United Badminton Club, Fremont, CA

[dailybads]

Hi BFers, i hv an announcement to make.
There will be a new gym opening up soon in Fremont, CA.
A website will be launch soon, I will keep you all updated.
Here're some of the goodies about the gym.

1. Prime location along 880N, Fremont, California
2. Building is brand new and very good looking.
3. 10 IBF approved proffesional court mats (say good bye to bad knee injuries)
4. IBF approved lighting setup
5. Pro Shop and restringing service
6. Open 7 days a week, from morning to late at night
7. Snacks and Drink bar
8. Locker rooms
9. VIP lounge for members (TV, sofa, and internet connection)
10. Low drop-in & monthly fees
11. many many more....

Thank you.

Yours,

UBC

[kwun]

wow. cool. :)

look forward to the new gym!

[cooler]

i read with envy of all those new ibf courts come available in calif. and none here :(

[Feng_MP-100]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!

[norcalstringer]

Hi BFers, i hv an announcement to make.
There will be a new gym opening up soon in Fremont, CA.

So, where exactly in Fremont? Maybe near Clubsport? or off the Warren Landing exit?:)

[lilkaryee]

The IBF mats sound good, but what are they laying on top of? Just the cement flooring of the warehouse or a wood flooring system? If it is just the cement flooring, then that is extremely damaging on the knees. Those mats are normally only 1/8" thick!!! Playing for a few months on such a flooring could damage one's knees so much that one would have to retire from badminton completely (which would surely suck). Dailybads, can you please give us more details on what the flooring under the mats are like?

[LazyBuddy]

i read with envy of all those new ibf courts come available in calif. and none here :(

None on US east coast, either.... :crying:

[Fibi713]

Hi BFers, i hv an announcement to make.
There will be a new gym opening up soon in Fremont, CA.
A website will be launch soon, I will keep you all updated.
Here're some of the goodies about the gym.

1. Prime location along 880N, Fremont, California
2. Building is brand new and very good looking.
3. 10 IBF approved proffesional court mats (say good bye to bad knee injuries)
4. IBF approved lighting setup
5. Pro Shop and restringing service
6. Open 7 days a week, from morning to late at night
7. Snacks and Drink bar
8. Locker rooms
9. VIP lounge for members (TV, sofa, and internet connection)
10. Low drop-in & monthly fees
11. many many more....

Thank you.

Yours,

UBC
hm.. where in fremont is this at?

thanks

[dailybads]

The IBF mats sound good, but what are they laying on top of? Just the cement flooring of the warehouse or a wood flooring system? If it is just the cement flooring, then that is extremely damaging on the knees. Those mats are normally only 1/8" thick!!! Playing for a few months on such a flooring could damage one's knees so much that one would have to retire from badminton completely (which would surely suck). Dailybads, can you please give us more details on what the flooring under the mats are like?

The floor mats will rest on rubberized flooring.
Placing floor mats directly will ruin not only ruin your knees but the mats itself. Moisture from the ground will sip through the mats and damage them.

[dailybads]

hm.. where in fremont is this at?

thanks

Exact location of the site will be announce shortly. Please be patient. Thanks.

[nas88]

I wonder how good this gym will be! I hope they have good ventilation, adequate spacing between each court, and most importantly enough parking!

[cuteasianurse]

Hi there...are you talking about another city beach? when and where will this be located. Thank you.

Hi BFers, i hv an announcement to make.
There will be a new gym opening up soon in Fremont, CA.
A website will be launch soon, I will keep you all updated.
Here're some of the goodies about the gym.

1. Prime location along 880N, Fremont, California
2. Building is brand new and very good looking.
3. 10 IBF approved proffesional court mats (say good bye to bad knee injuries)
4. IBF approved lighting setup
5. Pro Shop and restringing service
6. Open 7 days a week, from morning to late at night
7. Snacks and Drink bar
8. Locker rooms
9. VIP lounge for members (TV, sofa, and internet connection)
10. Low drop-in & monthly fees
11. many many more....

Thank you.

Yours,

UBC

[chubbycu]

are there gonna be any introductory prices..to get people from bintang to go to your club? are you gonna have a club team too? I heard bintang has one.

[ubcfremont]

Thank you for interest in our facility. A website will all the info will be launched shortly. Please be patient.

[bluejeff]

Another positive point to move to California ....... :)

[nas88]

I am talking about the new gym that is opening up soon in Fremont. I am not sure what it's name. Somebody must know in this Forum.


Hi there...are you talking about another city beach? when and where will this be located. Thank you.

[ubcfremont]

Details of the gym will be revealed in about 2 weeks.
Please come back to check on us.
Thanks!

http://www.unitedbadminton.com (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/)

[604badder]

Is that the actual building? I looks a little low for badminton isn't in? :)

[odjn]

WOW COOL!!!! THis must means more tounements for me to compete in :D :D !!

[sl6638]

cant wait for the gym to open up!:D

[sillykhuu]

Hi, that's great about the new Fremont Badminton Gym. The more places to play, the more this sport can grow, the better for the bay area.

I am currently looking for another building in Northern Fremont/Newark area to open a second gym. If anyone knows of any buildings, please email me.

I'm glad to see the sport grow so fast in Northern CA. As a non-profit organization, we will do all we can to get multiple gyms up and running all around the bay area to help promote the sport.

Since badminton is our hobby, we will be opening and running at operating cost, so you can look forward to low cost badminton membership, drop-ins, and equipment.

Bintang Badminton

[samkool]

>Hi BFers, i hv an announcement to make.
>There will be a new gym opening up soon in Fremont, CA.
>A website will be launch soon, I will keep you all updated.
>Here're some of the goodies about the gym.
>
>1. Prime location along 880N, Fremont, California

will it be near a bart station?

[Aotis]

HEY! What happened to the new gym????

the website isn't updated either, anyone have any info yet?

[kwun]

HEY! What happened to the new gym????

the website isn't updated either, anyone have any info yet?
i wonder about it also. but then, setting up a large gym is no simple task so we must be patient and let them do the right job.

locals gyms are getting very crowded lately. the bay area desperately need more dedicated badminton gyms!

[ctjcad]

hmm, could this be the gym where Tony Gunawan and Howard Bach and co. will be conducting their so-called "exhibitions"(as someone in here mentioned the other day) sometimes next week before they fly to Indonesia??...


i wonder about it also. but then, setting up a large gym is no simple task so we must be patient and let them do the right job.

locals gyms are getting very crowded lately. the bay area desperately need more dedicated badminton gyms!

[ubcfremont]

You got it right, Kwun.
Due to unforeseen construction delays, we're running a bit behind schedule. Perhaps a month or so than our anticipated opening day. But we'll definately keep everyone updated asap.

Thank you so much for your interest!



i wonder about it also. but then, setting up a large gym is no simple task so we must be patient and let them do the right job.

locals gyms are getting very crowded lately. the bay area desperately need more dedicated badminton gyms!

[kwun]

the badminton gyms are still quite saturated at this point. the only fully public and dedicated badminton gym in the bay area right now is Bintang.

there are many other gyms who opens for a few hours in a week scattered all over the place. as the time is limited, i predict their popularity will start to dwindle as more dedicated gyms opens up.

however, as we can see, we are starting to see more dedicated gyms coming to the area real soon, large gyms like this will naturally kill off the popularity of the smaller ones as we have already seen.

as there are many badminton players than gym right now. the gyms are still saturated. however, as more gyms opens up, i predict that the large gyms will become less occupied and then the key to attracting more players will no longer be the fact that the courts are readily available (more courts and always open) but instead, the quality of the gym itself, or perhaps more accurately, the quality of the badminton experience in the gym.

the quality i see falls in a few factors:

location - the closer to more badminton players, the more popular
gym floor/height/lighting - the better the gym is for the legs, and the higher the ceiling the better
amenities - sitting areas, beverages, equipment shop
players - good gym attract good players, good players attract more good players

the gyms that can maximize these factors imho will be the most successful.

[harrycoomer]

Any decent baddy gym with multiple clean showers and lockers will get me as a regular player.

I dont really care for pro shop, I buy all my stuff from Malaysia and mix my own drinks at lower strengths than the commercial stuff.

