Local Boy Scout Builds New Tennis Backboard at Sherborn Courts

Sherborn teen Dylan Baroody worked hard over the weekend to complete his Eagle Scout project.

For his project, he led a group of other scouts, including Richard Freimer, of Dover, and Sherborn scouts Conor Walsh, Grant Gregory, Scott Ambos, and Konrad and Thompson Scott-Ludwig in building a new backboard at the Sherborn town tennis courts.

Baroody's father, Jim Baroody, is the boys varsity tennis coach at the high school.

"I thought it was a great idea, but realized that it was a big project and that it would involve a number of town-based organizations. To be honest, I thought it was a lot for a 13-year-old to take on. Having said that, I knew it would be great for the town and for the tennis program at school, as it would give people the opportunity to better their tennis game," Jim said.

Dylan enlisted the help of Ed Wagner of Sherborn's Community Maintenence and Development to have the old backboard demolished and removed.

The boys installed 2x4s across the uprights, then laid specially treated plywood on top of those.

"It went about as well as I could have imagined," said Baroody. "We just kept working step by step until everything was done."

The boys put the finishing touches on by painting a net in the appropriate position on the backboard.

"People were so helpful to me every step of the way," he said. "I worked hard to put together a good design and proposal, but I could never have completed this without all the advice and guidance I got from everyone. The scouts that showed up today to help me build it were great - everyone stayed focused and did what I asked them to do. It was fun to see it actually going up."