Medfield Girls Softball Plays Ursuline in Memory of Teacher's Daughter

The First Annual Taylor Manning Memorial Matchup was played in Medfield on April 2 and won by Medfield who defeated Ursuline Academy 6-3.

Taylor was 13 years old and in seventh grade at Ursuline Academy when she died unexpectedly last year. Her mother, Kristin Manning, is a Spanish teacher at Blake Middle School and Medfield High School. 

The event was organized by family friend and Blake Social Studies teacher Travis Taliaferro. 

"I am personally very close with the Manning family, and I consider Taylor Manning the type of kid who, during her short time with us, served as a great role model for my kids," Taliaferro said. "Though much older than my own children, she always made time and went out of her way to play with and include them when our families got together."

Taliaferro, who is the MHS Girls Softball coach, said the idea came to him over February vacation, and it seemed fitting for several reasons.

"First, the 2012 softball team went as a group to Taylor's memorial service at Ursuline after one of our most memorable games of the season last year, and it was the type of experience that was a special moment for all of us," he said.

"Many of the girls had Ms. Manning as a teacher, and some knew Taylor personally," he said. "We had our game and loaded up in cars afterwards and drove down Route 109 to Ursuline in our uniforms."

It was an emotional day, he said.

"I was very proud of our team's response to the loss within our school community last year, and I was equally as moved by their actions in preparing for this game," Taliferro told Patch. 

He also said he is happy to start a "friendly rivalry" between Medfield and Ursuline. 

"The fact that we are starting something that someday might include athletes from Taylor's class at Ursuline is something that will hopefully continue to bring positivity to a tragedy shared by both schools," said Taliaferro.

The event received the blessing of the Manning family and the Ursuline softball team worked the game into its schedule. 

Both teams wore pink socks in Taylor's honor (it was her favorite color), the Manning family created a plaque for the winning school to take back to its trophy case until the next year's game, and Taylor's mother, Kristin Manning, threw out the first pitch to Taylor's brother Jack. Taylor's father, Dean, served as official photographer. 

Medfield will be displaying the plaque until next year when Ursuline will host the game. Medfield's Danni Vaclavik was the inaugural MVP, collecting two hits and scoring two runs. 

A bake sale held by Blake Middle School students (who braved the brisk temperatures for the event) raised over $500 which will go toward a memorial in Taylor's honor at Ursuline Academy. 

The students who organized and ran the bake sale were Lily Jackson, Rebecca Shames, Amanda Thompson, Abi Todd, Emily Thompson, Jane Pan, Michaela Thompson, Kaitlyn Naughton, Faith Samson, and Samantha Caira. 

"A special thank you goes out to all of the fans, supporters, parents, Ursuline Academy, our volunteer umpires, the students who ran the bake sale, and of course, the Manning family," said Taliferro.