ORLANDO, Fla. — Wayne Rickman Gym at Boone High School is peaceful and quiet throughout the day, but on game night it’s a different story.
- Boone getting ready to say goodbye to Wayne Rickman gym
- The 70-year-old bandbox gym only fits 750 people
- Get more high school sports coverage
“Great atmosphere as you can tell tonight. The community comes out, everyone knows each other. The kids come out in droves. Tonight’s that typical Edgewater-Boone game. which has been the talk for the last week,” said Kevin Demer, Boone Athletic Director.
That’s because the 70-year-old bandbox gym only fits 750 people.
“For good or for bad you are right on top of each other. You better like your neighbor, because there’s not a lot of room between you or anybody else,” Demer said.
“That’s the best part of it. I make a three-pointer on the away side, and I turn around, and there’s a guy yelling at me, taunting, teasing and that just brings us out more as high school basketball players,” said Zachary Morales, former Boone basketball player.
The original Wayne Rickman Gymnasium’s days are numbered.
“The people and the kids that have gone through this gym, they are going to miss it, and I think we are too, but at the same time the kids deserve a little bit more than what this gym can give them” Morales said.
He added, “It’s hard to see it go but new era, you got to upgrade after 70 years, you got to move on.”
The Braves had one last game against rival Edgewater that brought out some Boone basketball legends.
“This is where I kind of grew up as a coach. Started out here as a JV coach for four years then I followed that up with 20 years as a varsity coach, so a lot of great memories,” said Wayne Rickman, former Boone boys basketball coach.
It’s a bittersweet goodbye as the school gets ready to move to a new building,
“Every time I look back I always think about the brotherhood and the relationships I had,” said Morales.
“We are also very fortunate that we are going to get a new gym. It will be good for the school and the community to have a new gym,” said Rickman.
“It’s run its course, it’s been a great run, but it’s time to move on,” Demer said.