Eight new members were inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame at a luncheon in the Student Union Ballroom on the Middle Tennessee State University campus in Murfreesboro on Monday, April 8, 2024.
Bernard Childress, an administrator from Murfreesboro; Phil Clark, a coach from Bartlett; Glenn Falls, a coach from Nashville; Joe Gaddis, a coach from Oak Ridge; Jody Wright, a coach from Clinton; Jerry McCarter, an official from Powell; Steve Trussler, an official from Manchester; and the late Chris Snoddy, a contributor from Nashville, were inducted in the 2024 class.
Steve Trussler had an illustrious career spanning over five decades with the TSSAA.
He officiated approximately 4,000 TSSAA-sanctioned football, basketball, baseball, and softball contests. His relentless dedication and thoroughness had him working on numerous district, regional, and sectional games, culminating in umpiring eight TSSAA State Baseball championships and one State Football championship game. His service to TSSAA was not confined to just officiating contests. Devoting much of his time as a volunteer, he served at fifteen TSSAA State Golf Championships, solidifying his commitment to the growth of TSSAA athletics.
Trussler’s competencies extended to athletic management, where he was the Athletic Director at Grundy Co. High School. His sterling work didn’t go unnoticed, as in 2018, he was honored as the A. F. Bridges Athletic Director of the Year for Athletic District 3. In 2020 he received the TSSAA Award of Merit in recognition of his five decades of distinguished service as a TSSAA official. Trussler’s extensive contributions to the TSSAA, both on and off the field, make his induction into the TSSAA Hall of Fame well-deserved.
