Meet You at the Indoor Beach
Beach volleyball leagues play year-round
Recreational and serious athletes are finding a new home at the Beach Volleyball Centre at 2600 Wenzel St. in East Saint Paul, where leagues for beach volleyball and spikeball (along with tournaments) help to keep the game going over the winter.
“The main difference to playing outside is the weather,” says owner Bill King, explaining that rain never cancels games in their indoor beach facility.
The centre’s three owners—King, Daryl Didyk and Kelly Crerar, who have varying backgrounds in sports and business, including working at the 1999 Pan Am Games—were inspired to create an indoor beach volleyball facility in 2018. Today, as the facility approaches its first anniversary, the venue includes four full-sized beach volleyball courts, plus a licensed bar complete with palm trees and indoor patio.
The leagues attract both men and women, and all age groups are welcome. The 2-on-2 volleyball league shows off a faster game, while recreational leagues draw a mix of players.
“The beach isn’t hard on your joints, and the sand means you can’t jump as high,” says King. “In our rec and co-ed 4-person leagues, there’s a lot of people who’ve never played volleyball before, they just come out and have fun.”
A Sunday evening women’s league allows female players to get their game on and enjoy a girls’ night out.
For those curious to check out beach volleyball, court rentals are available. There are also drop-in hours. The Beach Volleyball Centre rents space for corporate, birthday or team parties. And they have kids’ camps, including one from March 25 to 29.
For those looking for a break from winter, the centre offers the opportunity to walk in the sand, wear shorts and T-shirts, grab a snack, and sip a margarita or a pina colada.
“What I hear sometimes is: I couldn’t get away this year, but man, this makes up for it,” says King.
