For years, the feeling around the community in LaFayette was not necessarily one of bitterness when it came to the athletic facilities of nearby high schools.
There was, however, some envy and a big dose of “What about us?”
Ridgeland — one of two high schools in the Walker County system, with LaFayette the other — has arguably the most scenic baseball field in the greater Chattanooga area and a football field that has been showcased since its synthetic turf was installed in 2010.
Gordon Lee, a Chickamauga city school, has made massive renovations to its facilities in the last 10 years, including the installation of new turf on its football field and additions to the gym. Outside of Walker County and down Highway 27 just a bit, Trion sports one of the state’s most iconic football stadiums and a college-like gym that opened in 2014.
When Andy Scott was named LaFayette’s football coach in 2021, one of the first things he wanted to address was the common practice of losing some of the Ramblers’ top athletes because they transferred — often before they even made it to high school.