If you’ve been to a track meet at Ludlow Senior High this season, you’ve probably heard the same question over and over: “Why isn’t there a concession stand?”
It’s a fair question. The baseball field has one. The football team has one. And yet, despite drawing large crowds and having one of the biggest teams at our school, the track team goes without.
This doesn’t make much sense. Concession stands aren’t just a nice touch—they’re profitable, practical, and popular. Athletes, especially throwers who compete early in the meet, would definitely buy snacks or drinks after their events. Parents, too, are often in the stands for hours and would appreciate something to munch on. With so many potential customers, a concession stand at track meets would almost certainly be a financial success.
The football team’s concession stand proves this point. It’s run through the booster program with help from volunteers, and it’s consistently busy. The profits go right back into the team for equipment and other needs. Why not do the same for track?
The Location Is Already There
We don’t even need to build anything new. The baseball team’s concession stand is located between the baseball field and the track, making it the perfect spot to serve both sports. And since track and baseball never hold events at the same time—because field events like javelin and discus take place in the outfield—there’s no scheduling conflict.
Students Are on Board
I conducted a quick survey of 20 students, and 19 said they think a concession stand at track meets is a great idea. Student Brady Fisher even said he’d “be down to eat at least eight hot dogs.” That might be an exaggeration—but it shows there’s interest.
Track athlete Joe Dong also weighed in: “It’s a good idea to raise funds for track and may require the team to fundraise less.” He’s right—our team holds multiple fundraisers each season, and a concession stand could help reduce the burden.
What’s Stopping Us?
To find out more, I spoke with Ludlow’s Athletic Director, Mr. Timothy Brillo.
Why don’t we have a concession stand for track? “The coaches/booster club never asked to have one,” he said.
At first, this surprised me. Why wouldn’t they ask? But Mr. Brillo pointed out the main issue: “All they have to do is ask, and athletics will allow them to use the facility. The big issue is trying to find volunteers to run the concession.”
In other words, it’s possible—we just need to organize ourselves.
“Based on the crowds at this year’s track meets, I would think a concession stand would do extremely well,” Brillo said.
That sealed it for me. The opportunity is there. We just need to act on it.
A Call to Action
The track team is large. We have parents, friends, and athletes who care. If we worked together to gather volunteers and present a plan to the coaches and the booster club, we could make this happen.
The benefits are clear:
- Less need for fundraising
- More team spirit and community involvement
- Support for athletes and spectators alike
- Funds for new equipment and facility upkeep
So the question isn’t why we don’t have a concession stand—it’s why not now?
It’s time for Ludlow Senior High’s track team to get the same support other sports already enjoy. Let’s make it happen.