More Than Wins at North Hollywood Park

At the very end of the 2024-2025 school year, The Fields at North Hollywood Park had a grand opening celebration. One year later, as the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, the new field’s impact has extended far beyond games won. This new facility has transformed the daily experience of students, coaches, and families while opening new possibilities for the future of Oakwood Athletics.

“For the students, it’s the pride of having something they can call their own,” shared Steve Smith, Oakwood’s Director of Athletics and Physical Education. “That pride inspires them to stay 100% locked in, give their best effort, and maximize their potential.”

For students, having a home field has created a stronger sense of identity. There is something powerful about stepping into a space that is part of your community. That pride is evident in the way athletes prepare, compete, and support one another.

“From a coach’s standpoint, it’s similar to moving into a brand-new house, where you start to imagine all of the best things that you can do with this space,” Steve reflected. “As a result, the combination of the kids giving their best efforts and our coaches creatively exploring best practices, the results have been immeasurable.”

We now have the opportunity to be close, for our families and for our students.

Nick Chilkov

Year One Facts About The Fields at NoHo Park:

13 Oakwood teams, from both the Elementary and Secondary campuses, utilized the space throughout the year
51 games were played and 275 practices were held on the fields
Student-athletes gained approximately 250 additional hours of practice time that would otherwise have been spent commuting on buses to remote fields
Oakwood saved $56,000 in field rental costs and an additional $165,000 in transportation costs
The fields hosted 1 Oakwood Summer Program soccer camp and 1 middle school field day

The added time together has strengthened not only athletic development but also the student experience. Less time commuting has meant more time practicing, learning, collaborating, and building community.

The impact has also been felt across athletic performance. Oakwood teams training and competing at NoHo Park achieved some of their strongest seasons to date:

Varsity Flag Football advanced to the championship game
Middle School Flag Football won the league championship
Varsity Girls Soccer won league and advanced to the CIF quarterfinals
Varsity Boys Soccer finished with the best record in the league and advanced to the CIF semifinals
Varsity Boys Middle School Soccer advanced to compete in the league finals.
Baseball went 21–1, finished undefeated in league play, and earned the best record in Southern California

The fields have also created opportunities for younger athletes and strengthened connections across divisions. Elementary campus Athletics Director, Nick Chilkov, highlighted what it has meant for elementary athletics, “The elementary athletic department used it for multiple home competitions this year, which was very exciting for our players and fans,” he shared. “To have a home game and a home field has been huge.”

He also noted how the location has made athletics more accessible for students and families. “We play against schools that don’t have fields, and instead of having to drive to Calabasas to host teams like Viewpoint, we now have the opportunity to be close, for our families and for our students.” The long-term potential is equally exciting. “The opportunity down the road to host flag football is exciting,” Coach Nick said. “NoHo Park also creates another opportunity for alignment with the Secondary Campus. We want to think of Oakwood Athletics as one.”

Gus Sedano, Senior Recreation Director North Hollywood Recreation Center, at the June 2025 opening of The Fields at North Hollywood Park

The Fields at North Hollywood Park came to be through a unique collaboration between the City of Los Angeles and Oakwood School.

Gus Sedano, Senior Recreation Director at the North Hollywood Recreation Center, shared this on how the fields have benefitted the greater community: “Over the past year, participation in our outdoor leagues has grown significantly, driven in part by the addition of the new field, which has drawn strong community interest. More than 1,000 participants took part in our baseball, soccer, softball, and outdoor volleyball programs…. The center has once again become a vibrant hub for the community—a place where people gather not only for sports, but also for connection.”