Smash City Badminton, Milpitas, CA

[Smash City]

Smash City Badminton Facility -- Milpitas, CA

Smash City is pleased to announce its upcoming badminton facility near the Great Mall in Milpitas, CA. The gym will host 12 well spaced courts on IBF certified Teraflex flooring and 24' to 28' ceiling height. Courts will be well lit with diffused lights optimally placed to minimize glare. We will also have a full service pro shop, a large carpeted lounge/waiting area, and exercise equipment.

Smash City will provide member and drop-in play, junior and adult training, and tournaments. Anticipated operating hours are 9:00am to 11:00pm daily, with good on-site parking. Visit our website (http://www.smashcity.net) often for current status leading to our scheduled grand opening in early May 2005.

Smash City's training program will include professional coaches for both recreational and competive players of all ages. Our elite Junior program will be the strongest in the San Francisco Bay Area, featuring many of the USA's top junior athletes with more combined national titles than any other Bay Area program.

Smash City is dedicated to providing the best Badminton experience in the San Francisco Bay Area!!

Smash City is founded and operated by Jim Todt (jtodt@smashcity.net) and Wayne Lum (wlum@smashcity.net), both with vast experience as badminton parents, badminton players, tournament directors, and as (former) Badminton Association of Northern California (BANC) board of directors.

[kwun]

that's is very very excellent! Smash City will be the 3rd dedicated badminton gym in the SF Bay Area. this means we will have one more dedicated gym than the LA area. this is certainly the first in the country (correct me if i am wrong)

look forward to the grand opening, this is especially good for me as Milpitas is quite close to my home. :D

[Han]

Wow, make my decision so much harder now among Bintang Academy, United Badminton and Smash City ... May be 2 days on each site and off on Sunday?

[kwun]

Wow, make my decision so much harder now among Bintang Academy, United Badminton and Smash City ... May be 2 days on each site and off on Sunday? 2 days each gym and the other day should be a traveling day to visit other lesser badminton facilities... ;)

sooner or later, the bay area will take over to become the location for badminton training. maybe they will start a NTC here. hey, dreams can lead to success!

OOo.... i almost live in the same road as SmashCity. it is a long road though. :)

[cooler]

maybe this hub could be the seed to the rebirth of badminton in north america ;)


PS just like the missile shield program, don't wait for canada ;)

[krantikt]

:D

This is the most exciting news....I was a going to be a little lazy travelling to Fremont once United Badminton opened....Milpitas is closer to me.

I am a regular at bintang, so now I can split , 3 days here and 3 days there.....


Cant wait to see this gym.

[krantikt]

Wow, make my decision so much harder now among Bintang Academy, United Badminton and Smash City ... May be 2 days on each site and off on Sunday?
Han,
is it who I think it is...you old man :) you always beat me in singles....
are you the same Han that plays singles at bintang ?

[kwun]

Han,
is it who I think it is...you old man :) you always beat me in singles....
are you the same Han that plays singles at bintang ? yeah. the same tricky old guy who kicks everybody's butt in singles.

[krantikt]

The way to beat Han, use a slow bird :)


and eliminate his wrist from the equation. what do you say Han ?

Kwun, you never play these days....or atleast not at Bintang ...

[ctjcad]

Kwun,
actually L.A./O.C.(to a certain extent) has 3 "dedicated badminton clubs/gyms"..One @ SGVBC(Rosemead), one @ OCBC(Anaheim) and one @ MHBC(Manhattan Beach). Eventhough I've never been there, but MHBC I think is the "fanciest" of all three(has swimming pool-hehe)...
Also, the next US NTC is already been appointed. It will be in Houston, Texas(as reported earlier this week by IBF). Too bad though, I guess once Don Chew steps down as President of USAB, it will be the end of OCBC as the NTC. :( Don Chew is actually the owner of OCBC, so basically he IS THE MAIN SPONSOR of USAB.
I wonder about the future of Tony/Ety/Halim, will they all move to Houston as well or stay put @ OCBC???...hmmmm..


that's is very very excellent! Smash City will be the 3rd dedicated badminton gym in the SF Bay Area. this means we will have one more dedicated gym than the LA area. this is certainly the first in the country (correct me if i am wrong)

look forward to the grand opening, this is especially good for me as Milpitas is quite close to my home. :D

[kwun]

Kwun, you never play these days....or atleast not at Bintang ...
been really busy. maybe i will go on Sunday.

