A town in shock, a team in action
When a powerful tornado swept through Menasha last week, it left a stark scar on the landscape: Calder Stadium, the longtime home of the Menasha High School football team, was reduced to twisted metal and shattered bleachers. The damage was not just structural; it was a blow to the pride of a community that has gathered on that field for generations.
Coach Jeramie Korth described the scene as something out of a movie, saying the sight of the collapsed stands left him speechless. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said, recalling how the wind tore the roof off the press box and scattered equipment across the field. His shock quickly turned into a call to action, urging players to look beyond the stadium’s ruins.
Junior offensive lineman Noah Kiley, who was standing nearby when the storm hit, likened the roar of the wind to the sound of a freight train. “It felt like the whole world was moving,” he recalled, and in the aftermath he found himself helping a neighbor clear debris from their property. The experience cemented a new purpose for the squad: to become a steady hand for those affected.
The response has rippled beyond the team’s own borders. Ben Strickland, head coach at De Pere, reached out to coordinate volunteer clean‑up crews, and several other schools have offered equipment and manpower. Volunteers have been seen sweeping the streets of Doty Island and hauling away fallen trees, turning the cleanup into a town‑wide project.
Despite the devastation, the team remains focused on the upcoming season. Whether they will play on a temporary field or in a neighboring town, the players are determined to take the field again. “We’re not going to let this stop us,” Kiley said, echoing a sentiment that has become a rallying cry for the entire community.
For many, the football team has become a symbol of resilience. As they chip away at the wreckage, their presence on the streets serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there can be a source of light. The hope is that, once the dust settles, the stadium will rise again, and so will the spirit of Menasha.