Across the green and white lined pasture filled with black pellets lies a lively board with numbers and lights illuminated under the “Friday night lights.” This seemingly insignificant board holds a shocking amount of emotion for teenage athletes; the buzzer blows, time runs out, the fans go wild and your heart drops into your chest.

The problem we face at South is the divide in athletics between the emphasis on football and significance of other sports. The new scoreboard is just the new addition needed to promote inclusion for other student athletes and bridge this divide.

Previously, the old scoreboard would keep track of simplistic sports needs such as time, time outs, quarters and downs. The problem with this system is that only half the lights are illuminated for sports aside from football due to the lack of need for downs and quarters.

This new scoreboard includes icons for all field athletics played at South therefore representing all athletic programs. This new technology is volunteer led by parents and students which will promote inclusion of others into each sport as well. Parents and students are able to get involved within other realms outside of their comfort zone by assisting with this scoreboard. For example, in field hockey, when a penalty occurs in the circle, a play called a corner is called. Now, this play can be illuminated onto the scoreboard to ensure all spectators are engaged and understand each rule.

The idea of a student section at each sports game is significant, specifically for football games with communicated themes and record attendances. However, the involvement of the crowd can be lacking due to the inability of few students to rally together a large group. With the assistance of our new scoreboard, we are able to input cheers after each significant play such as “get loud” or “let’s go defense” which will be the depths of the student section.

This will also attract many bystanders to attend our athletic events. Walking past our stadium late at night and seeing the roar of the crowd and the vibrant lights encouraging our student athletes will draw in those seemingly uninterested late night walkers. Since the input of the scoreboard, I have noticed our athletic event attendance has increased which will, in turn, boost the funds we achieve from our entrance fees.

Many were hesitant to use significant funds to boost our booming athletic program and some argued to use the money elsewhere, but I believe that South puts a heavy emphasis on uplifting students’ mental health, specifically athletes. Athletes take pride in their sports and if spectators are there cheering them on, spectators brought in by the new scoreboard, it will result in an increase in ambition to play.

You cannot put a price on confidence.