[kwun]

good point, a shower facility is a good amenity that a badminton gym can provide.

workout facilities like weights are also possibilities and they will certainly make the court waiting time better utilized.

[monto]

just a bump... anyone have more UBC news to share? :)

[ubcfremont]

Please come back to check on us (online) periodically and contact us if you have any questions. Updates will be posted as they become available.

Special thanks to Kwun for the photos!

http://www.unitedbadminton.com



just a bump... anyone have more UBC news to share? :)

[harrycoomer]

That way you will get lots of people going to your gym.

[ubcfremont]

BFers,
If you are interested to come and see our new gym during the grand opening week, please fill up your contact information on our website to receive a FREE guest pass. Grand opening day is by invitation only and a limited number of guest passes are still available, so please hurry up!

http://www.unitedbadminton.com (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/)

UBCfremont

[Fibi713]

BFers,
If you are interested to come and see our new gym during the grand opening week, please fill up your contact information on our website to receive a FREE guest pass. Grand opening day is by invitation only and a limited number of guest passes are still available, so please hurry up!

http://www.unitedbadminton.com (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/)

UBCfremont
Hi,
Can we bring friends with our guest pass? and when does the grand opening start?

Thanks!

[ubcfremont]

Hi Fibi713,

Unfortunately, only players registered on our website will be invited to the opening days. We have several reasons for that.

1. We want to try to limit the number of players because we truely want all players to enjoy the games without a crazy crowd and rush.

2. We will be implementing a 'computerized queuing system' on all the court games. And eventhough it is a very easy-to-use program, it will take our staff few mins to instruct/teach the new players on how to use it. That being said, we certainly dont want to overwhelm our staff with a huge crowd!

Also, we cannot guarantee that everyone that signed up on the feedback form will be invited, players will be randomly selected. I think the only person with a confirmed invitation is our VIP Kwun and Janet! :cool:

We will begin mailing out the guest passes 2 weeks prior to the Grand Opening, and again, please visit our website periodically for updates.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

UBC Fremont.




Hi,
Can we bring friends with our guest pass? and when does the grand opening start?

Thanks!

[harrycoomer]

No more having to go and kick people off the court!!!!!:) I can finally enjoy all the time at the court:D


2. We will be implementing a 'computerized queuing system' on all the court games. And eventhough it is a very easy-to-use program, it will take our staff few mins to instruct/teach the new players on how to use it. That being said, we certainly dont want to overwhelm our staff with a huge crowd!

[Fibi713]

Do you know when the grand opening will take place?

Thanks

Hi Fibi713,

Unfortunately, only players registered on our website will be invited to the opening days. We have several reasons for that.

1. We want to try to limit the number of players because we truely want all players to enjoy the games without a crazy crowd and rush.

2. We will be implementing a 'computerized queuing system' on all the court games. And eventhough it is a very easy-to-use program, it will take our staff few mins to instruct/teach the new players on how to use it. That being said, we certainly dont want to overwhelm our staff with a huge crowd!

Also, we cannot guarantee that everyone that signed up on the feedback form will be invited, players will be randomly selected. I think the only person with a confirmed invitation is our VIP Kwun and Janet! :cool:

We will begin mailing out the guest passes 2 weeks prior to the Grand Opening, and again, please visit our website periodically for updates.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

UBC Fremont.

[ubcfremont]

We will keep everyone posted. But it will be SOON!




Do you know when the grand opening will take place?

Thanks

[harrycoomer]

But do let us know. We weight with bated breath :)


Exact date is tentative, but we will keep everyone posted. But it will be SOON!

[Han]

Already in March, "where's the beef?" Can't wait to see this new gym.

[kwun]

before April, they said in the FAQ:

When are you going to open for business?



Actual date has not been set yet, but we are anticipating sometime before April 2005. Avid badminton players are encouraged to visit us online periodically as we will not only update the on-going events with the club, but will also offer promotional or FREE guest passes to try out the gym.

[ubcfremont]

Hi BFers,
Based on current schedule, the GRAND OPENING day will be:
APRIL 9th 2005*
A selected number of FREE guest passes will be mail out 2 weeks before the opening day. Please check your mailbox.

UBC Fremont

* subject to change, please check your guest pass package for confirmation.

[Han]

In Bay Area, Han is almost as famous as Janet and Kwun and I am yet to receive any invitation :crying:
That says a lot about this managemanet :D

[ubcfremont]

Han,
Rest assure that your name is on the top 5 list!:)

UBC Fremont




In Bay Area, Han is almost as famous as Janet and Kwun and I am yet to receive any invitation :crying:
That says a lot about this managemanet :D

[nas88]

Wow..I just drove by the future site of this new gym few days ago. It looks awesome from the outside. Location is perfect. Right next to the new Costco and Fremont Automall. Very convenient and safe neighbourhood.

My opinion, UBC is definitely the first of its kind in the Bay Area. Only a few weeks away...can't wait..


Hi BFers,
Based on current schedule, the GRAND OPENING day will be:
APRIL 9th 2005*
A selected number of FREE guest passes will be mail out 2 weeks before the opening day. Please check your mailbox.

UBC Fremont

* subject to change, please check your guest pass package for confirmation.

[krantikt]

Eagerly waiting to check this place out.

[monto]

Wow..I just drove by the future site of this new gym few days ago. It looks awesome from the outside. Location is perfect. Right next to the new Costco and Fremont Automall. Very convenient and safe neighbourhood. Wow that sounds fantastic--I never realized the location was so optimal next to the 880 exit. I visit Costco/Lowe's and nearby Home Depot, as well as the Newpark Mall, almost weekly and there are always so many shoppers filling up the parking lots, so UBC is sure to get much traffic. And for those hungry before/after playing, there's a pretty good dim-sum restaurant a few blocks down the road in Fu Lam Moon. If I remember, I'll take my digital camera next time I pass by and get some outside shots for fellow BFers :)

If ubc reads this, he might want to ask his web design folks to enlarge that center content panel on the website. It seems too small/short at the moment and every page requires scrolling down to read much of anything.

[Han]

I am sure Janet and Kwun would like to know any free cocktail during open ceremony/invitation session, at least for the top 5 members of the invitation list?

[kwun]

I am sure Janet and Kwun would like to know any free cocktail during open ceremony/invitation session, at least for the top 5 members of the invitation list?
Han, you get to play free badminton and now you ask for free food as well?

free badminton will keep me full. :)

[monto]

Wow..I just drove by the future site of this new gym few days ago. It looks awesome from the outside. Location is perfect. Right next to the new Costco and Fremont Automall. Very convenient and safe neighbourhood.Just checked out the facilities myself. The building looks really professional, adjacent to Costco and next door to a Fremont Pediatric Medical Facility. The only slight inconvenience in terms of driving was the absence of a driveway when exiting the facilities, where you have to make a U-turn to get back onto the road. It reminded me of Bintang in that if you go from eastbound on 237, you also have to make a U-turn to get onto the appropriate road.

I drove around, but didn't bother taking any pictures yet, seeing how construction was still under way. I was hoping to check out the 4 layer specialized flooring, but found concrete and construction material instead (along with a portable basketball hoop--for the laborers? :)).

Can't wait for the grand opening :D

[kwun]

(along with a portable basketball hoop--for the laborers? :)).


that's why it is behind schedule, now i understand...... ;)

[nas88]

oh they hv a neat looking 3d animation of the facility, go check it out on the 'facilities' section!!!

[kwun]

Just checked out the facilities myself. The building looks really professional, adjacent to Costco and next door to a Fremont Pediatric Medical Facility. The only slight inconvenience in terms of driving was the absence of a driveway when exiting the facilities, where you have to make a U-turn to get back onto the road. It reminded me of Bintang in that if you go from eastbound on 237, you also have to make a U-turn to get onto the appropriate road.

I drove around, but didn't bother taking any pictures yet, seeing how construction was still under way. I was hoping to check out the 4 layer specialized flooring, but found concrete and construction material instead (along with a portable basketball hoop--for the laborers? :)).

