Prowling across the field, guarding with steely eyes and forever stuck in a state of suspended motion — these are the team statue coyotes. Amidst chalk lines and dugouts, these lifelike coyotes stand sentinel in the outfield and have become a part of the baseball and softball teams’ athletic lore. 

A new addition to Portola High this school year, the coyote statues are placed on the field after practices and games to chase off any birds that would trample the grass and prevent dogs from walking over the field, similar to a scarecrow, according to baseball coach and PE teacher Brian Resnick. 

“I think some of the students didn’t really know what they were, and so they were kind of surprised that they were on the field because no one told us that they were gonna be there,” Resnick said. “It was funny to see them, because at first glance they look like they’re real.”

Featured on both the softball and baseball fields, two statues inhabit the short outfield and right field for the most coverage. Beyond practicality, some of the players even consider the statues as a superstitious token, according to baseball player and sophomore Caden Radus. 

“I guess some other people like the statues because they’re kind of a good luck charm,” Radus said. “Now every time we win a game, we put them out there after a win, so I guess they’ve become good luck.”

Seemingly furrier and larger than their crazy-eyed statue owl counterparts atop the 600s Building, they are a welcomed addition to the field, according to softball player and senior Shriya Ravipati. 

“They just look more realistic, and they’re cuter than the owl statues,” Ravipati said. “The owls just sit there, but these coyotes actually look like they’re real. I had to do a double take when I first saw them.”

From pest control to quirky good luck charms, the coyote statues have quickly become an unexpected part of the baseball and softball programs, adding a touch of wild and whimsy to the field.