July 20, 2021
By KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT
Rutherford County Schools
The scoreboard at McFadden School of Excellence had rather limited capabilities.
Installed in the early 1990s, the scoreboard hung on the backwall behind the coaches and players, who had to actually step out onto the basketball court and turn around in order to see the score or the time remaining.
After nearly 30 years, it was time to replace the outdated board that is no longer manufactured.
Dr. Clark Blair, principal at McFadden, called Andy Jakes, senior vice president and southern regional president for Wilson Bank & Trust, to see if they could help cover the $5,710 cost of purchasing a new one and “he was very willing to do that.”
“They work with a lot of our schools,” Blair said of Wilson Bank & Trust. “They’re very active in our school system.”
In addition to the new scoreboard at McFadden, Blair noted “Christiana Middle just got a new electronic sign out front as well, and it’s sponsored by Wilson Bank & Trust. They’re great.”
The scoreboard, which is expected to be installed the last week of July, was purchased from Middle Tennessee Scoreboards — the same as the previous one — and manufactured by Fair-Play, makers of scoreboards for more than 85 years.
McFadden will primarily use it during physical education classes as well as the junior pro basketball program for students in second through fifth grades. The popular rec league is managed by the Rutherford County Conservation Board.
“The reason we wanted a new one was because this one is going to be wireless,” Blair said, “so it’s going to be a big improvement and we’re moving it to make it more visible for everybody.”