Aau, Hoopfest Hook Up Affiliation Will Help Youth Program Be Able To Keep Down Costs, Fees

A change in leadership for Spokane Regional AAU has resulted in its alliance with a high profile basketball entity.

Hoopfest’s board of directors voted to join forces with AAU and to provide managerial backing for the leagues’ 128-team, non-profit organization. AAU basketball for youth teams runs between November and March each year.

The alliance, said new AAU board president Ron Benzel, will be in the best interests of his league.

“It became apparant the cost of running the program was going to increase fairly significantly,” Benzel said. “The board’s concern was to keep costs down so kids can afford to play.”

AAU board members had questioned proposed AAU fee and salary increases for the upcoming year. That led to the resignation of Spokane Regional AAU founders Jan and Jon Nottingham, who had been manager and board president, respectively, for its entire seven years.

Jan Nottingham refused comment other than to say that contrary to what board members said, she and her husband did not resign but were not wanted by the board.

Hoopfest, which coordinates the nation’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Spokane each summer, embraced the merger.

“It was a natural fit,” said Hoopfest manager Rick Steltenpohl. “Our goals will be the same as with Hoopfest, to provide the best possible (AAU) program and give back to the players what we can.”

The AAU will maintain a streamlined board of directors and its office manager. By consolidating office space and equipment, said Benzel, cost per team in the upcoming AAU season will remain the same as last year.

Both Steltenpohl and Benzel said AAU people need not fear a loss of identity with the change.

“We’re not interested in taking over AAU. We want what’s in the best interests of the kids,” said Steltenpohl. “We will save them money and they will get a proven team of individuals who have managed the country’s largest 3-on-3 tournament.”

What the merger can do, said Benzel, is open up possibilities for tournaments that are regional and national in scope.

“Anyway, we’re excited about this,” said Benzel. “It’s a very good marriage between the two groups.”

, DataTimes