Gus & Flora Kerasotes YMCA

When it comes to a premier YMCA swimming facility, success is built on the 3 Rs: recruitment, revenue, and reliability. For the Gus & Flora Kerasotes YMCA in Springfield, IL, achieving those goals meant upgrading their eight-lane, short-course yard (SCY) competition pool with a custom Watchfire S10mm LED videoboard.

To attract and retain top talent for the Springfield YMCA Swim Team (SPY), the facility must look and feel like a championship venue. The swimming scoreboard enhances the athlete experience by displaying real-time timing, heat information, and event updates. Whether for developmental swimmers or those headed for collegiate competition, the professional atmosphere created by the Watchfire display helps the Springfield Y stand out as the region’s premier training hub.

Measuring 6 feet high by 11 feet wide, the videoboard is a powerful tool for driving facility income too. The YMCA can offer local businesses high-impact sponsor ad opportunities, turning every swim meet and community event into a revenue-generating moment.

In the harsh, corrosive environment of an indoor pool, “standard” tech doesn’t last. Reliability was the deciding factor in choosing Watchfire.

A Videoboard That Outlasts: Watchfire’s pool-ready encapsulation technology provides the durability needed to withstand constant high humidity and chlorine.

Easy-to-Use Software: Thanks to Ignite Sports software, the board integrates seamlessly with the YMCA’s existing timing systems. This “plug-and-play” simplicity gives staff the flexibility to run complex meets today while providing a scalable foundation for the program’s future growth.

Beyond the starting blocks, the videoboard supports the YMCA’s broader mission. From displaying safety messaging during swim lessons to providing updates for water aerobics and parent-child classes, the installation reflects a continued investment in the athletes, families, and the broader Springfield community.