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A school gym in need gets a piece of Lady Vols history

Until this year, Mount Pisgah Christian Academy's sports teams practiced and played on a concrete floor. But that's all changed thanks to a donation from an auction company in Powell that was holding on to a piece of history.

This school year has meant big changes for one small school in Oliver Springs.

Mount Pisgah Christian Academy has three sports teams - boys and girls basketball and girls volleyball.

Until this year those teams played and practiced on a concrete floor.

That's all changed thanks to a donation from an auction company in Powell that was holding on to a piece of history.

“We wanted to be reminded of where this floor came from,” said Mount Pisgah Christian Academy Athletic Director Andrew Walls.

The school's new gym floor used to be inside the University of Tennessee's Stokely Athletic Center. That's the same place the Lady Vols won their first NCAA basketball championship in 1987.

“A guy from the auction company just mentioned to one of our graduates that they had a wooden floor. Immediately our school popped into his head and he made some phone calls and we went the very next day and picked it up,” Walls said.

Flooring companies told the school it would cost $100,000 to install a brand new hardwood floor.

“Something that we had dreamed about, but probably would've never been able to afford, just definitely a Godsend,” said Walls.

The new floor has improved several aspects of the school’s gym.

“It makes the gym look bigger, makes the gym look brighter. It also makes the gym safer, a wooden floor gives a little bit. It doesn't hurt as bad when you fall,” said Walls.

That fact isn't lost on the volleyball team.

"It’s a lot safer because it's not concrete,” said eighth grader Emily Loy.

The court is inspiring the Mount Pisgah Patriots to work harder every day.

“We want to get better because good people played on this court,” said ninth grader Ally Hensley.

Last week the Patriots had their first ever home volleyball game. In November the basketball team will get to defend their brand new home court.

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