Last year, after a football game against Wilcox High School, I vividly remember overhearing a Wilcox parent say, “For a school so rich, it’s a shocker that their field is so terrible.” Unfortunately, she isn’t wrong. 

Walking around campus, you can see why Menlo is renowned for its resources and facilities. From the 40,000-square-foot Spieker Center for the Arts unveiled in 2021 to the 55,000-square-foot athletic center constantly praised by visitors, Menlo certainly has multiple impressive features. However, members of the Menlo community who spend time at the Cartan Field are likely to see the dirt field, porta-potties, unsightly stands and question exactly why there is such a big difference.

As a member of the Menlo football program, I’ve experienced the downsides of Cartan’s poor conditions firsthand. Due to rain, the muddy grass has caused many players to slip, leading to drills being stopped in fear of safety. Aside from worsening playing conditions, the real grass takes significant amounts of money, time and effort to maintain. It’s time we change to artificial turf to be playable all year round and be as high-performing as our football team is. 

I’d also like to point out the locker room situation at Cartan, or lack thereof. The locker room is an enclosed outdoor space with a couple dozen foldable chairs and a tent surrounded by a frayed wire fence. This not only affects the football team, but also cross country, track, lacrosse and other athletes. Every day we walk from the main campus to the field and get ready on the side of the track. Instead of the current “locker rooms,” Menlo should invest in an athletic field house; a standalone building with locker rooms, real restrooms that aren’t porta-potties or trailer restrooms, concessions, a press box and more.

I hope to one day see future Menlo athletes playing on a state-of-the-art athletic complex, which will better match the rest of Menlo’s campus.