Shawn Weaver partners with G.S. to build AGCSC at Sportsplex

Shawn Weaver partners with G.S. to build AGCSC at Sportsplex

Shawn Weaver, the director and owner of the brand new Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Center, knew he was going to open up a facility to continue his lifelong work of helping young athletes reach their potential before he retired as a Gulf Shores Middle School special education teacher and volleyball coach.
Weaver thought he would find inexpensive land and build a facility that he could use as a base for his indoor and beach junior volleyball programs.
Instead, he found himself in the middle of a 16 month build-out for the Gulf Coast Sports Center at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex on County Rd. 6.
“The idea of having something like this has always been on the backburner,’’ Weaver said. “I was about to buy property in Elberta because that is what I could afford when the city approached me and said they would love to partner with me and do something bigger. I showed them my ideas and we came up with a business plan.’’
That plan included the city’s Public Park and Recreation Board taking ownership of the Sports Center’s seven acre property from the city, and then issuing Lease Revenue Bonds in the amount of $8,2 million to build the multi-sport facility, with the city agreeing to underwrite and backstop the loan.
The Recreation Board in turn leased the property to Weaver’s Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Center LLC for 30 years.
Weaver’s task is to develop, support, and promote youth sports through instructional training, camps and clinics, league play, tournament play and practice opportunities.
Jess Tyk has already scheduled two tumbling camps next month, and Weaver has hosted two volleyball and two basketball tourneys at the facility with many more events already on the books.
A volleyball coach at both Gulf Shores Middle School and Gulf Shores High School for 18 years, Weaver earned his bachelors and masters degrees at the University of West Alabama. He spent his entire teaching career in the special education program at Gulf Shores Middle School.
An icon of the sport (along with Phillip Bryant) in South Baldwin County, Weaver started the Pleasure Island Volleyball Club in 2004. The club currently includes around 250 kids playing either beach or indoor volleyball.
Weaver said thanks to donated labor and materials and discounted services from vendors and contractors, the AGCSC has added ambiance through spectacular landscaping and high-end bathroom counters.
As an entity that will grow sports tourism during non-peak times of the year, the center will also add a facility for more youth and adult programming in an underserved neighborhood.
It can also be used for non-sporting civic events such as graduations, trade shows, conferences and church retreats.
Other AGCSC Amenities & Programs
• The Beach Bumz Cafe offers a healthy, energizing menu with protein bars, shakes, fruit smoothies, salads, sandwiches, wraps, and coffee from Fairhope Roasting Company. The cafe is open daily from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and has a covered courtyard
• The MVMNT Pilates studio offers pilates classes ideal for enhancing mobility, balance, and core strength
• The MVP Fitness Center features strength and conditioning programs and personal training for athletes and top-tier personal training under the leadership of Eddie Henry.
• The 30,000 sq. ft. Event Center will be used for volleyball, wrestling, gymnastics, cheer competitions, travel volleyball and basketball events as well as private training sessions in all of the above sports.
• The facility includes parking for 100 vehicles and proximity to Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium parking and parking at the 12 outdoor lighted pickleball courts east of the stadium
• Surrounding the facility are seven professional-grade beach volleyball courts, which will also be used for tournaments.
• All of the facilities are available to the public for hourly rentals and a group of locals has already organized a pick-up volleyball night, with plans for co-ed volleyball and 3-On-3 basketball leagues set to start soon.
• The center can facilitate tourneys, practices and camps for beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, basketball, pickleball, wrestling, cheerleading, baseball, softball, and dance in the city’s fastest growing neighborhood.
• Daily pickleball open play is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.
• The facility can also be used for non-sporting civic events such as graduations, trade shows,
conferences and church retreats.
At the heart of the Sports Center is a commitment to developing the next generation of athletes. Youth camps for basketball and volleyball are in full swing, offering instruction from top-level coaches focused on fundamental skills, game strategy, and athletic development. Athletes seeking more personalized attention can schedule private training sessions for sport-specific improvement.
“It’s more than just a place to train. It’s a space to grow, connect, and live an active, healthy lifestyle,” Weaver said.
More info: AGCSportsCenter.com.
Pictured: (On the cover) Shawn Weaver with his aunts Delores Weaver and Annette Sullivan; the staff at Beach Bumz Cafe; the Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber ribbon cutting; (Below) Tumbling coach Jess Tyk with Margaret Green; Ernest Lee and Brock Wooten of McCurley General Contractors at the AGCSC ribbon cutting.