Can't wait for the grand opening :D
i was in that area today. so i drove by to take a look at the building. yes. what an awesome location. all they need is to put up a big banner at the side of the building and loads and loads of shopper at Lowes, etc, will be able to see it. i didn't go inside but i did see a few cars parked at the entrance, must be the owners there getting ready for the grand opening in less than 3 weeks.

[Lefty]

Just checked out the 3D animation, it looks like there will be 2 courts that has a pole right behind it just like Bintang.

I hope that doesn't create too many problem while playing.

My work place is 5min drive from it, if the flooring is good there, I will able to go play there everyday during lunch time. That'll be crazy. I hope there will be some material under the floor mat to have enough cushion for hard training and playing.

[lbasa@jnjph.jnj]

Greetings!

I am from Manila Philippines and we will be moving soon to Union City California...well we love playing badminton with my husband and as early as now am trying to look for a place thats near in our house.

am happy to know that there is one in Fremont.;)

looking forward to see the place

[Sixty40]

sounds great. Everyone in the bay area is looking for a nice soft floor to play high level badminton on. the floor is what will attract players most!

jim

[ubcfremont]

We regret to inform all BFers and badminton fans that our gym would not be ready for operation due to circumstances beyond our control. We will keep everyone posted on the opening day but will continue to send out free guest passes/invitations to a handful of BFers between now and the opening day to test out the facility. We hope you understand and we will do our best to keep things working soon.



Sincerely,

UBC Fremont

[mnanchala]

I think I should move back to the Bay Area :crying:

I miss the weather, 3 days @ Thomas Hart, that shop on S. Mary Ave..... and now this new place.

[Sixty40]

We regret to inform all BFers and badminton fans that our gym would not be ready for operation due to circumstances beyond our control. We will keep everyone posted on the opening day but will continue to send out free guest passes/invitations to a handful of BFers between now and the opening day to test out the facility. We hope you understand and we will do our best to keep things working soon.



Sincerely,

UBC Fremont
its well worth the wait for things to be done right. I've seen many baddie clubs rush floors and sacrafice the cushion. I think we all rather wait a couple weeks rather than playing on another hard warehouse floor with some mats and some non-functional cushion. I really cant wait for UBC to open up because the "IBF conditions" should prove to be very well cushioned and well lit. Hopefully UBC will be a club set apart from the others.

Keep us updated UBC Fremont!!!!!!

best regards and good luck,
jim

[lilkaryee]

its well worth the wait for things to be done right. I've seen many baddie clubs rush floors and sacrafice the cushion. I think we all rather wait a couple weeks rather than playing on another hard warehouse floor with some mats and some non-functional cushion. I really cant wait for UBC to open up because the "IBF conditions" should prove to be very well cushioned and well lit. Hopefully UBC will be a club set apart from the others.

Keep us updated UBC Fremont!!!!!!

best regards and good luck,
jim
Jim, you sound like an insider!!! :eek: How would you know that the "conditions beyond our control" == flooring? :D And the UBC website only mentions "IBF approved badminton floor mats", not that the entire flooring system is IBF approved, as in the Taraflex or Robbins flooring systems. The floor mats themselves are extremely thin (< 0.3 mm). And no mention of the lighting either on the website. Perhaps those need to be updated on the website, or they are actually not IBF approved? Please clarify, since you seem to know quite a bit. Thank you!

[kwun]

i took some pictures of the United Badminton Club today. it is in a really nice location. behind a Costco and a Lowes. though there are some trees in between them.

the gym was closed with a sign in front saying that the gym isn't open today. but i did see a couple of cars right in front. probably the owners working hard on it, or they are just enjoying badminton... ;)


enjoy.

[Sixty40]

Jim, you sound like an insider!!! :eek: How would you know that the "conditions beyond our control" == flooring? :D And the UBC website only mentions "IBF approved badminton floor mats", not that the entire flooring system is IBF approved, as in the Taraflex or Robbins flooring systems. The floor mats themselves are extremely thin (< 0.3 mm). And no mention of the lighting either on the website. Perhaps those need to be updated on the website, or they are actually not IBF approved? Please clarify, since you seem to know quite a bit. Thank you!
lilkar,
I do not know if the floors are what is holding them up...let me clarify I was simply saying that I have seen other clubs cut corners and rush on floors. Hopefully that isnt the case with U.B.C. but i get my "insider:eek: " info from the first post on this thread. Hopefully we will all be saying goodbye to bad knee injuries as posted on the list.

[AlexWu]

lilkar,
I do not know if the floors are what is holding them up...let me clarify I was simply saying that I have seen other clubs cut corners and rush on floors. Hopefully that isnt the case with U.B.C. but i get my "insider:eek: " info from the first post on this thread. Hopefully we will all be saying goodbye to bad knee injuries as posted on the list.
WOW that place looks !!!!HUGE:D :cool: :) !!!! i wish they would update the site more often as well......must be busy with all the run-around?
well the outside looks great. i will definatley have to play and check it out, But Jim- does that mean u wont be around Bret Harte as much?

[dranmo]

KaaKaaKaaa~~ :D
I just look at the website and I cant believe my old classmate and teammate in high school become a coach there
Its a nice gym but too bad I dont live in the bay area anymore
or else I will sure go and play

PS.: Bao - if you read this, this is DOUGLAS from High School :)

[kwun]

ah.. cool, so they have the coaching staff:


HEAD COACH: KEVIN ZENG


COACH: BAO NGUYEN


PROGRAM DIRECTOR: ABI BAUTISTA

[MidBadder]

ah.. cool, so they have the coaching staff:


HEAD COACH: KEVIN ZENG


COACH: BAO NGUYEN


PROGRAM DIRECTOR: ABI BAUTISTA






:confused: Is Kevin moving from S.J State to UBC???

[Han]

So any idea when the gym will be ready? Man, takes forever from the outsider point of view : :p
Han

[B3nny H4nn4]

:confused: Is Kevin moving from S.J State to UBC???:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: wah????? i currently train with kevin....i didn't here anything about him moving...wtf?

[Joseph]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: wah????? i currently train with kevin....i didn't here anything about him moving...wtf?

I can imagine you walking into the gym to train.

"I'm ready to train coa... :confused: hello? anyone here?"

[samkool]

Grand Opening: April 23rd 2005
9:00am - 11:00pm

let's cross our fingers!
http://www.unitedbadminton.com/

[krantikt]

I am not sure why these guys keep picking dates, when there is another tournament going on in the area. Isnt this the same weekend as the bayarea open ?




Grand Opening: April 23rd 2005
9:00am - 11:00pm

let's cross our fingers!
http://www.unitedbadminton.com/

[Joseph]

I am not sure why these guys keep picking dates, when there is another tournament going on in the area. Isnt this the same weekend as the bayarea open ?

You are correct about the upcoming tournament this weekend. I'm guessing that they figured that in order to keep the crowd level down, they would need to set these dates on tournament dates.

[kwun]

this week seems to be quite packed with new gyms action. i dropped by United Badminton Club during lunch time today and got a preview of the gym a day before the grand opening.

the club is located between a Costco warehouse and the Fremont auto mall. a location that is right opposite a future shopping mall. frequent traffic will attract a lot of curious visitors into the club.

the first thing i noticed when walking into the gym was the color theme designed by the owner of the gym. most badminton gyms are quite bland when it comes to color, usually they have a monotone color theme. UBC is different, you walk in there, you will see a blend of multiple modern colors, green, orange, brown, purple, gray, black, it makes the gym very eye-catching and very professional looking.

there are 9 badminton courts in the building, all equipped with green Victor court mats lined with padding underneath. the ceiling is approximately 26-30ft high and is painted matt black. walls are a blend of two different colors (if i remember correctly, it was brown and gray) which when combined with black ceiling makes it very easy to see the birdie.

there are large lights at various spots hung from the ceiling and diffusing panels are hung beneath to prevent any direct glare.

there is a pro-shop/reception at the entrance. a bathroom, changing room and a workout area sits opposite the pro-shop and a sitting area is situated right next to the bathroom complex.

there is projector hung above the sitting area, according to the owners, they will be showing badminton matches or movies onto a 150" screen to keep waiting patrons entertained.

the most innovative part about the gym is their queue system. they designed and implemented a computer queuing system. each player is registered into the system upon entry and the computer manages the play queues and playing time for each court. this is the first computerized queuing system i have seen. it looks impressive and it will be very effective in making sure that everyone follows the gym rules.

the attention to detail is very fine indeed, like they are putting up curtains between courts to reduce light glare, paddings on columns to prevent injury. a multi-gym & weight area for building those badminton muscles, and a water fountain for players to re-hydrate between games.

you can see that a lot of thoughts are put into the design of the gym.

i didn't get to play there as it was lunch time and time was limited. i did see that the professional flooring is textured and will no doubt provide a grippy surface. i jumped and pressed on the floor and it has a soft feel to it so it should be good for the knees. i am sure the owners themselves have many hours of real-life testing in there already. ;)

construction is still on-going but they are down to the final touches. it will be a busy day for the owner as this weekend (April 23rd) will be the grand opening. they are open to the public during grand opening. i am unsure what the drop-in price is though.

i look forward to playing in the gym in the future and i will give a more hands-on review of how it feels to play there.