[cooler]

that's is very very excellent! Smash City will be the 3rd dedicated badminton gym in the SF Bay Area. this means we will have one more dedicated gym than the LA area. this is certainly the first in the country (correct me if i am wrong)

look forward to the grand opening, this is especially good for me as Milpitas is quite close to my home. :D

what is the population of san francisco, 1 million? and you guys got 3

calgary has 933,450 people as of april 2004 (not including surrounding area) and we don't even have 1 real badminton gym :o *whine*

[kwun]

what is the population of san francisco, 1 million? and you guys got 3

calgary has 933,450 people as of april 2004 (not including surrounding area) and we don't even have 1 real badminton gym :o *whine*
the whole bay area: 7 mil. you guys have a long way to go... ;)

[harrycoomer]

Will improve customer service in Bintang :)

[Joseph]

Will improve customer service in Bintang :)

What's wrong with customer service at Bintang?

[harrycoomer]

The rest of Bintang the staff could do well to learn from them.:)

[monto]

The rest of Bintang the staff could do well to learn from them.:)
Have any bad experiences to share? I've played there a few times and haven't had a problem. From some of Phu's posts it looks like he reads these forums, so he should be able to correct any 'definciencies' you've noticed ;)

[harrycoomer]

Wood or concrete?


Smash City Badminton Facility -- Milpitas, CA

Smash City is pleased to announce its upcoming badminton facility near the Great Mall in Milpitas, CA. The gym will host 12 well spaced courts on IBF certified Teraflex flooring and 24' to 28' ceiling height. Courts will be well lit with diffused lights optimally placed to minimize glare. We will also have a full service pro shop, a large carpeted lounge/waiting area, and exercise equipment.

Smash City will provide member and drop-in play, junior and adult training, and tournaments. Anticipated operating hours are 9:00am to 11:00pm daily, with good on-site parking. Visit our website (http://www.smashcity.net) often for current status leading to our scheduled grand opening in early May 2005.

Smash City's training program will include professional coaches for both recreational and competive players of all ages. Our elite Junior program will be the strongest in the San Francisco Bay Area, featuring many of the USA's top junior athletes with more combined national titles than any other Bay Area program.

Smash City is dedicated to providing the best Badminton experience in the San Francisco Bay Area!!

Smash City is founded and operated by Jim Todt (jtodt@smashcity.net) and Wayne Lum (wlum@smashcity.net), both with vast experience as badminton parents, badminton players, tournament directors, and as (former) Badminton Association of Northern California (BANC) board of directors.

[kwun]

Wood or concrete?


Smash City is pleased to announce its upcoming badminton facility near the Great Mall in Milpitas, CA. The gym will host 12 well spaced courts on IBF certified Teraflex flooring and 24' to 28' ceiling height. Courts will be well lit with diffused lights optimally placed to minimize glare. We will also have a full service pro shop, a large carpeted lounge/waiting area, and exercise equipment.

he says teraflex flooring. google it if you want to know what it is.

[harrycoomer]

That makes a lot of difference in the feel of the Teraflex.

[Han]

Is Smash City Badminton still have long way to go from Grand Opening? Are we talking about beyond 3 months from now? No clue at all.

[baopen]

From my last discussion with the founders, they are opening in May/June 2005 depending on the completion of the constructions.

[badsmashes]

Han,

The last time I checked, they havent even started the construction yet.
It is located at Fleming Business Park, a heavy industrial area.

The address is: 1191 Montague Expressway, Milpitas, CA.

Go check it out!

Here's an article about the gym.
http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/citygov/commissions/planning/agenda020905/2.pdf

You can see the floor plan layouts on the very last few pages.





Is Smash City Badminton still have long way to go from Grand Opening? Are we talking about beyond 3 months from now? No clue at all.

