Home to the Golden Bears, The Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium serves as the primary practice and performance location for eight of Upper Arlington High School’s varsity sports. With a seating capacity of over 8,600, the stadium sees its fair share of visitors throughout the fall and spring sports seasons.
The stadium was renovated in 2019 following an Upper Arlington City Schools combined bond issue and operating levy to rebuild and renovate each of the district’s eight public schools. The bond issue was projected to generate about $230 million over thirty-eight years, according to a Columbus Dispatch article in 2018.
Renovation plans included the addition of concession stands, locker rooms, three ticketed entrances, and home bleachers with a press box. Originally, the district planned to relocate the field and completely reconstruct it, however, the plans were adjusted in order to stay within the $10 million budget.
This summer, the stadium’s Ted Wolford Field was replaced with newer, “zero-waste” turf to ensure high durability and a longer lifetime for the synthetic field. Following the 2019 renovations, The Marv Moorehead Memorial Stadium has housed seven sports seasons and weathered the cleats of two state championship-winning lacrosse teams.
Many casually refer to the stadium as “The Marv,” but the name has a rich history in Upper Arlington’s football program and community as a whole. As a memorial stadium, the name and signage of “The Marv” are more than just a label, it is a testament to Coach Marv Moorehead’s impact on Upper Arlington.
Between the years of 1955 to 1969, Head Coach Marv Moorehead developed Upper Arlington Football into the top football program in the state. According to the Upper Arlington Historical Society, Moorehead had an impressive record of 115 wins, 23 loses, and three ties. Along with six undefeated seasons, Moorehead produced teams ranked in the top five of all division one football teams in the state of Ohio every year. Noted by the Golden Bear Football Website, Moorehead “won three consecutive State Championships before retiring at age 39.”
As impressive as the numbers are, his impact on the community is not reflected by records, but rather his impact on players. Moorehead was known to be a coach in more than just football, his development of players as people is what set him apart.
Highly-praised and successful football coach Woody Hayes described Moorehead’s influence in a 1967 news article from The Upper Arlington News, saying, “There is not another coach that I know of who has as great an impact on his team as Marv Moorehead.”
Hayes also mentioned that Moorehead, “had the ability to develop individual responsibility more than anyone I know.”
Moorehead was known for his dedication to bettering players beyond the field. His commitment to the community and football program earned him a plaque on Upper Arlington Historical Society’s ‘Wall of Honor’ located in the Plaza of the Municipal Services Center.
As noted on the plaque from the Upper Arlington Historical Society, “To those who grew up in Upper Arlington in the 1960s, Marv Moorehead was more than a football coach. He was committed to teaching life lessons to young adults. This principle became the foundation for all his efforts. He believed that if he developed the good, disciplined character of each player, success on and off the athletic field would follow.”
For many years to come, players and spectators will fill a stadium built on the mission to teach and enlighten athletes on all parts of their game. Adapted into everyday vocabulary, “The Marv” is a tribute to the impact and importance of Coach Marv Moorehead and the future coaches of Upper Arlington Golden Bears who set out for more than wins.
