We all know Allen Sports Club to be the fun, inclusive, and dynamic program thriving here in Marin today, but many of us don't know the history of how the program came to be. It all started over a decade ago with a man and a plan. Dominican University of California Trustee Emeritus John F. Allen is not an alumnus of the university, but rather a Marin resident with service and action embedded in his DNA. Over the years, his loyalty and commitment to the university, athletic department, and community at large have been unwavering. The Allen Athletics Complex is the crown jewel of those contributions, a project that gave Dominican some of the best small college athletics facilities in the region. 

Construction broke ground in 2011 and saw the Castellucci Family Tennis Center and all-weather Kennelly Field completed in 2012. Penguin Field, home to Dominican Softball, was completed in 2014. However, the construction of these facilities was only the beginning. 

"His vision for creating opportunity and connection, using sports as an avenue to hone character, and creating better chances for students and young people, is typical John Allen," says Dominican President Mary B. Marcy. "He thinks about what's possible, what's best for the larger community, and he finds a way to make it happen, often in pretty creative ways."

Terry Tumey, who served as Dominican director of athletics from 2009-2012 and turned the Field of Dreams project into reality during his tenure, proudly recalls, "The Allen Sports Club was one of the primary motivations of the facility project. For the university, the development of the multi-purpose fields was essential to Division II athletics."

"Mr. Allen had always seen the development of this field space as a second home for Marin's youth," added Tumey. "It was his response to the growing emphasis on structured competitive athletics, while the spontaneity and benefits of neighborhood pick-up games were slowly disappearing. With this void, we leave our young folks with very few good choices and a preponderance of bad ones."

Brandon Leimbach, Dominican director of athletics from 2013-15, saw the Allen Sports Club come to fruition under his leadership.

"Mr. Allen knew that there were thousands of young people in Marin at the middle and high school levels that find themselves alone after school on a daily basis. They may have been cut from a varsity sports team or simply didn't have the support at home to guide them in a successful direction," says Leimbach. "Mr. Allen wanted to give them a positive outlet through sports and community and most importantly, he wanted them to experience being on a beautiful college campus and use this as motivation to want to attend college someday, dream big, and go after those dreams."

"I call Mr. Allen Dominican's Walt Disney," adds current Dominican Director of Athletics Amy Henkelman. "He had a dream to give back to the community and to help elevate Dominican Athletics. Through his support, action, and determination, that vision is being executed today."

"For the students of Dominican, the opportunity to engage with the community and become better leaders for the university is a game changer," says Tumey. "In many ways, the curriculum learned within this platform is just as valuable as that which is learned in a formal class."

Marcy adds, "The Allen Sports Club allows, invites, and challenges our students to realize that they are not only here to succeed for themselves, but that they have something to give back and something to offer. It's a really powerful thing to watch."

"The Allen Sports Club has been a win-win for Dominican, as well as the community," says Leimbach. "I hope that others in the Bay Area will see the benefits of this passionate organization and want to support the Allen Sports Club at more host sites to help give more young people the opportunity for a healthy, safe, and fun-filled after-school sports environment that will have a lasting impact on their lives as they navigate through the tough years of middle and high school."

Nevertheless, the triumphant rise of Dominican Athletics and the Allen Sports Club has not come without challenges. Before the Field of Dreams project could break ground, immense private funding needed to be secured and protected bird nests had to be relocated. The Allen Sports Club couldn't get off the ground until a dedicated staff member was hired and a transportation solution was provided. In both cases, a dedicated group of relentless supporters banded together to make it happen and help the young people in our community fly to new heights. 

As we celebrate the history of the Allen Sports Club and reflect on how far we've come in a short amount of time, we want you to be a part of our future. Join us as we continue to build community, promote physical activity, and open eyes to college opportunity. Together, we can change lives and turn dreams into reality.

Support Allen Sports Club and donate today.