[Han]

Did have chance to test play Friday night and was impress with this facility. The pizza and coke were good too except sushi, found none :D
The floor is firm but not hard so after playing few games still managed to walk around without difficulty(at my age that's a big plus). It still takes a while to get use to this new gym especially when facing the busy side of the court, not easy to spot the shuttle. No badminton video was playing tonight but I am sure when it starts then my video business will be history :crying:
I give grade "A" to this facility for the design and willingness of staffs listening to feedback and suggestion.
Han

[TrunkZ69]

I just played at UBC for about 4-5 horus straight. It was really nice. The floor is nice and grippy, something im not use to. Wooden floors seem have a lot less friction on them and you tend to slide a bit, so i wasn't use to that at all. Took a little getting use to. And as Han said, when you were looking into the center of the gym, it was much harder to spot the bird. The lights were also blinding at first, but for the last two hours they lights didn't bother me one bit. The staff was really warm to feed back, which is always nice. The only thing that was different was because the floor absorbed a lot of shock. There was no bounce back from it though, or very little. So that was awkward too. But once you get into your games, you don't really think about it all that much. All i know is that my knees are feeling pretty good right now..

[MysticHLE]

Dang...I just checked their site. So expensive! $10 for peak-time drop-in (Regular days)...I don't see how that is a low-drop in fee as promised by the first post in this thread. I haven't been to the gym yet, but now that I've seen the price on this thing, I am kinda discouraged to play there even if the gym is awesome...and probably others too. I mean, at this rate, it's ~$480 for a yearly membership, which is like even more expensive than City Beach.

I'll give more feedback after I visit the gym today though.

[cooler]

u guys r so lucky, drop only 10 bucks for peak time.

http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19506&page=2&pp=10&highlight=annual+due


any pics of the facility?

[MysticHLE]

u guys r so lucky, drop only 10 bucks for peak time.


any pics of the facility?

$10 is the most expensive drop-in rate that I know of in Fremont so far...Irvington Community Center is $3/drop in for 3 hours. City Beach is $7 drop in for about 4-5 hours. I mean...unless we stay there the WHOLE day (Which is impractical, given that our bodies can't really last the whole day...and also the fact that we are not allowed to bring food from outside, and can only buy food from their place - adding more to the cost.), $10 for a drop-in is really expensive and not completely worthwhile. A half-dozen of Yonex Mavis 500 shuttles are only about $10.

For pictures on the facility, visit www.unitedbadminton.com they have some 3D rendered pictures there still.

[nkiattin]

I played there today for about 3 hours. UBC did a very good job. It's a very nice gym especially the floor. They will be putting up more blinds for the windows high above the courts. Currently too much light coming through especially when it's sunny. The people there are very nice and friendly. Their computer queuing system worked well. It keeps track of points. You get 1 point for playing and an additional point if you win a game. Those points I think can be use to redeem for merchandise or discount or something to that nature. The winner stay on the court for up to 3 games. Court 1 and 2 are for single.

I signed up for a membership today. They have special grand opening discount and if you sign up with a friend both of you save $15.00 for initiation and $4.00 for monthly fee. So the total cost for the first time is $70.00 and then $45.00 thereafter. I have been playing at Bintang for about a year now. I like to play there but it's a long drive for me so personally $45.00 is worth it. That's my 2 cents. Anyone want to play some singles tomorrow morning? Han?

[samkool]

$10 is the most expensive drop-in rate that I know of in Fremont so far...
i agree here. i stopped by earlier today and it has a very 'elitist' feel to it. i supposed it's mission is to be a badminton club in the same vein as an upscale sports club, ie. 'club one' or 'l.a. sports club.'

for the general public the $10 drop-in fee, combined with not being able to bring in your own food/drink/water & no re-entry is harsh. this will slow the process in promoting the sport amongst the younger crowd, and there is certainly a huge pool of younger players in the area.

$5 drop in and not being able to bring in your own food is fair, or,
$10 drop in and being able to bring in your own food is also fair
i can see it now... since members may re-enter at will, they'll be standing outside or sitting in their cars to eat while waiting for their next court. :eek:
one question not addressed on the website is... how long do you get the court for before you re-enter the queue? 20 minutes? 30 minutes? 1 game? 2 games?
members can reserve courts, so in a busy scenario, $10 drop in players may have to wait a considerable amount of time between court time slots.

there are also activities for members:

league play
mixer play [tue 6:30-9:00pm]
ladder play [sat 10am-1pm]
social tourney's
ubc sounds like a decent club to 'belong' to, but it may not be a good place to 'drop in'. the choice is mine to make...

[nkiattin]

I don't think they can really enforce the "No food or drink from outside" rule.
If they were to look through everyone's bag at the door that would be extreme. They don't even do that at the movie theatres. I think they would end up loosing members while trying to make a few bucks on the drinks, not worth it in my opinion. I must admit that I didn't read their rule when I played there today. I brought my own water an Gatorade inside the bag. No one said anything to me when I was drinking them.

It's a new gym and they are listening to suggestions so we all should recommend them to change the rule.

[604badder]

Not being allowed to bring your own water in is definitely over the top. It'd definitely keep me from being a customer if I lived in the area. :mad:

[MysticHLE]

I'm glad they didn't enforce the rules to the book. Hehe... >_>; Sigh...I gotta admit, even though to the general public, $10 might be expensive...I still LOVE that place! The mats are really comfortable to play on, I stayed there for 6 hours straight today. X_x...my feet only hurt as much as compared to me playing in my school's gym with the wooden floors for 3 hours. Lights seem a little dim compared to most other lights I've played under...but that's probably because some of it escaped out the windows since the blinds aren't installed. It was much better late at night when the outside is all dark. The management is nice, and the players' skills vary in a wide range. Definitely a great place to be for any serious badminton player.

[kwun]

was the gym crowded on opening day?

[kwun]

I don't think they can really enforce the "No food or drink from outside" rule.
If they were to look through everyone's bag at the door that would be extreme. They don't even do that at the movie theatres. I think they would end up loosing members while trying to make a few bucks on the drinks, not worth it in my opinion. I must admit that I didn't read their rule when I played there today. I brought my own water an Gatorade inside the bag. No one said anything to me when I was drinking them.

It's a new gym and they are listening to suggestions so we all should recommend them to change the rule.
it is good idea to have the rule there. but only enforce as a last resort when there are some misbehaving members running around spilling coke all over the place. it is not usually desirable to enforce rules 100%.

the good part is that at least one of the owners of UBC is a regular here in BC. so they are certainly reading your feedbacks.

[kwun]

Dang...I just checked their site. So expensive! $10 for peak-time drop-in (Regular days)...I don't see how that is a low-drop in fee as promised by the first post in this thread. I haven't been to the gym yet, but now that I've seen the price on this thing, I am kinda discouraged to play there even if the gym is awesome...and probably others too. I mean, at this rate, it's ~$480 for a yearly membership, which is like even more expensive than City Beach.

I'll give more feedback after I visit the gym today though. it is true that $10 is a new level for drop-ins for the Bay Area. many whom i have mentioned also says that it is high. to be fair though, you get what you paid for. a nice playing environment, convenience, top quality floor. i am afraid but i am guessing that $10 may soon become the standard rate for the few newly established clubs here.

