Today was the first Sunday the Westport Parks and Recreation Department invited residents to use the Staples High School gym to “play, be creative, and have fun.” No sign-up or registration is required for the two-hour weekly sessions beginning at 1:30 p.m. with visitors urged to bring their own recreational supplies.The open gym program continues through March 25. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

For the 15th time in 17 years — and the 12th season in a row — the Staples boys soccer program has been honored with a national award for academic excellence.

The 2016 Staples High School boys varsity team. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Armelle Daniels for WestportNow.com

And they did it with their highest GPA ever.

United Soccer Coaches (previously known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America) presented the Wreckers with a Team Academic Award. The only other Connecticut boys high school to earn the award was the Christian Heritage School in Trumbull.

To qualify, a squad must have a 3.25 grade-point average of all varsity players. The award is given for the previous academic year. In 2016, Staples’ varsity players had an average GPA of 3.46. That beats the previous record of 3.43, set in 2013.

Staples varsity basketballers (wearing white) fell to Bridgeport’s Kolbe Cathedral today 69-48 in the first round of the Warriors Classic Holiday Tournament played in Wilton. Meanwhile, Wilton defeated Newtown 62-40. The final will be played on Friday with Wilton playing Kolbe for the championship and Staples facing Newtown in the opening game. This is the fourth year the four teams have played the holiday tournament. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

Holly Hightower reads a poem today at the dedication of a plaque and bench at the Saugatuck Elementary School track honoring her father, Glenn Hightower. Members and friends of the Westport Athletic Club sponsored the bench to honor the longtime principal of Bedford Middle School and avid distance runner. Hightower died Jan. 1, 2017 at age 76. Other attendeeds included Hightower’s other daughters Julie and Heather. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Bob Eckman for WestportNow.com

Westporter Bob Bowman was forced to step down as the chief of MLB Advanced Media last month after years of misconduct, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal today.

Bob Bowman: “I take full responsibility.” File photo

Bowman led Major League Baseball’s multi-billion dollar digital media empire for 17 years. According to the Journal, executives at the company had known for at least a decade about alleged troubling behavior.

According to the report, “People familiar with Bowman say he engaged in a pattern of behavior that included propositioning female colleagues, allegedly conducting consensual relationships with subordinate coworkers and cultivating a culture of partying and heavy drinking with employees outside the office.” In one incident, the Journal wrote that Bowman shoved an executive affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.

Former MLB President Bob DuPuy and former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig were told that employees were concerned about Bowman’s behavior at least 10 years ago, according to the Journal.

A Greenwich player gains ground today as the Cardinals defeated Staples at home 31-14. Greenwich, undefeated on the season, led 14-7 at halftime. Staples ends their season 6-4. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

The Staples varsity cheerleaders entertain the crowd today as the Wreckers took on the Greenwich Cardinals at Staples. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Scenes from today’s 40th annual Thanksgiving Day Road Race organized by the Pequot Running Club of Southport as the runners passed through Westport.WestportNow.com photos