You could own a piece of high school hoops history

Selling pieces of the high school gym floor could score some money for the West Aurora school district.

The West Aurora Sports Boosters, working with West Aurora School District 129, intend to auction off parts of the old floor later this year with the hopes of raising at least $20,000.

The district has replaced the floor, but about 25 significant pieces of the floor were salvaged with the hopes of selling them, boosters president Carl Franco said. The pieces include the free throw areas, center court and two W-A insignias, as well as the individual letters spelling "Blackhawks."

Boosters may also sell fragments of the floor at a later date.

"This memorabilia is very important and valuable to people," Franco said.

The boosters will develop a plan for the auction between now and November, with the bidding to start in December. Although nothing is set in stone now, Franco said he anticipated bidding to end in January.

The bids will be online, but people who are less tech-savvy will also have a chance to name their price at home basketball games this fall and winter.

All proceeds will be donated to the school to improve problem areas around the gym. Principal Dan Bridges said the fixes will be both cosmetic and mechanical. The foyer, he said, could use some extra funds for improvement and the gym needs to be painted.

The money could also help upgrade old lighting and locker rooms he said.

Board of education President Alan Rhea said the money would be a bonus for the district, which would otherwise just dispose of the old floor.