Photos: New Sports Complex to Feature 40K Square Feet of Space

Another sports complex is coming to Redwood City. And it’s opening next week.

One of The Foundry’s first users? Gold medalist Kerri Walsh. Walsh and her husband, beach volleyball player Casey Jennings, held a clinic Monday afternoon in The Foundry’s brand new volleyball courts.

“It was awesome,” said co-founder Matt Krebs of the clinic. “[Walsh] even let my 6-year-old daughter wear the medal.”

Kerri Walsh and Misty May won the gold medal in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics in beach volleyball.

But you don’t need to be a gold medal-winning Olympian to play at The Foundry, located at 2575 East Bayshore Blvd., between the Woodside Road and Marsh Road exits off U.S. Highway 101.

The sports complex is open to individuals, leagues, organizations, corporate parties, and just about any event you can think of, said Program Coordinator Jillian Bivert.

Renting a volleyball court or space could range anywhere from $75 to $200 for an hour, depending on the time and day. Partitions will be set up so each group can also get some privacy. Monthly membership will be $40, which will grant access to The Foundry’s myriad fitness programs.

The official two-day Grand Opening when all the equipment is installed will be in mid-January, according to Krebs. There will be a fashion show and silent auction that will benefit the non-profit LeMo Foundation, which will also receive space in The Foundry.

The Facility

The six volleyball courts can easily convert to basketball, badminton, or tennis courts, so multiple sports games can happen simultaneously. There will also be a golf simulator and a sand lot with 300 tons of sand for beach volleyball games. In the other 3,000 square feet of space, the developers plan for sports medicine clinics, an Academic Resource center, lounges, and Wi-fi.

“There’s just a menu of items,” Krebs said.

The 40,000 square foot space could also be used for Expos, job fairs, conventions and other corporate events, he added.

Need a snack as a pick-me-up? There will also be a café serving food and refreshments, similar to Pluto’s Café in Palo Alto, Krebs said.

A retail store will allow members and visitors to purchase athletic gear from top brand names like Nike.

Filling a Need in the Community

“People will play sports no matter what,” said Krebs. “It’s just a matter if there’s enough space or not.”

And Krebs said he believes the 40,000 square feet of space at The Foundry will definitely be ample.

“We’re privately funding services that really should be funded by the tax payers,” Krebs said. “Even Olympic soccer coaches can’t get space.”

But with , money for sports fields isn’t a priority. So he took on the job, he said.

Krebs has been involved in various volleyball capacities for the past nine years, from assistant coaching at Menlo College to the owner of the Monsoon Volleyball Club in Portola Valley.

“But we outgrew the space,” Krebs said of his team playing at Woodside Priory. “Three courts wasn’t enough.”

Krebs had unsuccessfully bid on the property across from the Nazareth Ice Oasis, which will become the , pending a County .

He then sought out the former DHL warehouse and got it.

“This is a bigger facility with more parking,” Krebs said satisfied.

Construction began on October 3 and will be done next week.

But planning didn’t truly begin until February of this year, when funding was secured. He then contacted his friend from Hillsdale College in Michigan, Nadine Waeghe, who at the time was working for the Women’s Tennis Association. She had been working with some of tennis’ biggest names, including Serena Williams, and previously with other athletes from the Green Bay Packers.

Waeghe quit her job and flew from St. Petersburg, Florida to move to Redwood City to make her new dream a reality too.

“This was [Krebs’] brainchild,” Waeghe said. “I bring the sports medical side.”

Waeghe has worked with all sorts of athletes from celebrities to athletes in the Special Olympics. Her expertise is in all areas of sports and sports medicine, Krebs boasted of her.

“We all have the same mindset: that everything is for the athlete,” Krebs said.

Next Steps

Krebs and Waeghe are currently looking to secure more sponsors who may want to advertise within The Foundry. The vast wall space has plenty of room for large logos, and the floor even allows for hi-def 3-D graphics.

Hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. based on the conditional use permit from the city. However, The Foundry owners are looking to potentially extend these hours to allow teams to practice earlier in the morning.

Teams, like the Peninsula Roller Girls, have already expressed interest in renting the space for their activities.

A well-attended volleyball tournament could attract as many as 500 to 600 people, Krebs said.

But ultimately, “It’s like a family here,” Krebs said of the staff and facility.

Call The Foundry at 1-800-494-1319 for any questions or more information.