The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 60

12 Globe West The Boston Globe THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2006 She's outrunning Father Time Spools 1970s, and has run six marathons, including the Boston Marathon twice. Harada competed in her first masters mile race in 1980, but, like a fine wine, it is only with age that she has reached her peak. "Usually as you get older you get slower," said Karen Lein, a runner for the Liberty Athletic Club, of which Harada is a member. "For her to By Christopher L. Gasper GLOBE CORRESPONDENT Mary Harada tells people that she retired from her job as a professor at Northern Essex Community College eight years ago so she could devote more time to her "fabulous running career." Joking aside, Harada isn't far from the truth.

The 70-year-old from West Newbury, a native improve is amazing. of Newton, is outrun m. .1 I Vr 1 iir- Mini urn mini ii ihumI Even Harada's husband, Makoto, and her two sons, Jonathan and Matthew, are in awe of her ability. "My youngest son said, 1 can't run a mile and you can do it in "recalled Harada with a laugh. How is Harada able to keep up the pace at her age? Her genes are certainly on her side.

Harada's mother lived to be 90 and her father to 102, so Harada is not being coy when she says she doesn't consider 70 to be old. Health also has played a large part in ning Father Time and her masters-category track and field opponents. Last month, Harada set a world record in the mile for her age group, 70-74, at the USA Masters Indoor Track Field Championships, clocking a time of 7:12.59 at the Reggie Lewis track in Roxbury. Her time eclipsed the previous mark by almost seven seconds. Harada's record-setting run came less than a week after she won three medals at the World Masters Indoor Championships in Linz, I C' 1 I i I I y-A i 7 minutes, 12.59 seconds New masters indoor world record set in 1-mile by Mary Harada Harada's success.

Harada has asthma, but she has avoided any debilitating injuries. She had a bout with plantar fasciitis, a recurring heel ailment, a few years ago, but that was remedied using acupuncture therapy. Her only other major injury happened 20 years ago, when she pulled her iliotibial band a group of muscle fibers along the outside of the thigh. "Age is a funny thing," said Harada. "If you've maintained your health and stayed active, you can maintain what you have.

With age you do slow down you just have to work harder to maintain that edge Lesley Lehane, who coaches Harada at the Liberty Athletic Club, said that the grandmother has more grit than many of the college runners she coaches at Boston University. Continued on next page Austria. The former history and government professor took home bronze medals in the 800- and races and netted a silver in the 1,500. USA Track and Field named Harada its New England Athlete of the Month. At an age when a lot of her contemporaries have long since stopped pounding the pavement, Harada is running four times a week, logging 25 miles, and training for masters competitions for runners 35 and older.

But she doesn't understand what all the fuss is about, saying, "I'm 70. 1 have friends in their 80s who are still going strong. I don't see myself as old." The Newton native first took up running in 1968, shortly after earning her doctorate, simply as a way to stay in shape. She began competing in road races in the early PHOTOS BY PATRICIA MCDONNELLFOR THE BOSTON GLOBE Mary Harada, 70, at track practice at Harvard University: "Age is a funny thing. If you've maintained your health and stayed active, you can maintain what you have." Calendar SportsWest Mike Reiss Local coaches say no to 'slaughter' penalty Last week, the governing body of high I lV1 Raymond, was instrumental in the success.

That's why Foley was disappointed to learn Raymond is returning home to Ohio for a new job. "Stacy was a magnet coach kids gravitated to her and came out for the sport," Foley said. "It was fun to watch how far the team came over the course of the year, working together as a cohesive unit." Foley said Raymond's replacement will have to be a special person because of two challenges ahead. First, Weston will be playing a varsity schedule next season despite having a young squad. Second, the team won't have a home gym because the school's gym floor is scheduled to be renovated.

"The new coach is going to have to have a vision and keep the enthusiasm up, knowing that the future is bright," Foley said. Extra points Framingham's Lauren Battaglia, a graduate of Marian High, recently concluded her senior season on the Middle-bury College softball team. Battaglia was named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference second all-star team for the second straight year. She finished with a .397 batting average, leading the team with 29 hits. Battaglia leaves the school as Middlebury's all-time leader in runs batted in (51) and stolen bases (17).

JOHN BLANDINGGLOBfc STAH-FILE 2002 Newton North football coach Peter Capodilupo is not a fan of Connecticut's new "score management" rule. FRAMINGHAM Basketball: Five-day camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., beginning June 26 for girls 7-16 and boys 7-15. Camp held at Walsh and Dunning gyms. 100 resident fee, $1 10 for others. 508-532-5960.

Football: The Framingham Parks and Recreation Department will offer a one-week summer football day clinic for 8- to 14-year-olds, July 10-13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Framingham High School head coach Gary Doherty will run the camp. The cost for residents is 1 1 0, $1 15 for nonresidents. 508-532-5960. Football: Mark.

J. Sullivan, head coach of Framingham State College football team, will lead the Ram Pride Football Camp, Aug. 7-11, p.m., at Framingham State College. Camp goals are to improve players fundamentally at all positions, and improve conditioning. This is a helmets-only camp; please bring own fitted helmet.

508-626-4597. Kayaking: The Framingham Parks and Recreation Department will offer kayaking lessons June 6, 13, and 20, 6-8 p.m., for ages 15 and older. The course is designed for beginners. Equipment, safety, strokes, maneuvers, wet exits, and self-rescue techniques will be covered. Fee is $70.

508-532-5960. Open Gym: Danforth Gym open to adults Tuesdays, p.m.; Saturdays, p.m.; Sundays, noon-3 p.m.; $2 entry fee. 508-532-5960. Senior citizen exercise: Free sessions are held at the Callahan Center, Tuesdays, a.m. 508-532-5960.

