Meet Laura Hendrickson | Founder and President at San Diego Beach Improvement Group

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Hendrickson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Back in the day, I grew up in Solana Beach. My dad had taught me how to play volleyball on the beach when I was 9 and through the years, I’d grown to love the game so much that I avidly played. Playing indoors as well as on a wide range of beaches, I experienced seeing a variety of facilities and how each had amenities or not.

San Diego Beach Improvement Group started with 14 beach volleyball courts at South Mission Beach here in San Diego. In 1995, I was in my second year of playing professional beach volleyball and met a young man who also played the game. We hit it off and he invited me to meet Bill Walton, a famous NBA basketball player and announcer. Even though our relationship didn’t last, he was always somebody I felt had a special place in my heart.

From 1996-2001, I stopped playing, had a full-time job, got married and had my first daughter. In 2002, I was visiting South Mission Beach and found these 14 beach volleyball nets falling down, boundary lines missing and just simply not cared for. This broke my heart, so I reached out to see if I could help. I then learned that the man I met in 1996 and Bill built these 14 beach volleyball courts and refurbished the basketball court in 1997.

The volleyball players rallied together and raised the money to get new nets, redo the lines and put it all back together. In 2007, we established the nonprofit, San Diego Beach Improvement Group or SD BIG. Always wanting to give back to the community, I wanted this to be more inclusive than just beach volleyball so I included the concept of taking care of all amenities and sports equipment at the beach.

The biggest impact I’ve seen includes the fact that there are less gains walking up and down the boardwalk at South Mission Beach. The Police no longer need pods and teams of policemen at this location. We actively do beach cleanups at the location and have maintained the beach volleyball courts so well that it has become a true haven for the beach volleyball players. We have many testimonials, some who have enjoyed this facility for years, made friends and having weekly gatherings to play. They mention how they can come, play and it truly changes their lives just because playing makes them feel better.

Currently our projects include maintaining the beach volleyball and basketball courts at South Mission Beach, doing monthly beach cleanups, and painting utility boxes along Mission Beach Blvd. Our team is growing and we have hopes to redo some bathrooms and anything else to help the City of San Diego maintain and keep our beaches looking clean and beautiful!

During the beach cleanups and working on projects at the beach, there are many individuals who tell us their stories. A young man who was playing at the basketball court told me that basketball saved his life! He proceeded to tell me how he had jumped from foster family to foster family, but through all of these transitions, he’s always found a home with his basketball friends. When I met him, he was a part of the National City Semi-Pro Basketball team. Having our open, public basket court was a special place.

In 2022, after refurbishing the basketball court with the support of Veniceball LA, Hoopbus, Match Point and Project Backboard, Bill Walton came out for a ribbon cutting, kid’s clinic and a grand event to celebrate 25 years at the Sports Courts of South Mission Beach. Having the press and City Council Member, Jennifer Cambell really made it special. Bill told the story about playing on this specific court since the 1960’s and how special they were to him developing into the player and man he is today. It is a true testament to how public sports facilities can impact people and their lives.

Recently, we put together a beach cleanup and painting project in North Mission Beach at Santa Clara Place. We had a small group arrive for the day, but we were able to clean up over 145 lbs of trash, paint 9 trash cans and 2 beautiful designs for the utility boxes. We had many pass by to acknowledge how the art really brought joy and light to the beach, admiring the beauty and appreciating the work we were doing.

This is the impact we bring to all the beaches of San Diego. Coming together, collaborating and taking care of this amazing place for all to enjoy. Being able to have a space where people of all ages can play, feel better and become better people because of these environments, sports facilities and a clean beach… we not only take care of ourselves as a society, but we take care of earth.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Art is in my blood. With a grandmother who was an avid water colorist, a mother who danced and a father who studied engineering, but discovered the art of making jewelry with lapidary stones in his later year, all of my siblings and myself inherited creativity and art in who we are and what we do.

Finding photos of me as a 4/5 year old child painting outside at my grandmother’s house and remembering every Friday being the “best artist” in kindergarten and every grade, art just comes naturally. I see the details and have learned through the years what to look for in shapes, colors and the interplay of light and design. Drawn toward copying what I see versus abstract, I do appreciate both.

In high school, I took electives with architecture, ceramics, cooking, painting and finally graphic design where my teacher encouraged me to enter a portfolio into a contest. I had gotten an honorable acknowledgement, but ultimately the portfolio got me a spot at the impacted major of graphic design at Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo.