[MysticHLE]

Kwun, the place wasn't crowded at all today. There were empty courts, and most didn't bother to use the queuing system because of that I think.

[TrunkZ69]

It was empty today because of several tournaments, a HS one and the BA open. Both of which should have had pretty big numbers.
As for a $10 entrance fee, i think it is pretty stiff. But! i think the point of it is to get more members. I believe tennis clubs have even HIGHER drop in rates such as $25 or so ( my friend told me this). And many ppl pay this premium btw.

[ubcfremont]

We will look into the suggestions/comments BFers made.
As far as the FOOD/DRINKS go, those are some ground rules we need to have them documented for liability and other issues. (Hint: As Kwun put it...the rules are there so that no one will misbehave too extensively :), otherwise we are cool.)

In case you didnt notice, we did install drinking fountains beside the rest area, so that you rehydrate yourself with chilled and filtered water. You can of course bring your own water or empty bottle to fill up from the fountain.

Here're some bird's eye view of the gym. (Actually, we took it from the scissors lift we rented to install the projector) When we're done finetuning the final details, we hope Kwun can stop by to take better pics for the forum.

http://www.unitedbadminton.com/photos/ubc13.jpg
Office/Reception Room/Court 1&3

http://www.unitedbadminton.com/photos/ubc789.jpg
Court 3-9

http://www.unitedbadminton.com/photos/ubcra.jpg
Rest Area & Queuing System Terminal



u guys r so lucky, drop only 10 bucks for peak time.

http://www.badmintonforum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19506&page=2&pp=10&highlight=annual+due


any pics of the facility?

[samkool]

We will look into the suggestions/comments BFers made.
when it is your turn on the court, how much court time do you get?

20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 game, 2 games...?

[ubcfremont]

All courts are challenge courts except for the 2 Elite courts for advanced players.

On Challenge courts, winner will stay for 3 consecutive games, and 20 mins per game on a 15 pt system.

On Elite courts, winner can stay till he/she decides to retire for the day.

These settings, are of course, subjected to change if we receive too many complaints from the guests/members.




when it is your turn on the court, how much court time do you get?

20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 game, 2 games...?

[Chrispywu]

hey!! i just checked out this place.. its really cooL!! i like the lights and the floors...
but i gotta cross the dumbarton bridge to get over..
The building looks really modern from the outside.. i like it!

[foobart]

I played at UBC on Saturday afternoon for a couple hours. I usually play a couple of times a week at Bintang.

The floor took a bit of getting used to, but I think it was very good.

Mixed feelings about lighting/visibility. Maybe the light colors on the walls was a bad idea? Maybe it'll be better at night or after the windows are covered, but am not very sure.

Overall, it seems like a good facility.

The Drop-in fee is definitely an issue, something the organizers need to pay serious attention to if they want to maximize the utility of the facility and get the most revenue at the same time.

$10 drop-in fee would be a serious mistake.

Bintang has $3/$5 peak/offpeak and it seems to do okay in providing enough of an incentive to make membership attractive, while augmenting that with a good number of drop-in players.

UBC is definitely a better facility (presumably more expensive to build), so higher fees would be justified.

However, every dollar over say $4/$6 would make drop-in significantly unattractive.

If the aim is to survive only on memberships and make drop-ins excruciatingly expensive high drop-in fees will do just that.

For a lot of people membership isn't feasible because they work/live in different cities, schedule doesn't permit playing at the same place thrice a week etc.

The key is to make membership attractive, while getting most of the drop-in users' market as well to maximize revenue. A $10 drop in fee (plus $3 to $5 that it typically costs for shuttlecocks) would ensure that the drop-in guys stay away completely.

[kwun]

i am surprised to see that the major complain is the visibility. i talked to a couple of badminton players during a tournament on sunday and they too have the same concerns: visibility and price. visibility is certainly something that can be fixed after the owners figure out the reason. price however, will probably have to depend on operation cost and popularity.

certainly not an easy job to run a badminton facilities, my hats off to those who take the risk to do so.

[batminton]

visibility a problem. like many basketball gyms. can be done easily when change to the long lights like bintang.

$10 is expensive. some hs gyms are free and have good floors. reactivation fee is very high. if sick for one month, still have to pay monthly fees. what other gyms charge? will wait and hope they are cheaper because all opening soon.

[samkool]

i also forgot to mention visibility... i didn't care for it.

[ubcfremont]

The official drop-in prices are $5 (off-peak) and $7 (peak)http://www.badmintoncentral.com/vb/images/smilies/smile.gif. An increase in these two prices will take place ONLY when (1) we reach our goal in membershiphttp://www.badmintoncentral.com/vb/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif or (2) due to inflation (as usual:cryinghttp://www.badmintoncentral.com/vb/images/smilies/smile.gif.

We are officially OPEN for play and welcome you all to visit.

Thank you for your interest and support.

[krantikt]

Wow....with all the reviews already posted, I guess I am a little too late in posting mine. But I agree with most of the content here with the reviews posted by other BC'ers.

To emphasize I really like the floor. Can definitely feel the softness in it compared to hardwood floors in other gyms. I wish I lived closer to this place, so I could visit here more often.

It is easy to spot the bird on high clears, or even net drops. The black ceiling is a good idea. I found it difficult to spot it for smashes or high drives, I think it is because of the lighter color on the two toned colors on the wall. The lighter color being on the above net level.

It looks really neat, as it was the first day I played there, and hopefully the quality of the floors can be maintained with the same standard for(ever) :)
I am not sure of the wear on tear on these mats, as to how thick they are, or how soon they wear out.

Overall, very nice gym! I like the floor and ceiling height here to be better, and I like the color contrasts in Bintang to be better.

[nkiattin]

KrantiKT

Let me know when you're going there again. I demand a rematch. I think the last couple of times you kicked my butt so I want a revenge. :)

[ubcfremont]

The visibility is an issue we are working on. Some people complaint about it, some didnt bother and said they're just fine. But we're adding large curtains (just in case) to divide the courts in the gym's center aisle and court 1&2. Please be patient :) . The curtains should be up in about 2 weeks.



Wow....with all the reviews already posted, I guess I am a little too late in posting mine. But I agree with most of the content here with the reviews posted by other BC'ers.

To emphasize I really like the floor. Can definitely feel the softness in it compared to hardwood floors in other gyms. I wish I lived closer to this place, so I could visit here more often.

It is easy to spot the bird on high clears, or even net drops. The black ceiling is a good idea. I found it difficult to spot it for smashes or high drives, I think it is because of the lighter color on the two toned colors on the wall. The lighter color being on the above net level.

It looks really neat, as it was the first day I played there, and hopefully the quality of the floors can be maintained with the same standard for(ever) :)
I am not sure of the wear on tear on these mats, as to how thick they are, or how soon they wear out.

Overall, very nice gym! I like the floor and ceiling height here to be better, and I like the color contrasts in Bintang to be better.

[ubcfremont]

United Badminton Club is proud to announce the addition of Coach Liu Xiaomu and Zhou Lei to their coaching staff. The classes will begin in May 7th and private coaching session will start immediately.




Coach Zhou Lei


Head coach of the Peruvian National Badminton Team and the Regatas Club, Lima, Peru, 1994-2002.

Gold Medals in the 1993 Badminton World Championship (women's double) and the Uber Cup (women's single)

Gold medal in the Asian Championship, women's double 1988.

Gold medal in the Asian Games, for single's women's badminton team champion.

4 gold medals, 15 silvers and 5 bronzes from top tier international badminton tournaments such as the All England Championship, the French Open, the Swedish Open, Denmark Open, Malaysian Open, and the Hong Kong Open.

Ranked number 4 in the women's singles by the International Badminton Federation in 1992.

Coach Liuxiaomu


Head Coach of the Peruvian National Badminton Team and the Regatas Club, Lima, Peru, 1994-2002.

Head Coach for Liaoning Men's Badminton Professional League Team, 1991-1993.

Head Coach for the Chiangmai Badminton Team, Chiangmai, Thailand, 1993-1994. Two of his students competed in the World Junior Championship representing Thailand in 1993.

Certified Class One Athlete by the Chinese Sports Ministry in 1990.