Skyline: Programs for people with disabilities. Bowling, sports, etc. 508-647-6530. Swimming: Youths 6 to 18 years old may register for swim teams on June 6, p.m., at Loring Arena. $90 a person.

508-532-5960. Tennis: The Framingham Parks and Recreation Department and Tri-Valley Tennis Club will offer tennis lessons beginning July 10. Classes will be held Monday-Thursday, a.m., for 5- to 9-year-olds; a.m. for 8- to 14-year-olds. The fee is $42 for six classes.

508-532-5960. HOLLISTON Baseball: Peter Hughes, head coach of Boston College baseball, will hold an Eagles Summer Baseball Clinic June 26-29, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m, at Flagg Field at the Robert Adams Middle School. The camp, for 6- to 1 2-year-olds, will teach fundamentals of pitch-Continued on next page SCUUU1 aUilcUl 111 VAlllllcv-wi-ut auupii a. "score management" rule for football coaches. If a team wins by 50 or more points, the coach is suspended for the next game.

How would high school football coaches in Boston's western suburbs feel if a similar rule is adopted in Massachusetts? Six coaches came to a consensus: Good intention, bad rule. "I don't think there's a need for a rule like mat," said longtime Newton North coach Peter Capodilupo. "If a coach is working within a system which supports the idea of sportsmanship and understands the other team is full of children like his own team it shouldn't be an issue. "If a coach gets a reputation of doing that, and demeaning children, people in power at that school should realize some-" thing is wrong and respond in the appro-! priate way. If that's not happening, some-" thing is wrong with that system.

To me, this is another case in which everything has to be legislated, which seems to be a disturbing trend in society." Hudson High coach Dan McAnespie agreed, saying "the more rules, the worse you are." Dover-Sherborn coach Dave Bunton has experienced both sides of the issue. He's "been on the end of a 50-0 loss" and in other years "had the Opportunity to beat teams by a lot of points." He believes the classy way to handle games in which the score becomes lopsided is to let young-; er, less experienced players compete. "Beating someone by more than 50 points in the high school game is difficult unless you're truly trying to pour it on," Bunton said. "I think there are better ways to deal with the situation than to make a rule on it I don't know how I'd feel about I', the MIAA giving us another rule." Bunton said the problem can some- times occur when coaches lose perspec-' tive and "take personal grudges and try to settle them on the field." Like Bunton, coach Rob McCann of I Marlborough-based Assabet has been on the winning and losing end of lopsided scores. He said there seems to be a "gen- tleman's agreement" among most coaches that when younger, less experienced players are entered into a game all at I-once, the other team does the same.

McCann learned that from Hall of Fame coach Jerry Pastner. "Two years ago, we were down, 30-0, at halftime and the other team probably could have scored five, six, seven more 7' 12 W2 starters, and ended up losing. The starters ended up reentering the game. Parseghian empathizes with football coaches in Connecticut who might be put in difficult situations due to the "score management" rule. One example would be a team that didn't want to go up by 50 points and kneeled on the ball instead of advancing it.

"That can be embarrassing to the other team," he said. Medway High coach Mike Regan said he also believes the "score management" rule could put coaches in a tough spot. "What happens if you're doing the right thing, the JV kids are in the game, and they're still scoring?" he said. Still, a part of Regan is conflicted. He said in some ways, "making a rule like they did in Connecticut takes a lot of guts." Added Newton North's Capodilupo: "You respect coaches who understand the purpose is not to humiliate other players that play fair, that play to win.

Most people won't humiliate you by scoring 50 more points than your team. It's an easy way to lose respect." Weston volleyball seeks a leader Weston High started a girls' volleyball team for the first time last year, and athletic director Pete Foley was thrilled with the way tilings unfolded. The Wildcats played on the club level against freshman teams, had solid participation, and won seven of 10 matches. Foley said the team's coach, Stacy times in the second half," McCann said. "But we put in our younger kids; they did the same, and they only scored once, and the final score was 36-18.

That's classy, and on the ride home, the kids weren't as down as they could have been. You just hope anybody that's coaching young men or women understands the importance of that role and never tries to demean another team." Last season in Connecticut, however, one coach's team recorded four wins of 50 points or more. McAnespie, of Hudson High, said he's been fortunate to never be involved in such a contest. "The coaches here in Central Massachusetts are a pretty tight group, and they all know when it's time to pull the horses out," he said. "There's sort of a code in coaching when it comes to that.

You know you wouldn't want it to happen to you, so you make sure it doesn't happen to them." Sometimes, however, the coaches aren't always on the same page on the correct time to pull starters from a game. Assabefs McCann and Wayland High's Scott Parseghian both have been part of those games. In one Assabet contest in recent years, McCann had his backup players on the field late in the fourth quarter, and his team was losing, 33-6. It stung when the opponent still had some varsity players on the field, and one rushed for a 75-yard touchdown. Parseghian said he's still haunted by one game in which he was winning by 25 points in the fourth quarter, pulled hi ZAK SMOTHERMAN BILL DACIER Medwas Bill Dacier (Bentley) and Westborough's Zak Smotherman (Tufts) were scheduled to play in the 32d annual College Baseball All-Star Game at Fenway Park last Sunday.

Medfield's Sarah Banco, entering her junior year in the fall, was recently named a captain for the 2006 University of Michigan women's soccer squad. A Nobles graduate, Banco played in 21 games (two starts) in 2005 and was named Michigan's most improved player at the team's season-ending banquet. Her 3.86 grade point average helped her earn an Athletic Achievement Award. Mike Reiss can be reached at 508-820-4234 or mreusglobe.iHm..