Pacheco High School, believe it or not, is entering its 17th year.
As the school approaches its third decade, so does its stadium scoreboard. And it’s time for a change.
“We talked about an upgrade,” Pacheco athletic director Charlie Pikas said, “but the board with the timer clock on top we could never upgrade that one, so we looked into how to get a whole new board.”
Pikas and Pacheco Sports Boosters President Jeff De La Cruz have been working together on fundraising for the new board, and it led them back to the company used for another recent project.
“It’s something we wanted to explore since we got our indoor board in the Brett Lee Gym and Los Banos High got their video board at Loftin Stadium,” Pikas said.
“We searched around for some different options and settled on working with Sideline Interactive, the company that did our indoor board. We realized Sideline Interactive was the best return on our investment.”
Their investment is expected to be about $250,000.
“We’re really going to need to work with the community to get the word out,” said De La Cruz, adding that they have a Facebook page at Pacheco High School Athletic Boosters Club.
“Any donation will help, it doesn’t matter. We’re looking to the community to get it out there and realize what the benefit is in having that for the students.”
Both are highlighting the fact that the scoreboard isn’t just for the Panthers football team.
“Hopefully the community will appreciate it,” De La Cruz said. “You’re talking future Pacheco students in their youth programs, whether it be youth soccer and Wildcats football.”
Pikas points out the scoreboard will be digital, so instead of designating Home/Visitors, the scorecard can list Panthers, Wildcats or whoever else is using Veterans Stadium.
That would include usage for big events such as Pacheco graduation ceremonies, making this a benefit to all students.
The scoreboard will also feature panels for major sponsors, who now are being offered the opportunity for a lifetime sponsorship.
“It’ll be $5k a year, commit for 5 years and it stays on for life,” De La Cruz said of the panels that will go below the scoreboard.
RPAC is the first to have committed to one of those three spots. The boosters have put out feelers for the other two spots, and they’re even considering expanding the board with more sponsor panels on the bottom.
On top, Morningstar is sponsoring a panel that will go all the way across the board.
And then there are varying levels for others who are interested, including those able to commit to a $3,000 lifetime sponsorship as a Founding Partner.
One would receive a host of benefits such as being featured on the Pacheco Athletics website, an individual donor plaque and a banner in the gym, among other things.
All donors at the $500 Purple level and above would receive their name on the donor plaque, recognition on the video board and on social media and at least four season passes to all athletic events that increase with your sponsorship level.
And then there’s the ultimate prize: the scoreboard itself.
“The video board sits on top of the scoreboard,” Pikas said. “It’ll be 19 feet wide by 10 feet tall. It’s going to be pretty amazing. I’d like to say it’s going to be 19 feet by 19 feet when it’s all said and done.”
It could soon be a reality as Pikas noted they’re about halfway to their funding goal.
“It’s all up in the air,” Pikas said about an expected completion date. “As soon as we secure the funding, it’s a month-and-a-half to two-month project.”
Pikas also credited principal Rebecca Salinas with being supportive of the project from the beginning.
“She believes in what this board can bring,” said Pikas, noting it could be used for other sports such as soccer and flag football.
“We can even use this for graduation. It truly will be impacting every kid on campus.”
The boosters are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations are tax-deductible. Please reach out to Pikas at chpikas@losbanosusd.net or 209-827-4506, Ext. 3390 for more information.
“Charlie has been spearheading this,” De La Cruz said. “The kids deserve it. You do it for the kids.”
