Cypress High School’s tennis courts received a long overdue makeover during the summer. According to Head Coach Joe Paul, the once cracked and imperfect courts are now redone and smooth, reformed to be more safe and playable. However, the work is still incomplete: the courts are missing their familiar green finish. 

For the past 15 years, Paul and the Anaheim Union High School District have been aiming to get the tennis courts redone. “They were cracked and broken up to the point it was difficult to play on,” Paul said. Only recently, there were enough funds to get the project into action. The goal was to make the ground safe and primed to play on. Previously, the tennis balls would land on the cracks and ricochet in different directions. With a smooth ground, the balls can bounce safely without disturbing the match. The black surface is only a temporary solution for the cracks, since the priority was to be able to play on site at school. 

Paul and the district are currently working on raising money to complete the courts by sealing them with the correct green color. However, it’s an additional expense, since the district had originally planned on reconstructing entirely new courts when the next bond is passed. A bond is “like a tax for the homeowners that live in the area,” according to Paul. That bond money is used for things like modifying the quad, parking lot, etc. As of right now, the team is about $10,000 short of a $25,000 goal, meaning they have over half the funds needed. Principal Dr. Hodgson, athletic director Jeffery Russell, and the district are working on obtaining the remaining funds needed to get that green coloring completed. They are accepting donations for those who are interested in supporting our tennis team as well. 

Until the courts are complete with their final touch, the Varsity Tennis team will continue to play at Seal Beach Tennis Center, while Junior Varsity plays on our less than perfect home courts. Senior Co-Captain of the Varsity Team, Jecy Liu, said she’s excited about getting the courts repainted, and “it’s something that the school and team are looking forward to!” Though Liu isn’t sure if she’ll be able to play on it this year, she hopes that the future tennis teams will be able to play their home games on campus. Paul likes the black courts because of their improvement in the performance of tennis matches. “It’ll look really pretty to drive in from the parking lot when the courts are totally redone. We are looking for anyone who wants to donate money to help,” he said.