San Diego Beach Improvement Group

In 1997, basketball player Bill Walton and several volleyball enthusiasts installed 14 beach volleyball courts and a basketball court at the South Mission Beach (SMB) Park. Over the next five years, age and the popularity of the courts rendered them unusable, prompting a group of sports enthusiasts to put on a fundraiser. They bought new nets, lines, and hardware. 

By 2004, and several tournaments and silent auctions behind her, Laura Hendrickson created the nonprofit San Diego Beach Improvement Group (SanDiegoBIG). 

With a commitment to community strength and a nearly 20-year resilience, we at SanDiegoBIG continue our mission to enhance open spaces, the beach, recreation and other facilities at SMB, and to improve life for all San Diego residents and the millions of regional visitors.

The results of YOUR efforts include outdoor volleyball and basketball play for youth and adults, monthly beach cleanups with a variety of activities, planned environmental education for youth, outdoor fun, camaraderie, and socialization. Increased physical and mental health lend to visitors' resilience. Indeed, SMB has experienced visitor growth over the years, which, as recently reported by the Coastal Commission, now draws an average 2,000 visitors each weekend. 

WE LOVE THE BEACH, and we know that you do, too. Join SanDiegoBIG’s mission to provide upkeep and sports courts that benefit all San Diego’s residents and visitors.