Canadian volleyball Olympian helps welcome new indoor facility near London Airport

The Beach Hanger (TBH) has been welcoming players for a few months, but the new six-court indoor volleyball facility held its grand opening this weekend.

Olympian Sophie Bukovec held a clinic for young players Saturday morning.

“It’s an incredible space,” said Bukovec, who teamed with London’s Heather Bansley at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

She said TBH will bring people together in a space where volleyball can be celebrated.

“We might find the next Olympian. We don’t know unless you have the space to be able to have these athletes come and train and compete and perform.”

With over 26,000 sq ft of play space, 30ft ceilings, and hangar doors to allow natural light or the feel of outdoor play, the Beach Hangar will have leagues, recreational play, and tournaments.

“We hear from people all the time, they were really sad when Spikes (Indoor Volleyball) had to close (in 2023) and they were missing this routine,” said Dave Ward, co-owner of the TBH. “Wednesday nights was their volleyball league night, and so they’re really excited to have that back again.”

One of the features of the new facility is the high-quality sand.

“We worked with Hutchinson Sand - who also helps do all the Olympic sand - and they’re great partners as it’s the best sand available,” said Ward. “If it’s good enough for the Olympics, it’s great for us. It’s great for diving in.”

Bukovec knows the importance of good sand.

“It’s similar to any other sport, right, where turf is important in soccer, the grass and the court flooring and basketball and indoor volleyball,” said Bukovec. “It’s really crucial to have really good quality sand, and they brought in the best of the best here.”

With some players on the National Team radar, London is becoming a hub for high level volleyball.

There are several club teams in town, and there are thousands more playing adult rec leagues every week

“It’s amazing how volleyball has grown in this city and keeps growing,” said Ward.

“There’s nothing more I like to see than when we have our sixes out here and 12 people who have never met playing on a court, bumping a ball around, and then they go upstairs and visit the bar together and now they’re friends. It’s just a great vibe here all the time.”