As Milken prepares to move to its new campus next year, the transition marks a significant shift in space and scale for the school’s athletic program. With a larger gym, expanded weight room, and upgraded training facilities, the move brings new opportunities, even as some aspects of Milken athletics remain largely unchanged.
For many teams, off-campus practices have long been a reality. According to Associate Athletic Director Carmelle Kiesler, that structure won’t dramatically shift with the move.
“We’ve already been using the East Campus for basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, and field space,” Ms. Kiesler said. “A lot of that has been for the middle school, while the upper school still prefers turf for sports like soccer and football. In terms of efficiency, the spaces we use now still best fit our needs.”
Because of that, Ms. Kiesler said the number of outsourced practices is not expected to change significantly. Instead, the move formalizes and improves spaces Milken athletes have already been accessing.
Where the difference will be felt most is inside the new athletic facilities.
One of the biggest upgrades is the relocated weight room, which has already been moved into the new building. The new space is substantially larger, more than double the size of the previous weight room, and is designed to accommodate multiple teams at once.
“We’ll be able to overlap weight training sessions,” Ms. Kiesler said. “It won’t be half a team going at a time anymore. Two teams can easily fit.”
The area will also include turf just outside the weight room, allowing for indoor-outdoor workouts and greater flexibility in training sessions.
Athletic health and recovery will also see major improvements. The new athletic training room will be significantly larger than the current one, giving trainers and athletes more room to work.
“It’s going to feel like you actually have space to move,” Ms. Kiesler said. “You’ve been in the current room, it’s a big difference.”
Staffing will remain consistent, with a small shift in location. Milken’s middle school athletic trainer, hired this year, will move up to the current campus, while upper school trainers will primarily be based in the new building in Milken East and return to the gym after school when games require coverage.
While there has been speculation about future additions, such as new fields or expanded facilities, Kiesler was clear that nothing beyond the current plans is confirmed.
“There are a lot of hopes and dreams, but nothing is in fruition,” she said. “Right now, what we have is what we have.”
For now, the focus is on settling into the new space and maximizing its potential.
“We have a beautiful new athletic building, and we’re very excited about it,” Ms. Kiesler said. “The current iteration is what we know, and we’re taking it one day at a time.”