While the appearance of the couches outside the tennis courts at Summit High School may have caused some initial confusion, it appears that their placement was intentional.

 “There had been some talk amongst our team this year about having a place to sit,” said Summit Storm head boys tennis coach, Jake Olerich. 

Although the couches were never actually used during a tennis match, they did generate some buzz and excitement among students and faculty members alike. 

“We thought they were funny,” said Summit junior girls tennis players Audrey Miller and Ava Mastalir.

Many were intrigued by the idea of having a designated area to relax and enjoy the matches, as there are no bleachers to sit on, parents and fans have to bring their own seating.  Some even expressed interest in bringing in additional furniture to create a more comfortable viewing experience.

“My mom saw the couches and wanted to bring some of our old furniture to add to the collection,” junior Brian Maloney said. 

While the couches may have been a fun and quirky addition to the school’s tennis courts, they were seen being removed by trucks on April 21st by the Bend La-Pine School District. 

“The district sent an email to Principal McDonald and then to me about how it broke school policy,” said Olerich. Even though Olerich had nothing to do with the couches, he felt like it’s important to have a seating area for tennis matches. 

“I told the district that they should allow bleachers in the grass area as a place for parents, fans, and players to sit. Right now, all of our players are sitting in the grass, not being comfortable.”

“Our courts are being renovated this summer so that will hopefully free up some decent room to sit,” explains Olerich.

So the big question is, where did these couches come from?

“I’m not sure who put the couches there, but I have a strong feeling it was members of my tennis team”.

“A couple of us had old furniture and we thought it would be a smart way to sit back and watch some tennis. It wasn’t meant as a prank or anything like that,” said Senior Noah Smith.

Overall, the appearance and subsequent removal of the couches outside the tennis courts at Summit High School was a brief but memorable moment in the school year. While it may have left some scratching their heads, it also served as a reminder of the importance of community and the value of creating comfortable, welcoming spaces for all and to look for future solutions for everyone to watch sports.