The Staples varsity volleyball team shut out Fairfield Warde 3 – 0 (25 -11, 25 – 11, 25 – 17) in Wednesday’s home opener. Staples senior Evan James (23) is in the middle of the action. staplesvolleyball.com photo

The men’s volleyball program at Westport’s Staples High School gets underway today at home against Fairfield Warde. JV plays at 3:45 p.m. and varsity will debut at 5:15 p.m Evan James is pictured smashing the ball along with his teammates Patrick Fenn, Brian Parmalee, Julian Du Pont, Stephen Ogilvy and Peter Hlawitschka.  More information is available at www.staplesvolleyball.com. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Betsey Lebow for WestportNow.com

A company initially chosen – but subsequently rejected—to do Westport’s “Field of Dreams” synthetic turf project with a promised large discount has not made good on a similar promise to a Pennsylvania school district, according to a published report.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said today that Sprinturf Inc., of Wayne, Pa., promised the Seneca Valley School District that if it agreed to pay $642,000 to install synthetic turf at the high school football field in Jackson Township, Butler County, it would get half the money back later.

Sprinturf told the district the rebate would come from an anonymous benefactor interested in helping schools, colleges and communities pay for athletic fields, the report said.

“Ten months after taking up Sprinturf on its offer, Seneca Valley is still waiting for the payoff,” the newspaper said.

Thirteen members of the Westport Weston Family Y Water Rats Swim Team are in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this weekend participating in the YMCA National Swimming and Diving Championships. The Westport Weston Y is one of 247 YMCAs from around the country competing in the event. Pictured are the members setting off Friday—the bunny ears denote “rookie” status and are a Rat tradition. First row (l-r): Cydney Eldh, Anna Smith, Laura Bedson, and Keenan Koss. Back Row (l-r): Michael Dunn, Aurora Lee, Philip Novotny, Danny Platow, Cam Hood, Andrew Grinalds, Ozzy Torres, Chris Wiederecht, and Andrew Royster. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Bethany Hart, a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team, tonight addressed a meeting at the Westport Center for Senior Activities. The event, sponsored by Friends of the Westport Center for Senior Activities, was part of the center’s “Interesting Issues” series. Hart was a fitness trainer in the center’s fitness room prior to making the Olympics. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com