What Is a Swimming Scoreboard?
A swimming pool scoreboard is a digital display that shows live swimming meet results and timing. Depending on how the scoreboard is configured, the data displayed might be swim times, splits, swimmer’s and club names.
Scoreboards are a helpful tool for swimmers of all levels. They provide a way to visualise an athlete’s performance in both training and competitive environments.
For swimmers to track their progress and improvements, working purely from a wall clock is difficult. Instead of worrying about form, they spend time adjusting their heads to time their swims.
In a competition or swim meet, scoreboards are also crucial. Swimmers at all levels strive to compete at their best. When they take their performance seriously, so should their club. A scoreboard that shows their name and times makes for a more immersive and professional experience for competitors and observers.
Of course, as technology has advanced, so have swimming pool scoreboards. While touchpads are the standard at Olympics and other top-level professional events, this is impossible for most meets and clubs.
In the past, swimming scoreboards were the preserve of only the wealthiest swim clubs. However, Wylas Timing is using innovation to bridge the gap between clubs of all kinds. Initially, this began with the Wylas Swim Timing System, but soon the technology branched further by adding Touchpads and wireless touchpad integration bringing many clubs into the 21st century.
However, one final piece of technology on the shopping list of many swimming clubs is a swimming scoreboard.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the various benefits of a scoreboard, along with some tips for how to achieve a professional look while operating on a budget.
Swimming Scoreboard Benefits
Professionalism
An LED or another display system that lists the competitor’s names, lanes, and times looks the part. For swimmers of all ages, seeing their name in the lights is a reward for all their hard work.
Visual Aesthetic
A swimming pool scoreboard makes for a fantastic visual aesthetic. With our scoreboard adapter options You can transform even the smallest amateur pool into a slick, professional-looking venue with the addition of an LED/LCD TV. For the bigger aquatic centres and programs we also offer a multitude of LED scoreboards options.
More Engaging For Viewers
For the parents, siblings, and friends who support competitors swimmers, a visual aid enhances the experience. While watching their loved ones compete in the pool, they can see the information live on the scoreboard, so they know who finished where and at what time.
Tips for Choosing a Swimming Scoreboard
Several factors will go into choosing the best swimming pool scoreboard for your club. Primarily, these will be:
- What is your budget?
- What information do you need to display?
- Do you have an indoor or outdoor pool?
- What space is available for the scoreboard?
- How many lines of information does it need to display?
All of the above will go into figuring out what type of swimming scoreboard your club stands to benefit from.
Budget
Most budgets vary; the best way to start is to figure out your priorities. A system that helps volunteers and coaches accurately record swim times should be most important.
Of course, if your club would love a scoreboard but can’t afford the exorbitant prices of the Daktronics Swimming Scoreboard and Colorado Time Systems, Wylas Timing could be precisely what you need.
Wylas Timing allows you to have a fully functioning multilane, colour scoreboard by purchasing a TV and connecting our Wifi Scoreboard Adapter.
Information Displayed
Figuring out what information you need to display is critical. Is the scoreboard to be used for race meets? If so, for how many lanes? Do you want to have multiple scoreboards on the pool deck. Our software provides the ability to have multiple swimming scoreboards on the pool deck all configured to show different outputs.
Swimming Scoreboard Location?
If you run at an outdoor pool, your decision on what scoreboard hardware to use will need to be assessed. All of our LED scoreboards can be installed and used in outdoor conditions. However, if your club is looking to use a TV you will need to assess your options and potentially have something that can be wheeled off the pool deck for poor weather conditions.
What Space Is Available?
Depending on your venue, space might be limited. Before deciding on where a scoreboard can go, it is worth measuring your options. Is there a suitable wall to mount it on? Or is a swimming scoreboard trolley a better option? All of these little details need to be figured out before the fact. Our team can help you assess your pool deck and advise on the best structure, size and screen to implement.
Swimming Pool Scoreboard Prices
Swimming Pool Scoreboard costs can vary wildly based upon requirements. One of the most significant determining factors is the size of the screen. The bigger the display, the bigger the price. Additionally, mounting options and installation of an LED scoreboard will also add to the price. Some swimming clubs choose a frame that can be wheeled out on a stand. While for others, a wall-mounted display is the best fit.
Typically, a swimming pool scoreboard from our competitors like Colorado Time Systems or Daktronics Swimming Scoreboard starts at around AUD20,000. We feel these prices are unaffordable for most clubs, so we offer the wireless scoreboard adapter to allow clubs to have an affordable swimming scoreboard solution. You can plug this adaptor into any large display unit or TV that you may have in your organisation already.
Of course, clubs with more extensive budgets can choose from one of our LED scoreboards listed below.
What swimming scoreboards does Wylas Timing offer?
Because Wylas firmly believes in the benefits of a swimming scoreboard for all clubs and meets, all of our timing systems include a swimming scoreboard adapter. This adaptor allows swim clubs the flexibility to choose the display board of their choice.
For a smaller club with a restricted budget, this choice can allow them to use their existing TV or displays in the venue (if they own one) or use an LED or LCD TV.
For clubs with a larger budget, Wylas Timing provides a wide range of LED scoreboards.
All of our scoreboards are customisable upon request; however, the standard sizes are listed below.
Pixel Pitch
Pixel Pitch is the distance between pixels on a visual display. Depending on how far or close the viewers are, we offer pixel pitches between 4.4 and 6.0
Screen Size
Depending on the size of your swimming arena and budget, different sized screens will be appropriate.
You can view more information on our LED scoreboards here
Wylas Scoreboard Adapters
At Wylas Timing, we understand that many clubs operate on tight resources. Because of this, a LED scoreboard won’t be possible for every budget. However, users can still enjoy the benefits of a timing system because of the WIFI Scoreboard Adapter.
The Scoreboard Adapter allows you to transform any large TV into a scoreboard. At Wylas Timing, we want to make sure that no club is priced out. So, if a scoreboard is not within your budget, all of our systems come with an adapter so you can still plug and plug.