Selected for the Chinese Youth National Badminton Training Team in 1988.

6 medals in major Chinese and international tournaments despite his untimely injury and early retirement as a professional player in 1990.

BS in Sports Coaching, Liaoning Institute of Physical Education, 1994.

Coach Lei and Liu built the Peruvian National Badminton Team to a formidable force in South America and Pan America tournaments. During Lei and Liu's tenure, the Peruvian National Badminton Team had won 113 golds, 102 silvers and 121 bronzes in international tournaments. The Peruvian teams qualified for the Thomas/Uber Cup semi finals in the European section in 2000 under their leadership. They had repeatedly identified talented children and started coaching them when they were merely eight or nine years old, coached them all the way to win gold medals in the Junior Pan America Championship games, and to become top players in the Peruvian National Team. One of their students qualified for the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 (in men's singles, as the only player from South American to qualify for badminton in the 1996 Olympics). As a result of their success, badminton has become a popular sport in Peru.


When Lei and Liu were serving as the Head Coaches for the Peruvian National Badminton Team, they often traveled to the US to compete in tournaments. They befriended many US top players and coaches. They realized that the US is full of talented young players and that this country has great potential for ambitious coaches like themselves. They would love to identify and train the next generation world class badminton players in the Bay Area.

[kwun]

a few of us are heading over to UBC this wednesday around 8pm or so to test out the new club. maybe we can meet up and play some games together.

i am not in particular good shape lately so don't expect too much of a competition... ;)

[kwun]

The visibility is an issue we are working on. Some people complaint about it, some didnt bother and said they're just fine. But we're adding large curtains (just in case) to divide the courts in the gym's center aisle and court 1&2. Please be patient :) . The curtains should be up in about 2 weeks.
that's what i call "listening to customers"!

:)

[kwun]

United Badminton Club is proud to announce the addition of Coach Liu Xiaomu and Zhou Lei to their coaching staff. The classes will begin in May 7th and private coaching session will start immediately.

you have so many coaches now, do you foresee any difficulties in managing the scheduling of classes?

[batminton]

aren't they coaches at bintang?

[kwun]

aren't they coaches at bintang?
Liu and Zhou will be coaching in GGBC as well.

Bintang's coaches are Phu and his team of elite players.

[julie]

Liu and Zhou will be coaching in GGBC as well.

Bintang's coaches are Phu and his team of elite players.
Looks like their bios had been removed recently, coincidental to the
UBC announcement...

[Qidong]

Liu and Zhou will be coaching in GGBC as well.

With their qualification, they should be coaching the US team instead. :eek: Too bad, Fremont is just too fast for me. :o

[Loh]

Looks like UBC Fremont is very serious in promoting badminton in the Bay Area and BFers living near this beautiful badminton centre are the ones really benefitting from it. I think it won't be long when others living quite a distance away will be willing to frequent it more often.

UBC Management seems to be a good listener and is taking action on feedbacks from its clients. The main complaint on court fees has been resolved somewhat and action is now taken on the visibility problem. But I still think the hanging circular lights can be distracting, although where and how they are placed can affect visibility too, eg if they are lined up between the courts along the aisles, then the glare will be reduced as they will not be in direct view of the shuttle's flight.

In line with UBC's improvement on the hardware aspects, I'm pleased to note that good foreign coaches have been employed to complement the software department. The bios and experience of Zhou Lie and Liu Xiaomu are impressive and if they are able to teach the very young in large numbers with the right basic skills, then their contribution to US Badminton will not be insignificant. Admittedly, this will take time and plenty of patience.

As a foreign observer, I could only wish UBC Fremont the very best in its endeavours and may its top management continue to think of ways to improve its products and services. :)

[MonarchPryde]

Hey Guys! UBC sounds like a great place to expand the popular sport. I wasnt able to go on Grand Opening because i was at the Newark Tounment (High School) but anyways to my point... if the Fees are $7-10 for a drop in thats pretty harsh to all the high school players who play. Most of us dont have jobs due to schooling nor our parents are willing to pay $30+ a month for a membership. Thats like paying a second Cell Phone bill! Anyways my point is that if you have a $7-10 during "peak Hours" that will surely lose many high school players because almost all of high school students do not get out til 3pm and thats the same time peak hour starts! Just wanted to state that because it does affect me because i love the sport but i wont be able to last the $7-10 drop in fees :crying: ! Im try to go this weekend to see the gym for myself. And one last thing Did anyone get their Racket strung there yet? And how much is it? I jsut popped my strings during the tournement and hoped to restring it at a closer place instead of asby's or bintang. Thanks! :)

[kwun]

As a foreign observer, I could only wish UBC Fremont the very best in its endeavours and may its top management continue to think of ways to improve its products and services. :)
Loh, why don't you pick a date and come visit us? i will bring you to visit all these new fancy clubs we have in the Bay Area so you can try them out first hand. hey, i heard the World Championships will be held in California in August, that will be a perfect time to come visit us! ;)

[ctjcad]

Correct me if I'm wrong with the fact, but as of now, I don't think the U.S. team has any "formal" coaches. Before last year Olympics, the U.S. National team(and its players) was coached @ OCBC, in Orange, CA by Tony Gunawan, Eti, and a several other coaches. At that time, the USA Badminton's President was Don Chew. He was also basically the main sponsor for the U.S. National team and the players. But since then, I believe he has stepped down. I know the OCBC Elite team along with several of the remaining U.S. National players as well as the USBDF Junior team are still based there, but the other U.S. players have moved and are scattered all over the U.S.. And I know there are a few players who used to train @ OCBC for the U.S. National team, that have moved and/or are living in the bay area.

Perhaps with the "disolution" of the current U.S. National team, other coaches can be their next coach(es). And hope with the new Badminton Clubs opening up in the bay area, and the new international coaches who are coaching there, it will make the sport more popular up there and possibly create the next U.S. National Team Training center..


With their qualification, they should be coaching the US team instead. :eek: Too bad, Fremont is just too fast for me. :o

[Loh]

Loh, why don't you pick a date and come visit us? i will bring you to visit all these new fancy clubs we have in the Bay Area so you can try them out first hand. hey, i heard the World Championships will be held in California in August, that will be a perfect time to come visit us! ;)

Thanks a million, Kwun. I must confess it's all too tempting and the thought of being able to proceed to Vancouver (and possibly meet up with LB apart from all the other BFers!) up north is an added incentive. Still in my dreams but turning it into reality is quite some doing! :D

[kwun]

Perhaps with the "disolution" of the current U.S. National team, other coaches can be their next coach(es). And hope with the new Badminton Clubs opening up in the bay area, and the new international coaches who are coaching there, it will make the sport more popular up there and possibly create the next U.S. National Team Training center..
that will be awesome. and surely will boost the Bay Area's status as a badminton center. only time will tell. meanwhile, we badminton players need to promote and support these new badminton clubs. when we can fill these 27 extra badminton courts every evening of the week, then we will know that badminton has indeed taken off very fast in the bay area.

[kwun]

Thanks a million, Kwun. I must confess it's all too tempting and the thought of being able to proceed to Vancouver (and possibly meet up with LB apart from all the other BFers!) up north is an added incentive. Still in my dreams but turning it into reality is quite some doing! :D
just a week of vacation, and a flight ticket, you can do it, Loh. i will convince the owners of UBC to give you a free VIP pass for coming all the way from Singapore to try out their club.

btw, does you wife like tulips? ( ;) )

[cmd17uc]

Anyone planning on playing UBC this thursday morning (the 28th)? I occasionally drive up from Fresno (Central California) to the San Jose/Bay Area to play badminton with some college friends, but none of them can make it so I have no one to play with :crying:

Would enjoy meeting some of you other BadmintonCentral guys and gals out there in person and also check out this club :)

[krantikt]

Hey Napporn

Sent you a PM. :) , check that.


KrantiKT

Let me know when you're going there again. I demand a rematch. I think the last couple of times you kicked my butt so I want a revenge. :)

[Han]

Hi Loh:
If Kwun can't get the VIP pass for you then I will dig deep into my pocket to pay for you for the entrance fees, only you, Kwun not included(He has been getting too much benefits) :D

[kwun]

Liu and Zhou will be coaching in GGBC as well.


my apologies for posting the incorrect information above. it turns out Liu and Zhou will not be coaching in GGBC afterall.

