📰BIDDEFORD | Biddeford's Sporting Past Comes Alive! PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE | Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center

October 1, 2025 | Earlier this year, the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center (BCHC) received a 2025 Opportunity Grant from the Society of American Archivists (SAA), the oldest and largest archivist association in North America, serving the educational and informational needs of more than 5,000 archivists and institutional members.

The $2,500 grant, awarded for the project “Capturing Moments: The Digital Revival of School Sports Heritage,” supports the digitization of historic magnetic audio tapes, helping preserve and share the rich sports legacy of the Biddeford community. Additional funding from the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board is also contributing to the effort.

The tapes, donated by Chuck Cote, son of legendary coach Bob Cote, and the St. Louis Alumni Association, capture treasured moments in local school sports history. “As the son of a coach, growing up with sports, I know how important it is to save and share these tapes with our community,” said Cote. “People remember and talk about these games. The excitement is so important to share. Being able to hear them now and save them for the future, thanks to the SAA grant, is just great.”

To celebrate the project’s progress, BCHC will host “Capturing Our School Sports Heritage Moments” on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 4–6 p.m. at the J. Richard Martin Community Center on Alfred Street in Biddeford. The event will introduce the digitized collection, highlight the project’s impact, and celebrate the remarkable history that shaped the town.

The event will feature:

Displays and presentations on local sports legends, including Coach James Beaudry and Freddy Parent.

Exhibits of sports memorabilia and archival materials, such as the Mouzas sports scrapbook.

Audio presentation of newly digitized recordings of early local sports events, accompanied by a slideshow featuring key moments.

Complimentary educational materials will be available for all attendees.

In recognition of American Archives Month, launched by the SAA in 2006, attendees are encouraged to bring old sports photos to share. With permission, photographs will be digitized on-site and considered for inclusion in BCHC’s growing sports photo archive.

“We are so fortunate and thankful for this grant from SAA, allowing us to preserve this exciting and valuable piece of our local sports history,” said Diane Cyr, president of BCHC. “Without their support, it is unlikely this work could be done in time to save and share these moments with future generations.”