Travel-basketball organizer asks district to lower gym rental fees, cites $75–$200 hourly rates

Monica Conklin, a parent and travel-team manager, told the School District 5 board on March 10 that local travel basketball teams face difficulty finding affordable practice facilities.

Conklin said being team manager for several teams exposed "the biggest challenge" of securing available and affordable court time. She listed district rental rates she said are in effect: $75 per hour for elementary school gyms, $100 per hour for intermediate or middle school gyms, and $200 per hour for high school gyms. She said churches in Irmo and Newberry have been used at different rates; one church rented its gym for $150 for a season and another charges $25 per hour.

"We have great gyms. We would like to come to some sort of way that we can work together to make those accessible to the families in our community that go to our schools," Conklin said. She added that Lexington County schools allow travel teams to practice free of charge, which she cited as a comparison point.

Conklin described the travel program's volunteer coaches and the rapid growth from one girls’ team to six teams this year. She said Crooked Creek Park offered limited public courts but could provide only one practice per week because of limited court space.

Board members acknowledged the concern and said principals and district staff have been polite and helpful but that officials cannot negotiate rates at the school level without board policy changes. The board did not take immediate action but staff said the facility-rate schedule will be part of future policy review.