Braintree High is getting a rugby team, joining rising popularity

BRAINTREE — The high school will field its first varsity rugby team this spring, joining other local schools in competing in the sport.

The school committee unanimously approved adding the sport at its meeting this week.

High school senior Joe Driscoll lobbied school and town officials to create the program, even working out how the $9,225 cost of a new team would be covered.

"There is a clear interest in it," Driscoll told the committee. "I think with the athletes we have, we can win."

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He said it would be a no-cut team and there are at least 25 students who are interested in playing. Many are juniors and seniors.

Driscoll said several other high schools in the area have rugby teams, including Blue Hills Regional, Hanover, Hingham, Marshfield, Milton, Weymouth and Boston College High.

Braintree High School Athletic Director Christopher Coblyn supported the creation of the team, which would play a five- to eight-game schedule.

Mayor Charles Kokoros said he met with Driscoll to discuss the team and was impressed.

"I knew from that moment you were committed to get this done," said Kokoros, who is a member of the school committee.

Driscoll invited the school committee to attend the team's opening game.

In other business, School Superintendent James Lee said the system is advertising for a new director of finance and operations, with Edward Cronin retiring at the end of the school year.

The committee also honored Heidi Hurley, who retired last week after three decades in the Braintree schools, the last eight as the art director. She will become the director of the Braintree Community Arts Center.

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Monday's school committee meeting was held remotely. The last meeting, held in-person on Jan. 10, was adjourned after 10 minutes after school committee members Thomas Devin and Matthew Lynch failed to wear masks at the meeting, which was held at the East Middle School. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires all visitors on school property to wear masks.

The Jan. 10 incident was not mentioned at Monday's meeting.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree High School to add rugby after student campaign