Timing is everything. It just so happened that the computer, specifically Apple and the world of design was a major factor into the beginning of a new age of marketing. We not only learned the hands-on version of art, photography and printing but this would ultimately transform into digital age of printing and marketing online.

Drawing and art were focused on the computer. Creating a life in marketing, graphics and art continued to transform. As life moved me into motherhood, the children always inspired creativity, crafts and art. Halloween was always a favorite with costumes, face painting and pumpkin carving.

Stand out moments involved finding my graphics in the front entrance at college. The story behind the art showed the importance of freedom of choice with children and abortion through a silhouette of a pregnant statue of liberty with a pair of scissors cutting the umbilical cord.

Through life there were numerous opportunities and acknowledgments. Designs for the public transportation in San Luis Obispo, and monuments in San Diego, plus significant work for clients such as John Laing Homes, Pardee, Walmart, Sandag and more within various ad agencies in San Diego.

In my work with the nonprofit, marketing and graphics have been heavy utilized to boost awareness and growth. Designing the commemorative sweatshirt for the Annual Polar Bear Classic has been a favorite project for over 10 years now. As project manager of the utility box art along Mission Beach Blvd, I’ve just completed two prominent boxes at Santa Clara Place and so many have enjoyed the light and joy that this artwork brings to the community. I feel blessed and honored to supporting the community with these talents and efforts.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As many of you know, the weather in San Diego is one of the bests in the world. Our mild dry climate allow many of us to enjoy any number of activities outside and encourages an active lifestyle.

Having someone visit for a whole week, I would take them to each area of San Diego and share our vast and beautiful spaces, places and treasures. Morning choices would include hikes at Torrey Pines State Park or Iron Mountain in East County. Yoga at the beach or in Balboa Park or making an early walk at the San Diego Zoo when all the animals are awake are also great choices.

Some favorite spots for breakfast would include going to Snooze, the Panikan, Hash House or the Olive Bakery and packing a lunch and heading off to the beach. Body surfing at Sea Side, Kayaking at La Jolla Shores, snorkeling at La Jolla Cove, playing with the puppies at Ocean Beach’s Dog Beach or wading through the tide pools at Sunset Cliffs are all wonderful.

Depending on the time of year, there are always a number of events, festivals, concerts in the park as well as car shows, horse races, Del Mar fairgrounds, polo matches, art walks and farmer’s markets to explore. If we plan it just right, going to spa at La Costa has to be on the list.

One of my favorite markets is on Saturday mornings in Little Italy and really there are several “pods” within the city that come alive in the evenings. Little Italy reminds me of Europe, Downtown and the Gaslamp reminds me of New York, Point Loma is best know for Humphreys and boating, Ocean Beach has a wonderful market on Wednesday nights with a flair for tie dye and dread locks. Mission Beach on a late Saturday afternoon comes alive along the boardwalk and the ice creams at Belmont Park are delicious! Pacific Beach is active with the college groups and La Jolla shines as the jewel of San Diego with glorious galleries of fine art and spectacular sunsets reflecting off the bluffs at Torrey Pines. The quaint towns of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff by the Sea and Encinitas all have their little spots where you’ll find the locals enjoying food, drink and entertainment.

If you get the chance to watch the full moon rise from either Mt. Soledad or from the bay shores of Harbor Island, these are truly magical!

Ultimately, there are way too many things to do and see in just one week. Between the coastal beauty and the mountain of trails and activities, it’s wise to note some typical stops such as the San Diego Zoo, La Jolla Aquarium, Legoland, Sea World, Balboa Park and of Course Hotel Del Coronado. Some little know facts are that there is a treasure trove of breweries, distilleries, wineries and over 70 golf courses hidden here in the county.

I’ve been in San Diego for most of my life and still I discover new gems daily! It is truly an amazing place and I’m so grateful to call San Diego my home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My dad, Hugh B Martin III, who taught me how to play beach volleyball and appreciate being active and loving the beach.

My family for supporting me throughout my life with my passion for volleyball, the beach and all the activities and endeavors with the nonprofit.

Bill Walton, for inspiring me to be my best.

Burt Collins, Larry Terbell and Alfredo Vejar who tirelessly have been the hands-on guys to keep the beach volleyball equipment looking great for all the players over the last 20 years.

So many volunteers that have helped at the beach cleanups, at the events and all the wonderful support in helping to run the nonprofit, do marketing, pass out flyers, pick up trash, paint and spread the word of our work and mission.

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