YMCA of Greenwich lights up new scoreboard at pool

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Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders attends the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new 34-foot scoreboard at the YMCA of Greenwich. The new scoreboard is sponsored by Cheribundi, which donated $130,000 to the YMCA of Greenwich to fund the scoreboard as part of their Fueling Future Champions initiative.

The new scoreboard at the YMCA of Greenwich fully integrates the Omega Timing System, the official timekeeper of all Olympic events for more than 100 years. The new scoreboard displays results and scores for the Y's swim, water polo and diving events in full-color LED display with 631,800 LED pixels.

Olympian Summer Sanders, second from left, joins the swimmers and coaches for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new 34-foot scoreboard at the YMCA of Greenwich.

GREENWICH — The swimmers at the YMCA of Greenwich are enjoying a new scoreboard at their pool, thanks to a $130,000 donation from Cheribundi.

The YMCA of Greenwich lit up the state-of-the-art 34-foot scoreboard at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month at its natatorium, which features an Olympic-sized pool.

Summer Sanders, the most decorated U.S. swimmer from the Olympic Games in Barcelona, spoke at the event. Sanders took home four medals in 1992, including two golds for the 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter medley relay.

The YMCA's event was sponsored by Cheribundi, a Greenwich-based private manufacturer of Cheribundi brand tart cherry juice beverages. Tart cherry juice is marketed to athletes for its natural concentrations of phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, which are reportedly beneficial in reducing muscle fatigue and joint inflammation.

"We are very grateful for the partnership with Cheribundi," said Matthew Skaarup, chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greenwich. "The new addition is an investment that adds value to all of our facility's aquatics programs and events."

The new scoreboard integrates the Omega Timing System, the official timekeeper of all Olympic events for more than 100 years. The new scoreboard displays results and scores for the Y's swim, water polo and diving events in full-color LED display with 631,800 LED pixels.

In addition, it has the capability of highlighting YMCA programs, display real-time competition and meet information, and includes entertainment features that allow for its use a movie theater for a kids night out.

"I’m delighted to partner with Cheribundi to announce their Fueling Future Champions initiative at the YMCA of Greenwich to expand affordable opportunities for local athletes with a state-of-the-art upgrade to their swim center," Sanders said at the event.

"I passionately believe in the power of tart cherries to recover faster and rest better. Cheribundi is my family's go-to product and this initiative to promote youth sports and empower young athletes alongside the YMCA will help future generations realize the power of all-natural recovery," said Sanders, who is part of the CBS Sports Network's all-female roundtable sports show "We Need to Talk."

More than 350 pro and college athletic teams regularly use Cheribundi's high-performance wellness products, according to the company.

All of the coaches for the YMCA of Greenwich's aquatics teams also attended the event. It was followed by a barbecue and pool party for the family members of the aquatics teams.

Founded in 1916, the YMCA of Greenwich offers programs and services that promote and sustain healthy living, youth development and social responsibility. To learn more, visit www.greenwichymca.org