Let me tell ya how I tackled this crazy task of finding out where our WV high school girls were gonna ball out for the 2025 state championship. Honestly, it started simple, then turned into a bit of a scavenger hunt.
First Things First: Hitting Up the Official Source
I figured the WVSSAC website had to be the spot. Hopped online right after my morning coffee and clicked around. Took me a few minutes to find the “Championships” section, felt like navigating a maze sometimes. Finally spotted a link mentioning “2025 State Girls Basketball”. Got excited! Clicked it… boom.
Nothing but a basic announcement saying “tournament dates confirmed!” Zero locations listed. Just “venues to be announced later.” My heart sank a little. What kind of notice is that? Parents, fans, everyone needs to plan! So much for easy.
The Dig Begins: School Sites & Gossip
Shifted gears. I knew Charleston usually hosts, but specifics? And with different classes spread across venues? Needed details. Started checking individual school athletic websites – nada. Then hit up local sports forums. Some folks were guessing locations based on past years, like Charleston Civic Center and the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (CCC). Good guesses, but I wanted real info, not rumors.
Decided to go straight to the potential sources. Pulled up the City of Charleston’s parks department site. Dug into their facilities section. Finally! Found a calendar listing mentioning WVSSAC Girls Basketball booking the Civic Center Little Theatre for March 10th-15th. Okay, that sounded right. Confirmed the CCC site had similar vague tournament info, pointing to March. Got dates locked down (probably), Civic Center seemed confirmed… but CCC? Still felt shaky.
The Maps & Parking Headache
Alright, knowing the Civic Center was probably a go for at least some games, I focused on the practical stuff everyone REALLY cares about: how to get there and where to leave your car! Googled “Charleston Civic Center WV map”. Lots of generic venue pictures popped up, not helpful maps. Filtered images to “maps” – bingo! Found an actual detailed layout. Highlighted the entrance areas for the Coliseum and the Little Theatre section. Printed that bad boy out.
Parking next. Ugh, tournament parking downtown is always a zoo. Knew the Civic Center had its own garages and lots nearby, but prices? Availability during peak times? Total madness. Scrolled through some old city parking commission notes online mentioning potential rate increases for events. Found a decent map showing the main garage locations around the complex – Lee Street Garage looked closest for the Little Theatre. Made a mental note: arrive stupidly early or pay through the nose for off-site parking downtown, probably walking a mile. Not fun for grandmas hauling coolers!
- Civic Center Area: Lee Street & Quarrier Street Garages are your closest bets. Bring cash, heard cards might be finicky.
- Street Parking: Don’t even bother dreaming unless you’re arriving at dawn.
- Walking: Gonna happen. Wear comfy shoes.
The CCC Puzzle Piece & Confirmation
Double-backed to the CCC piece. Searched specifically for “Charleston Coliseum WVSSAC 2025”. Found a page deep within their events calendar labeled “State High School Basketball Championships – Prelims“. Dates matched! Confirmed Class AAA games would rock the main coliseum arena floor. Felt a wave of relief. Did the same mapping routine: searched “Charleston WV Coliseum parking map”. Their site actually had a decent one! Highlighted the main surface lot right next door ($$$ but closest). Made another note: even EARLIER arrival needed there, especially Friday/Saturday.
Finally Putting It Together
Sat down at my desk with all my scribbled notes, printed maps, and browser tabs. Wrote it up simple:
- WHEN: March 10th – 15th (probable)
- Main Venues:
- Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (Main Arena) for AAA
- Charleston Civic Center (Little Theatre) for likely AA & A
- Maps: City Maps found online (attached to my final post!). STADIUM DOG showed the CCC lot pretty well too, oddly enough.
- Parking Reality: Pain in the neck. Surface lots first, garages second. Bring cash, arrive early, prep for walking or paying premium. Seriously, at least fifteen freaking minutes earlier than you think you need.
Posted it all with the maps labeled clearly. Took most of the morning, but knowing folks wouldn’t get lost driving around with frustrated kids hopping everywhere in the back seat? Totally worth the hassle. See y’all in Charleston!