Mass. appeal

Billerica honored as Sports Illustrated Sportstown for Bay State

By Andrew Schulman

The state of Massachusetts is well known for its sports history and heritage: Boston is home to many top amateur, collegiate and professional teams; Springfield is recognized as the birthplace of basketball; and Cape Cod annually hosts one of the U.S.’s top amateur baseball leagues. But when it comes to being a true Sports Illustrated Sportstown, those three burghs have been beaten out by Yankee Doodle.

Yankee Doodle Homecoming, that is.

Hosted by the town of Billerica (pronounced BILL-rick-a) each September for the last 14 years, Yankee Doodle Homecoming is a weekend of parades, fireworks and low-cost entertainment for residents.

“Yankee Doodle Homecoming has become a great tradition for Billerica,” said Joseph Higgins, Jr., Director of the town’s recreation department. “In addition to being a celebration for our citizens, it’s a major event for our community partners and merchants as well –- and we couldn’t do it without them.”

Located approximately 20 miles northwest of Boston, this town of just under 40,000 people enjoys excellent recreation programming and facilities. From large events such as the Homecoming, First Night Celebration and the Billerica Health and Recreation Fair to ongoing sports and activities, the Billerica Recreation Department keeps residents active and enjoying life.

Working with area groups such as the Boys and Girls Club and Police Athletic League as well as the local school district, the Department is able to offer the youth of Billerica swimming, wrestling and horseback riding, in addition to soccer, baseball, softball, hockey, football and basketball.

In response to increased demand, the provided ramps last summer for youth BMX riders, rollerbladers and skateboarders on Wednesday nights at a local mall. And Billerica now has its own BMX track. The town also provides volleyball, slo-pitch softball and whiffleball leagues for adults.

With the plethora of programming it now provides, the Billerica Recreation Department has certainly come a long way from when it was formed 22 years ago.

Higgins, the Department’s first employee, tells it this way: "This department was started in a closet, and when you look at how we’ve grown and how we’re now able to offer our residents such a variety of activities, it’s incredible. For the dedicated staff here and our great partners, we have much to be proud of."

Adds Peggy Hannon-Rizza, the Department’s Assistant Director, "There’s nothing like the smile on the face of a child as he or she comes off the field. That makes it all worthwhile and keeps us all going."

As Billerica prepares to celebrate its 350th Anniversary next year in grand fashion, the town now has an SI Sportstown award to celebrate in 2004. And that should help keep those faces smiling for some time to come.