Johnson School was Natick's sports hub, where basketball, wall ball and 'bockey' reigned

The school is unique for its outdoor rink. The basketball court and baseball field always attracted a crowd. The nearby field hosted many a snow bowl and neighborhood kids enjoyed playing “wall ball” whether it was recess or during hours-long after-school play sessions.

The rink, of course, at Johnson Elementary School is meant for street hockey. But a group of current Natick High School seniors made up their own sport when attending the K-4 elementary school nearly a decade ago: bockey.

No sticks were used; the only equipment was a baseball glove. Using teams of three, but not crossing the center line, the youngsters’ invention involved attempting to throw a tennis ball into the opposing team’s net, which was guarded by a goalie. Baseball meets hockey.

“We were just looking for a new sport to play and we made it up,” said Sean Fleming.

“That was our go-to sport,” said Dominic Crisafulli. “All of us played baseball back then, so it was really competitive.”

How competitive?

“It got very intense,” added Nick Bianchi. "We got in a fight.”

As second-graders, they created their own bockey tournament, with a trophy awarded to the champs. Fleming, who usually teamed with Crisafulli and Robert Farr, another current senior at NHS who plays baseball for the Redhawks, still has his hardware – a piece of wood painted yellow with a tennis ball glued to the bottom. Above the ball, in marker, are the following words:

Johnson School

September 15

BOCKEY

Tourney

1^st place

RED TEAM

SEAN FLEMING

The days of Johnson serving as a downtown sports hub are ending, however. Johnson – site of an elementary school since 1882 when it was known as Oak Grove School – is closing in June. Johnson, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year, requires numerous costly repairs/upgrades to become compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It’s definitely sad,” said Natick senior Pat Mullholland, who like Fleming, Crisafulli and Bianchi, is heading off to play a sport in college. “Growing up in such a small environment is a lot better than going to a big elementary school. I feel like you know everyone.”

Johnson School ‘felt like family’

Fleming, after winning his coveted trophy in second grade, and his family moved to the northeast part of town, within the Lilja School district. But Sean continued to attend Johnson.

“The community was great,” said the current NHS basketball player who will run cross-country and track at Boston College. “Everyone felt like a family there.”

Mulholland remembers walking to Johnson with the family dog and bouncing a basketball, the sport in which he will play at St. Lawrence University. He was a multi-sport athlete at Johnson: soccer, football in the snow, hoops and the endless simplicity of an elementary school classic, “wall ball,” which consisted of throwing a tennis ball off the side of the brick building.

“I can remember days where we’d stay from 2 o’clock until 5:30 playing,” he said. “Even if my direct friends weren’t playing after school, there was always a huge group of kids that were staying after.”

“I don’t think (wall ball is) very unique to Johnson School, but we had a good spot for it out front on top of the hill,” said Bianchi, who will run track at Stonehill.

“Every single day. We were there until five every day, just doing whatever,” Fleming said. “Our parents waited for us and we played sports.”

Three generations of Crisafullis attended Johnson, Oak Grove

Joel Crisafulli, a 1985 Natick High graduate and a two-time EMass Super Bowl champ, attended Johnson in the 1970s. His father John attended Oak Grove School and his son Dominic coursed through Johnson’s halls two generations later.

Because of numerous closures in the downtown area – including Center School and Coolidge Junior High - Joel attended five different schools between fourth and ninth grade: Johnson (4^th grade); Center (5^th grade); Memorial (6^th grade); Coolidge (7^th and 8^th grades); and Natick High.

But Crisafulli enjoyed his Johnson days the most.

“Most kids walked there,” said the former art teacher at Keefe Tech for three decades. “People wanted to live there because it was an old neighborhood. You could play in the streets.”

Dominic Crisafulli says those Johnson days planted a firm foundation for future athletic endeavors.

“All of us continued to play sports after elementary school and throughout high school,” said the Babson College-bound swimmer. “We’ve always been really competitive, and I think that led us to playing sports in high school.”

The days of wall ball, basketball, football and bockey are well in the past. But the memories continue.

“It was a great spot to have growing up. It’s too bad now it’s not going to be a school anymore, but it was probably the best thing for us as young boys being able to play,” said Dominic Crisafulli. “It’s sad that it’s not going to be there for kids other in the future. it was a great place for us to grow up and cherish.”

Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas. 

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Natick High athletes remember soon-to-close Johnson Elementary School