On Friday nights, Spanos Stadium at Cal Poly is filled with Royals fans.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids to play on a college campus. You know, being able to kind of experience (what) college kids experience," said Anthony Gosten, Mission College Prep principal. "You really can’t beat this environment."
While it’s not common for a high school team to play at a collegiate field, that’s the norm for Mission Prep.
The switch was made back in 2023 due to sizing constraints as the team was transitioning from 8-man to 11-man football. Cal Poly has been the high school's home field ever since, allowing many players to experience it.
“Like last week we had Ridgeview from Bakersfield," Gosten said. "So a lot of schools from all over the valley and the coast get to come here and play and it’s really a unique experience because they don’t play on a college field, and so to be able to do that, it’s a memory for them."
A memory for many students.
“I personally like it a lot better than our home field. I think it’s so cool to play on a college field,” said Brodi Ortiz, a senior cheerleader who says this gives her a preview of what she’d like to do after high school. “I just like the environment and I feel like it kind of gives me like a look to my future. I want to do cheer in college, so I think that it’s very cool to be in, like, that environment,” Ortiz said.
Gosten added that the contract to play at Spanos Stadium is renewed on a year-to-year basis.
“You know they’re gracious enough to let us play here, and so hopefully one day we’ll have our own home field stadium but for now this is our home," Gosten said.
Mission College Prep’s next home game at Cal Poly will be Oct.10 against Righetti.