[krantikt]

Bintang's coaches are Phu and his team of elite players.

As I understand, along with the above mentioned, there is also a new coach who started at Bintang last weekend. He is a former national player from India (more than 10 years ago).

[Han]

I think I did play with him yesterday night at Bintang, very good player in my opinion. Not sure he's the same Indian guy that we are talking about? I'll let Phu answer that.

[Novice]

Hey I can play on Thurs morn, but I am just an advanced beginner. So I don't know if we're a good match. I don't like singles (because I stink), but I might be able to give you a good game if we find other people to play doubles with us.
Send me a message if you are interested.


Anyone planning on playing UBC this thursday morning (the 28th)? I occasionally drive up from Fresno (Central California) to the San Jose/Bay Area to play badminton with some college friends, but none of them can make it so I have no one to play with :crying:

Would enjoy meeting some of you other BadmintonCentral guys and gals out there in person and also check out this club :)

[Loh]

Hi Loh:
If Kwun can't get the VIP pass for you then I will dig deep into my pocket to pay for you for the entrance fees, only you, Kwun not included(He has been getting too much benefits) :D

Thanks Han. I've forgotten you live around that area. Well, what I can say of Kwun is that he is a VIP alright and is welcomed in anything concerning badminton, with all its attendant benefits. :D

[kwun]

played an evening of badminton in UBC tonight with a few friends. we managed to play off and on in one of the courts all night. the playing surface is excellent, the mat and padding has good shock absorption. and one cannot make any complaints about brand new court surfaces.

the lighting is not perfect, and i think i know what the problem is. the light is firstly, a bit too bright, and secondly, too white. the whiteness produces a lot of glare and washes out people's vision. it also reflects off the wall. a warm color will be more effective (think fog light vs. high beam in a foggy night). the diffusers has some effect, but not enough to diffuse away the strong light. perhaps the owners can experiment with less powerful ones if that is a feasible thing to do.

however, after a couple of games, my eyes adjusted to the lighting, it was only a problem if the shuttle is directly between me and the light, then it is hard to see the shuttle. otherwise, i have no problem seeing the shuttle at all.

i love the water fountain, what a great idea to let patrons get a fresh sip of cold water between games.

the computer system is working well. some ppl still get confused how to remove people from the court and add ppl to the court. soon everyone will learn it.

the strange part about tonight is that there are always a couple of empty courts while lots of people are sitting around in the waiting area just chatting instead of playing badminton. i am starting to wonder if the enclosed waiting area is more social a setting than the typical "row of chairs against the wall" setting.

leaving a badminton court unused is a sin, the Badminton God will punish you.

[kwun]

oh, also played a game against Zhou Lei, the coach of UBC who was the 1993 WD World Champion.

totally can destroy me without any effort, she knows what i am about to do before i figure it out myself. and gets there seconds before the shuttle does. and then know exactly the place to hit the shuttle that gives the most damage.

so gracious, smooth and effortless. i am speechless.

[jmai]

Wow, look at this website..kudos to Kwun. Just bored so I finally decided to check out this website.
On another note, anyone know how thick is the padding? I haven't read that many reviews abt this new place. What days is it crowded?

[B3nny H4nn4]

my apologies for posting the incorrect information above. it turns out Liu and Zhou will not be coaching in GGBC afterall.:(
aww man...i was soo looking forward to being coached by her since ggbc is soo close to where i live..

[Chrispywu]

Dont worry Benny.. there are great coaches at GGBC too, i think..
ill play you there sometime

[Qidong]

oh, also played a game against Zhou Lei, the coach of UBC who was the 1993 WD World Champion.

totally can destroy me without any effort, she knows what i am about to do before i figure it out myself. and gets there seconds before the shuttle does. and then know exactly the place to hit the shuttle that gives the most damage.

so gracious, smooth and effortless. i am speechless.

It won't be surprised that a world class player with so much experience can do it. I wonder top young pro's like Lin Dan and Zhang Ning can do that also. I wonder if they were borned with these kind of talent.

[nkiattin]

Who wants to play this Saturday morning? Need to get some good single games. Anyone? Bueller?

[krantikt]

Are there a lot of people playing at united on weekdays ?
is it too crowded?

how about on the weekends? does anyone know the stats in the past week.

[nkiattin]

Are there a lot of people playing at united on weekdays ?

I know that weekends in the morning it's not crowded.

[wondergirl]

weekends 11-4 is not crowded

saturdays 5-11 it's very crowded
sundays 5-8 it's very crowded. I'm not sure about 8-11, last time I went people left around 8 and there were empty courts, but it seems strange.

[Novice]

During lunch, many courts are open.

[Lefty]

How many people play during lunch time in UBC?

I would like to see if we can arrange more people to play in UBC during lunch.

[MidBadder]

How many people play during lunch time in UBC?

I would like to see if we can arrange more people to play in UBC during lunch.
Too bad UBC is too far away from where I work.:mad:Otherwise I can play everyday during lunch time.

[Novice]

Well, last time I went (Wed 12-2), just me and my partner, and a new badminton friend. The week before that (Fri 11-1), just 6 people (including the two of us). Common thread between these two times: nobody there before noon.

Well, if you are successful in rounding up more people, that would be great. Single games with my skillful partner are too exhausting for me.


How many people play during lunch time in UBC?

I would like to see if we can arrange more people to play in UBC during lunch.

[Loh]

Too bad UBC is too far away from where I work.:mad:Otherwise I can play everyday during lunch time.

Badminton for lunch? Where do you find your energy? Take early lunch in the office, etc, or lunch after badminton? :confused:

[ubcfremont]

.

.

.









Sign up for Badminton League!

Teams consisting of 6-10 players will compete against each other in 5 different events in a round robin draw throughout the season (2 months!), culminating in playoffs that will decide the team that wins the first place prize!

Sign up NOW! (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/docs/league.pdf)






.

.

[ubcfremont]

.


Summer is coming! Sign up for Summer Camp!
:D :D :D Parents are encouraged to sign up with their kids.:D :D :D

Coach Lei & Liu
June 20-July 7 10:30am - 12:30pm (Mon-Thurs)
June 20-July 7 1:30pm - 3:30pm (Mon-Thurs)
Download Info Here! (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/docs/sc_liulei.pdf)

Coach Kevin Zeng
July 18-August 4 10:30am - 12:30pm (14 workdays)
July 18-August 4 1:30pm - 3:30pm (14 workdays)
Download Info Here! (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/docs/sc_kevin.pdf)


.

[kwun]

what are people's thought on the queueing system in UBC?

the computer queueing is very cool, i cannot find much fault in that system. i am more interested in hearing what people think about the challenge court only system. where every court are challenged.

as you can probably tell by now, i don't need to ask this question if i am able to win every game... ;)

[Loh]

what are people's thought on the queueing system in UBC?

the computer queueing is very cool, i cannot find much fault in that system. i am more interested in hearing what people think about the challenge court only system. where every court are challenged.

as you can probably tell by now, i don't need to ask this question if i am able to win every game... ;)

Kwun, looks like you are a frequent visitor to UBC and can't wait to 'challenge' all comers! :D Hope you are not as addicted as what Cheung is to BC! ;)

[Togey]

just been looking at the prices... is it $40 to rent a court for an hour?!

[icecreamdoh2you]

yeah.. its just 7 dollars for a person without membership...but its pretty pricy too..but the courts are really nice

[Han]

You pay what you get, I think $7 for the new gym like United is well worth it. May be a little steep for the high school student so it may not be a bad idea to offer bulk rate for high school students at certain slow night(s) as part of the promotion? The alternative is to go to Bintang, more affordable and very friendly for begineers(I notice Bintang indeed has pickup lots of new comers lately, congratulation for both clubs for developing Badminton in Bay Area)

[kwun]

Kwun, looks like you are a frequent visitor to UBC and can't wait to 'challenge' all comers! :D Hope you are not as addicted as what Cheung is to BC! ;)

nah nah nah. UBC is quite far from my home. a 20 miles drive that includes crossing the bridge to the other side of the bay area. i have been there a couple of times. good gym. Loh when you come to visit us, i will definitely bring you there.

