Photo by Taylor Bright
New Birmingham Legion Practice Facility
The new practice facility of Birmingham Legion FC
[This story has been updated with additional details released by Birmingham Legion FC on August 8.]
Birmingham Legion FC is now training in a new facility along the U.S. 280 corridor.
The soccer team will hold a grand opening for the new training facility off of U.S. 280 at Dunnavant Valley Road on August 15. The facility has been under construction for the past two years.
The location is behind Sports Blast Shelby County, approximately three miles southeast from Doug Baker Boulevard.
Jay Heaps, president and general manager of the Legion, said the team had been working on the new facility for the past four years to get it constructed.
“Legion FC is proud to unveil our new state-of-the-art training facility designed to elevate our athletes' performance with the latest in sports technology and innovation,” Heaps said in a release on Thursday. “In partnership with Shelby County, this demonstrates the commitment to the growth of soccer in the state, and with addition of UAB Medicine Physical Therapy clinic in the building, the facility is one of kind in Alabama.”
Founded in 2018, the Legion plays its home games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, but the team has practice fields - and now its training facility - along the 280 Corridor. It has used the fields for the last three years.
The 9000-square-foot facility will be paired with the UAB Physical Therapy at Dunnavant Valley facility, which will be on the same site. The club said they are "in the process of identifying a partner to share in the naming rights."
"Whether you are a weekend warrior, professional athlete, or just someone who loves to be active, our team at UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine is dedicated to providing world-class care to each of our patients both on and off the pitch," said Fred Horton, executive administrator of UAB’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. "We are thrilled to partner with Legion FC to be among the first in the state to bring a localized facility like this to the residents of Shelby County to fulfill any of their physical therapy needs."
