Darcey Field is home ground for many Wellesley athletes and their families. The clean track and smooth turf, used in every season, provide a comfortable environment for the community to train, get steps in, and simply have fun.

But, the field today is drastically different from the one there two decades ago. Before 2003, Darcey Field was used intensively without infrastructure — a viable playing surface or spectator amenities — to support it.

“It was always a grass field but it was pretty beat up. We got to the point where it was almost unplayable,” said the high school’s athletic director John Brown. 

The field was used year round by the soccer, field hockey, football, cross country, lacrosse, and indoor/outdoor track teams. This current training facility was failing, but the athletes still needed a space to practice. So the town decided to make a change.

“The first thing we wanted to do is make sure that we got new turf and a new track. So, a new track was put in, new fencing was put in, and new ticket booths were put in. That was the first phase of the three-part project,” said Brown.

The first phase took a lot of time and work to complete. Community members worked together to negotiate and design the best athletic space possible, finishing the installation of the new turf with synthetic infill (TPE) and fence in 2017. Then in 2024, the community decided to install lights in support of night games at the field.

“Once the school got approval to put up lights on the football field, they saw an opportunity to build out the other necessary facilities – bathrooms and a snack shack. A group of parents, the school, and residents got behind the project and pushed it through,” said Amy Paladino, a member of the Wellesley Gridiron Club. 

This was the second phase of the project, completed early 2025. In order to get the new snack shack onto the field and not disrupt the ongoing sports, the building designers settled on a modular building process.

“The buildings were delivered and dropped on top of the foundation. They built it at another facility, brought in on a truck, dropped in with a crane and laid on top of it,” Brown said.

Before the renovations, the wooden press box was rotted and condemned, the cinder block snack shack was rat-infested with plumbing problems, and the bathrooms were nonexistent. In recent years, fans and workers made do with a fold-up table for a snack shack and porta-potties for bathrooms. 

“It was just a table next to the bleachers and we just had a lot of random stuff stacked on the tables,” said Angela Zhang ’27, a cross-country athlete and snack shack volunteer.

Volunteers hand out pizza, Chick-fil-a sandwiches, chips, and more, raising money for the sports team represented. This money, in addition to private donations, have been essential in funding the projects. The town and school allocated money to improve these town structures, but it wouldn’t have been adequate without the work of organizations like the Natural Resource Committee who worked to approve the projects, or the Community Investors and Gridiron Club who helped advise and fund the project.

The basketball contrarily operates on plastic tables indoors. All the food is easily accessible, laid out for customers to grab after paying. However, student volunteers have reported squabbles with students over money in past games.

“They thought that water should be free,” said Meghan Wang ’27, a student volunteer for the basketball snack shack. “Once, someone just snatched a bottle, and we didn’t notice until after.”

There are no reports of such conflicts from football games, but the incidents from the basketball games raise questions about the honors system previously used at sports games. Having designated structures for the snack shack and bathrooms make interactions more smooth and comfortable for both volunteers and the crowd.

“Building a newer facility ensured food safety and allowed us to provide a larger array of snacks to guests of the football games and other sports,” said Paladino. 

On the other hand, although it is undeniable that the field wasn’t the only run-down portion of the field, some students have had reservations about the necessity of the new buildings. They feel that funds could be better spent making athletics more affordable to all students.

“Our uniforms are 80 dollars. 80 dollars for a little tank top,” said Zhang. “But, the bathroom is useful. I actually use it when I have practices.”

Overall, the goal of all these renovations was to make the Wellesley Athletic facilities the best they can be and encourage more community engagement in athletics. This seems to have succeeded, as 88 percent of the senior class participates in or has participated in at least one sport throughout their high school career, and almost 1,800 kids districtwide participate in Raider athletics.

“It's a community meeting place as much as it is a field for teams,” said Brown. “It gives parents a chance to see their kids play, as parents might be working in the afternoon and can't come. Younger kids in town can also come and enjoy watching the older kids play. It's great for families.”

In the future, the town hopes to continue improving Wellesley’s athletic spaces, approving a new press box and locker rooms on March 18, 2025.

“It's been a big project that just keeps on going. And, we want that to be as good a facility as could possibly be,” Brown said.