Boys and girls hockey secures funding – Wayland Student Press

With the recent addition of Wayland Hockey to the town’s athletic budget, hockey players are at ease with sport costs, and the program’s future at the school.

“I’m very excited and proud that the funding passed,” Recently elected boys hockey captain Shane Desmond said. “I know the WHA has put in a lot of effort to get this done, and I know the main goal is to make [hockey] more affordable.”

On Monday, May 13, voters at the annual Wayland Town Meeting approved of the FY25 Omnibus Budget. This budget secures funding for both the Wayland boys and girls ice hockey programs for the first time in over 35 years. Using a four-year plan, $15,000 will be added annually to fund ice hockey, with the budget ending at $60,000. There is currently $15,000 set aside in next year’s athletic budget.

Previously, athletes wishing to play hockey had to pay $1,200 per athlete for one season. With most other sports at WHS costing $300 per season, hockey athletes were paying what most would pay throughout their high school career for one season. Programs, such as the Wayland Hockey Association (WHA) and Wayland Boosters, have supported athletes by lowering these costs through donations, covering jersey costs and helping out with other expenses of the teams.

“There is a budding hockey community in Wayland, and we see ourselves as the vehicle to help bring these families together to achieve our overall goal of growing the sport of ice hockey in Wayland,” WHA President Rob Desmond said.

The WHA is not funded by the school and has supported the Wayland hockey teams for over 30 years. This year, they helped lead the process to include hockey in the budget. Some athletes who play different sports at Wayland have found this funding long-deserved for both hockey teams.

“I think the hockey players completely deserve the funding,” WHS junior and three-sport athlete Owen Williams said. “I’m friends with a bunch of the [hockey] players, and I’ve gone to a couple of their games. They’re some of the hardest-working people there are. [The funding is] definitely something they deserve.”

Both hockey teams are co-opted with other towns. The boys play as the Watertown/Wayland Raiders, while…