COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC today celebrates the groundbreaking of its future training facility, the OhioHealth Performance Center. The OhioHealth Performance Center, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2021, will feature a dynamic 42,000 square feet, first-in-class MLS training facility for all Crew soccer operations, including First Team and Academy. Crew SC’s cutting-edge, future training facility will be located on the team’s existing stadium site (which opened in 1999), and is slated to be home to the Crew headquarters, player training grounds, and will be placed adjacent to a new City of Columbus community sports park.
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“We are excited that construction on the OhioHealth Performance Center has officially begun,” said Crew SC President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “Having a state-of-the-art training facility means the players will have a truly optimal professional environment, allowing them to continuously improve their performance on the pitch while also providing services, equipment and facilities to improve aspects of their game off the field and outside of training. Furthermore, it enables us to provide a holistic, 360 degree approach to player care and development.”
Continued Bezbatchenko: “There is no other facility in our league that has converted a soccer specific stadium into a comprehensive training ground experience, complete with a brand new 42,000 square foot building. The OhioHealth Performance Center will serve as the training ground for both the First Team and Crew SC Academy, allowing us to further integrate Academy players into First Team training sessions and deliver a world class player development system to our young, aspiring athletes. We want to thank our long-time official healthcare partner OhioHealth for its continued support and commitment to elevating the performance of our players.”
The OhioHealth Performance Center will feature a First Team locker room and film room, as well as additional player and performance areas, a player lounge, sleep/recovery room, weight room, training room, and hydrotherapy area. A full-service kitchen and dining area, used by Crew soccer operations staff, First Team and Academy, will also be included, as well as specific locker rooms, lounges, training and equipment rooms for the Crew SC Academy. The OhioHealth Performance Center will also have a state-of-the-art media room and an in-house production room.
The OhioHealth Performance Center will also feature two First Team natural grass fields, supported by hydronic heating and SubAir systems; one natural grass field and artificial turf for Academy use; and a seasonal bubble over the stadium field.
OhioHealth was announced as a “Founding Partner” of Crew SC on February 25 of this year, ahead of the opening of the Club’s new downtown stadium, set for July 2021. A partner of the Crew since 1997, OhioHealth was the first organization to announce its commitment to the new era of Crew SC and is the Club’s Official Healthcare Provider.
