Viewfinder: Senior Softball Is Alive and Well in Wayland

Like most towns, Wayland summers feature a wide range baseball and softball opportunities.  Among the many leagues for kids are a few adult leagues, including the EMASS Senior Softball League.

The EMASS Senior Softball League is impressive in at least two ways: first, many of the players are in their mid-to-late 60s, with some players in their 80s. And secondly, the level of skill and competitiveness lacks nothing over the leagues for younger players.

The EMASS league players hail from a number of area towns besides Wayland, including Sudbury, Framingham, Lexington, Cambridge, Belmont and Canton, and represent some of the best senior athletes in eastern Massachusetts.  A few minutes of watching an EMASS game provides sufficient evidence that these are players with finely-honed skills intensely focused on the game at hand.

Numbering about 360 players in total, the EMASS organization consists of four divisions -- ranging from the most competitive American and National divisions, to the Atlantic and Metro divisions which have a greater recreational emphasis. Details about the EMASS league may be found on its website.

The Atlantic Division teams play each Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the West Plain Street fields near the interstection with Main Street, while the Metro Division teams play on the same fields on Fridays at 9 a.m. The American and National Division teams occasionally play in Wayland.

For excellent seats and no parking hassles, come down at lunch for softball that will rival any action you might see at Fenway.