[samkool]

just played there last night from 4pm - 11pm. nothing beats reserved courts!

new hanging light panels on the sides of the courts helps.

still don't like looking towards the two-tone tan colored walls though. needs to be one color, preferably a darker color for better contrast against white feathers.

kwun was a no show! :D

[kwun]

anyway, kudos to the owners, they have added additional lights hung low between the courts. now there is no longer any visibility problem.

i also noticed that the gym is quite empty early on sunday. i got there around 2pm today and there are lots of empty courts. the crowd starts to appear after 3pm or so.

[kwun]

just played there last night from 4pm - 11pm. nothing beats reserved courts!

new hanging light panels on the sides of the courts helps.

still don't like looking towards the two-tone tan colored walls though. needs to be one color, preferably a darker color for better contrast against white feathers.

kwun was a no show! :D

aye. sorry. i was so exhausted on Saturday. and nobody else wanted to go. i hope you guys had fun!

[Vtec101]

oh, also played a game against Zhou Lei, the coach of UBC who was the 1993 WD World Champion.

totally can destroy me without any effort, she knows what i am about to do before i figure it out myself. and gets there seconds before the shuttle does. and then know exactly the place to hit the shuttle that gives the most damage.

so gracious, smooth and effortless. i am speechless.


This isn't Lily Zhou that used to play in OCBC is it?

[kwun]

This isn't Lily Zhou that used to play in OCBC is it?

no. that isn't. at her prime, this lady probably can beat Lily Zhou without any sweat.

[Vtec101]

wow...quick reply..thanks Kwun...I just figured it out after reading some of the past postings. I know Lily is coaching somewhere up in your area now, just don't know which club. It's nice to see more international level coaches here in the U.S., I hope this will bring the level of our kids up higher now that there are the new clubs in N. Cal and OCBC in S.Cal.

[cmd17uc]

I hope Lily Zhou teaches her students to have a better attitude than she does on the court.

[B3nny H4nn4]

woah! whats that suppose to mean?




I hope Lily Zhou teaches her students to have a better attitude than she does on the court.

[samkool]

woah! whats that suppose to mean?
who cares. let's get back on topic...

has ubc installed add'l lights on courts 3, 4, 5, & 6 yet?

[cmd17uc]

It means she has very poor sportsmanship, although a pretty good player.

[Han]

I think the side lights are installed, now the color of the wall doesn't seem to matter that much. Thumbs up for United's willingness to take and implement suggestion.
Han

[LazyBuddy]

just been looking at the prices... is it $40 to rent a court for an hour?!

I believe so. However, consider this: get a group of 6-8, for 3 hrs. Each person just pay $15-20 for 3 hrs straight of no-interruption court in a fantastic facility... :rolleyes:

[LazyBuddy]

yeah.. its just 7 dollars for a person without membership...but its pretty pricy too..but the courts are really nice

Get a meal from KFC costs $5+, and u finish it in like 5-10 minutes. Save 1 meal from there, u get entire day of fun and work out. :cool:

[ubcfremont]

United Badminton Club (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/) would like to invite you to participate in our first tournament. The tournament will be held at our gym over 2 weekends; first weekend is for flight A & B, and the latter for flight C & D. Prizes include medals, cash and credit prizes worth over $3000. For more details, please download the following entry forms:


Flight A & B (SAT/SUN July 23/24)
Click HERE (http://http://www.unitedbadminton.com/docs/UBCOpenAB.pdf) to download entry form

Flight C & D (SAT/SUN July 30/31)
Click HERE (http://http://www.unitedbadminton.com/docs/UBCOpenCD.pdf) to download entry form


Registration deadline is July 18th, 2005. If you have any other questions, please email or call us at info@unitedbadminton.com / 510.656.CLUB (2582).

Thank you for your interest!
UBC Team

[kwun]

what are the opening hours for the holiday weekend?

[wood_22_chuck]

Kwun! You're spamming all the baddy centers in the Bay Area!!!!!!! Remember to pace yourself, and have fun. Say if you get a picture with Sally Yeh, remember to share and post :D

-dave

[kwun]

Kwun! You're spamming all the baddy centers in the Bay Area!!!!!!! Remember to pace yourself, and have fun. Say if you get a picture with Sally Yeh, remember to share and post :D

-dave

3 days long weekend, 3 badminton gyms. fits very nicely what...

Janet took a pic with Sally on opening day, but Janet says no publishing her pics without permission...

[ubcfremont]

It's business as usual here!
9am-11pm daily


what are the opening hours for the holiday weekend?

[ubcfremont]

Kwun,
It's 4 gyms now with Smash City!
You have to play overtime!
Can you manage?:)


3 days long weekend, 3 badminton gyms. fits very nicely what...

Janet took a pic with Sally on opening day, but Janet says no publishing her pics without permission...

[ubcfremont]

Hello All,
Draws/Schedule for the tournament is available for download on our website. Please call if you have any other questions. Thank you.

http://www.unitedbadminton.com/

UBC

[monto]

Hello All,
Draws/Schedule for the tournament is available for download on our website. Please call if you have any other questions. Thank you.

http://www.unitedbadminton.com/

UBCJust thought your IT/webpage folks might want to know the membership page looks a bit misaligned in Firefox (although it looks fine in IE)

[SomeDudeInBlue]

Just thought your IT/webpage folks might want to know the membership page looks a bit misaligned in Firefox (although it looks fine in IE)I am running Firefox as well, but ti works fine on my firefox. Decrese your font size :P

[thejh2001]

Hi,

I'm looking for people to play with at United Badminton Club, Fremont. I am a intermediate player, used to be a college team player but didn't play for a long long time. I hope to find partners to play with or groups that I can join at UBC, Fremont.

Please email me at oaojph@yahoo.com.


THANKS!!

[Stephy]

i went there today~
not bad~its $7 per person for weekend
i think its a good place

[samtruong200]

hey does anyone know if UBC is open on president's day? thx

[TLCal]

Hi,

I am looking for a partner to practice & play with at UBC at noon Mon, Wed/Friday, if anyone would like to do so, please email me at tp8yearsplan@hotmail.com, thanks~

[UBC_Fremont]

UBC 1st Anniversary Celebration
4 exciting events to celebrate our 1st anniversary during the week of Apr 23 ~ Apr 30
Event 1: Super Sales (up to 30% off all merchandise)
Event 2: Drop-In $5 and NCS students $3
Event 3: $15 Gift Certificate for all UBC members
Event 4: Anniversary Mini Tournament. Free for members, $3 for non-members. Doubles only. Prize - Free memberships + Rackets.

Please check our web site for more detail.
http://www.unitedbadminton.com/page_aboutus_anniversary.htm

[bvjagan]

Hi All,

Its very nice to see here that we have indoor badminton courts available. But it seems like its very expensive..I am not sure if this is correct price for courts in United Badminton Club. Is it 45$ per hour for each court?

Are there any other badminton indoor places which are cheaper than this?

Thank you in advance.

Best Regards,
Jagan

[samtruong200]

the price ur thinking about is to rent out the whole court. theres drop in for 5-7 dollars depending on the hour and day

[TLCal]

Currently it's $3 from 11-2 (lunch), $5 2-5(off peak), $7 thereafter (peak time)!!

[BiBS1329]

guys did you happed to know why UBC's email add is not working.

i tried emailing them but it always says failure.

thanks!

[happypills]

Say, does anyone know if UBC's pro - shop can restring a Prince More +XL even with its uncommon number of gromets?

[chrisnchips]

Details of the gym will be revealed in about 2 weeks.
Please come back to check on us.
Thanks!

http://www.unitedbadminton.com (http://www.unitedbadminton.com/)

hey, just wondering what happened to UBC's website??? seems the link doesn't work. is there a new site? Is the old location/club being renovated or something? :confused:

[Dragoon6181]

hey, just wondering what happened to UBC's website??? seems the link doesn't work. is there a new site? Is the old location/club being renovated or something? :confused:

Yeah, for some reason, it's not working for me either. :(

[PhoenixStyle]

That's because they didn't pay for the domain.

[skyy325]

The website is up and running again! :D