Community will install new digital scoreboards in the East Gym this summer, replacing outdated equipment first installed when the building opened in 2004.

The upgrade comes in response to the Illinois High School Association’s mandate requiring shot clocks in boys and girls varsity basketball games beginning with the 2026-27 season. Community Athletic Director Mr. Nic Kearfott said the current wired boards are incompatible with shot clock technology and frequently malfunction.

“The wires short out and break off,” Kearfott said. “They’ve been an issue.”

After years of discussion, Kearfott and Normal West Athletic Director Mr. Wes Temples proposed installing new boards at both schools simultaneously to meet the upcoming IHSA requirement.

“Shot clocks alone wouldn’t sync with our current boards,” Kearfott said. “So we needed to upgrade either way.”

The new boards—9-by-16-foot LED video screens—are manufactured by Nevco and function as both traditional scoreboards and digital displays. The system can stream any content a computer can run, from “hype” videos and replays to player statistics and interactive in-game graphics and commercials. 

The Unit 5 district will pay the upfront cost of $146,000. Community and West’s athletic departments will reimburse $10,000 annually over the next five years to offset the district’s investment.

Although the IHSA rule does not take effect until 2026, Kearfott said Community requested early installation to allow time for staff to train with the new technology.

Kearfott also hopes to involve students in producing content for games and events.

“Their minds are way more advanced in technology than I am,” he said.

Long-term, the athletic director hopes the equipment could support a new course in game management, sports production or integrated into a broadcast journalism course.

Beyond athletics, the boards will serve multiple uses. Physical education teachers will be able to connect laptops to the displays for lessons that currently rely on low-resolution projectors and brick wall surfaces. Other school groups—including Fine Arts, FFA and student organizations—will also be able to use the screens for special events and assemblies.

The boards, Kearfott said, can even be used for live streaming sporting events, film breakdowns and major broadcasts like state tournament games or national championships.

“We’ll be able to do anything we can do on our computer or TV,” he said. “The options are really endless. As long as we can do it with [the] technology, we’ll do it.”

While an exact installation date is not confirmed, the district anticipates the boards will be in place by mid-July. The equipment carries a seven-year warranty, but Kearfott expects a lifespan of at least 10 to 12 years, depending on how technology evolves.

An unveiling event or ceremony has not yet been planned, Kearfott said.