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Lakeisha Allen urges Hampton County Council to lower gym fees so AAU teams can keep playing
Summary
A Hampton County AAU coach told the council that seven to eight teams lack affordable practice space, citing school and recreation-center fees that make participation unaffordable for many families; council asked staff to produce a work plan to seek a reasonable access arrangement.
Lakeisha Allen, a coach representing the Hampton County Warriors AAU basketball program, told the council on March 16 that the program cannot afford current facility charges and urged the county to restore affordable access so children can continue participating.
"Our kids are not asking for much. They just want a gym, a basketball, and a chance to grow," Allen said, explaining the program fields seven to eight teams across Hampton County and that parents already pay about $247 per child for uniforms and team fees. She told the council the school district is charging $30 for the first hour and $80 for each additional hour and that a recreation-center fee of $300 per month per team would be prohibitive.
The appeal prompted several council members to ask questions about prior practice arrangements and liability. One council member noted that "last year each kid paid a dollar" to use the recreation center and asked why fees changed. Allen and council members discussed options including a barter arrangement (Allen offered to provide fitness instruction) and coordination with school gym schedules. Allen said some teams have been able to secure a single school gym because a coach teaches at that school, but most teams lack that access.
Councilman Thompson and other members urged staff to coordinate a response. The chair asked the county administrator and Mr. Peoples to meet with Allen and return with a work plan that defines reasonable access and cost. The council tasked administration, the recreation department liaison and Allen to produce a proposal suitable for council review.
The council did not take a formal vote on funding; members framed the item as a staff-directed follow-up. The next procedural step is for the county administrator and recreation staff to present a draft work plan to council.
