Why is playing Waltham High, now
mentioned twice, an example of why sports are dangerous and a way Covid could be spread?
This made me upset for two reasons. One-- Westford would not have been playing Waltham this
season. They were not on the schedule that had been set, and Dr. Travassos would have known
this if she had reached out to athletic director Jeff Bunyon, which clearly was not done. Two--
why mention Waltham? To me, this seems quite biased. Is it because they are more of an urban
school, which is different from Westford? In my opinion, this is a terrible attitude for a Westford
committee to adopt. Why were they more concerned about Waltham than Concord-Carlisle or
Acton-Boxborough?

The first to speak on behalf of those for winter sports was Dr. Rebecca Rosenstein, the mother of
both a past WA boys basketball player and a present one. Her goal was the same as the school
committee members’: get all kids back in school. However, unlike the previous speakers, Dr.
Rosenstein took a different approach: “It is my hope that if we can have a successful indoor
basketball season safely… then we will have some evidence that we can be more aggressive in
having our children back in school.” I recognize that this is the objective of many in the Westford
community, and I am no exception. But, what’s the plan? What are ideas to get all kids back in
school? This comment by Dr. Rosenstein was the only concrete suggestion mentioned during the
duration of the meeting. All anyone had been asking for is a chance to try out the season,
knowing that it possibly could be shut down.
The rest of the doctors that provided feedback were invited to talk multiple times throughout the
meeting, however Dr. Rosenstein was not. I understand that she was not on the Covid Task
Force, but was that the only reason? Why not have another doctor with differing views express
their opinion as much as the others?

Students from the various sports teams were able to speak next. We were limited to two minutes
per speaker, unlike the previous guests who had not been given a specific allotted time for their
voice. Meghan Mulhurn and Sean Milanette spoke on behalf of hockey, while Ellie Nolan and I
represented basketball. We spoke passionately, and tears were shed along the way. Hannah
Macey and Brian Ellis, the student representatives of the school committee were also very
supportive of winter sports for all athletes. Unfortunately, Gloria Miller, the head of the school
committee, only allowed these two to speak of their concerns once each, despite the other school
committee and Covid Task Force members getting many chances. Why allow the kids on the
committee in the first place if they can’t speak to represent their peers?

Next up was Principal James Antonelli. Mr. Antonelli agreed with Mr. Olsen and his
recommendations. Athletic director Jeff Bunyon also spoke, but offered a different opinion than
his colleagues. Although Mr. Bunyon addressed the concerns for basketball and hockey, he made
sure to mention how the MIAA’s rules are safe and controlled. He also noted that neighboring
DCL schools plan to allow the kids to play this winter.

As the vote neared, committee members Sean Kelly, Mingquan Zheng, and Chris Sanders
offered questions and comments regarding possible creative ideas in order to get basketball and
hockey off the ground. However, Ms. Miller and Mr. Antonelli shut down these ideas pretty
quickly as they were too “difficult to enforce,” despite all of the athletes saying previously that
they would do whatever it took to have a season. This is a direct example of lazy leadership.
These two powerful people in the Westford community are saying that the happiness and mental
health of basketball and hockey student athletes are not worth their effort.

Sue Hanly, a member of the Covid Task Force, also commented about the many other local
towns allowing participation in winter sports. She criticized Westford residents who noted the
fact that neighboring school systems were allowing winter sports and said this comparison
amounted to “bad parenting.” We never were able to get a clear understanding of how Westford
differed from these other towns in any substantial way in terms of COVID risk from sports.

Despite the over 1,000 petition signatures, 37 pages of personal statements, multiple student and
parent speakers, and over 30 school districts continuing on with all winter sports, four Westford
school committee members decided that basketball and hockey would not be allowed to try for
the upcoming winter sports season. Read those numbers again.
However, it is what has come after the school committee meeting that makes me the most upset.
I have felt certain emotions these past two weeks that I never felt in my life.

A simple fact: actions speak louder than words. Ms. Miller commented at the meeting that she is
“concerned about the mental health and wellness of all of our students,” yet to date, there have
not been any resources offered to basketball and hockey student athletes whose season she just
voted to take away.

Actually, it is our principal, Mr. Antontelli, who really disappointed me. Anyone who watched
the meeting will tell you that based on the way the school committee and Covid Task Force
members spoke, it seemed like the decision had already been made before the meeting started.
As the leader of Westford Academy, Mr. Antontelli should have contacted the captains of each
sport and let us know which way everyone was leaning. Instead of letting us believe we were
coming in with a fair chance, he should have taken it upon himself to have some difficult
conversations prior to the meeting.

All of the administrators and members of the different committees expressed how bad they felt
for having to cancel the season for basketball and hockey athletes, but in the days that followed,
none followed up with us in any way. I have received more emails and text messages from
parents that I have never met than from administrators whose school system I have been in for
the last 12 years. In fact, no administrators have reached out to any of the basketball or hockey
speakers. Mr. Antontelli came into one of my classes two days after the meeting, and Allie
Kingsly, a hockey player, was also in class with me. He said nothing. Not an “I’m sorry about
your season.” Not a “how are you guys doing after Monday night?” Not a “let me know if you
need anything.” Only silence.

I have never felt more dismissed and disrespected than in that moment.

It was as if Mr. Antonelli did not hear one word I said less than 36 hours prior. That is not the
leader whose example I should be following at Westford Academy, and he is not a person whose
leadership should be admired. There were four of us who spoke on behalf of a winter sport that
was cancelled, and not one of us received an email or in-person follow up. This is inexcusable.

I wish the Westford Academy’s swim and dive, gymnastics, and nordic ski teams the best of luck
during their seasons this year, as well as the rest of the hockey and basketball teams across
Massachusetts. Please remember to cherish every second, as you never know who could take
away your passion at any moment.

Carly Davey, Westford Academy junior basketball captain