[Qidong]

The way to beat Han, use a slow bird :)




Or make him use his right hand. :rolleyes:

[Smash City]

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in answering questions -- been a little busy coordinating efforts to open our gym as quickly as possible :)

Smash City's Teraflex sports flooring will be permanently installed on concrete. Our flooring is NOT the thin portable mats that are typically placed on top of wood or concrete for temporary use (tournaments). Our Teraflex flooring is comprised of 4 distinct layers -- each layer performing different functions. The bottom layer is basically glued to the concrete, the middle two layers provide the cushioning and resiliency, while the top layer is more rigid to provide uniform traction and wear resistance. This flooring provides better shock absorption and energy return than sprung wood floors typically used in basketball gyms. Since the Teraflex flooring is permanently adhered to the concrete, we won't get any sagging or slipping that can occur with the use of thin portable mats.

Teraflex flooring has been used in every Olympics since 1976.

We are optimistically hoping for a mid-May grand opening, but as you know, there are many factors that can cause delay. We'll certainly keep you all informed of our progress!!

Many thanks for your continued interest!!

[Moshi Moshi]

HI,
I have very bad knee, I am very concerned about the floor. I tried to find out how the teraflex mat is, I will pay whatever cost to prevent my knee getting worse. From your post it seems Teraflex is an excellent floor, even better than hard wood floor. But I never heard of them and nevert saw them been used in any where locally nor in any big events in (badminton). You said it has been used in Olympic since 1976, but for what event? Becuase I only see Yonex Floor mat, the thin mat that has been used in all major tournaments around the world. So Teraflex is the same company that makes Yonex Mat prehaps:confused: since they are the offical Floor for Badmiotnon in 2004 Olympic. I try to look at the teraflex website. From the website it said the thickness 3.99mm. Isn't it the same as the portable mats? Please let me know as soon as possilble. Since I am in the process in renewing my membership. I don't want to waste my money if your gym is way better than the others. Can you supply more information?

Regards




Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in answering questions -- been a little busy coordinating efforts to open our gym as quickly as possible :)

Smash City's Teraflex sports flooring will be permanently installed on concrete. Our flooring is NOT the thin portable mats that are typically placed on top of wood or concrete for temporary use (tournaments). Our Teraflex flooring is comprised of 4 distinct layers -- each layer performing different functions. The bottom layer is basically glued to the concrete, the middle two layers provide the cushioning and resiliency, while the top layer is more rigid to provide uniform traction and wear resistance. This flooring provides better shock absorption and energy return than sprung wood floors typically used in basketball gyms. Since the Teraflex flooring is permanently adhered to the concrete, we won't get any sagging or slipping that can occur with the use of thin portable mats.

Teraflex flooring has been used in every Olympics since 1976.

We are optimistically hoping for a mid-May grand opening, but as you know, there are many factors that can cause delay. We'll certainly keep you all informed of our progress!!

Many thanks for your continued interest!!

[harrycoomer]

The Meno Park gym claims to have 11mm polymer on robbinsons flooring (that seems like it is wood). I've played on Teraflex on concrete, and it's not that great.


HI,
I have very bad knee, I am very concerned about the floor. I tried to find out how the teraflex mat is, I will pay whatever cost to prevent my knee getting worse. From your post it seems Teraflex is an excellent floor, even better than hard wood floor. But I never heard of them and nevert saw them been used in any where locally nor in any big events in (badminton). You said it has been used in Olympic since 1976, but for what event? Becuase I only see Yonex Floor mat, the thin mat that has been used in all major tournaments around the world. So Teraflex is the same company that makes Yonex Mat prehaps:confused: since they are the offical Floor for Badmiotnon in 2004 Olympic. I try to look at the teraflex website. From the website it said the thickness 3.99mm. Isn't it the same as the portable mats? Please let me know as soon as possilble. Since I am in the process in renewing my membership. I don't want to waste my money if your gym is way better than the others. Can you supply more information?

Regards

[Smash City]

There are several different models of Teraflex (and other) sports flooring just as there are several different models of Yonex racquets. Smash City's Teraflex flooring will be the new "Teraflex Badminton Plus" not yet listed on their website. In fact, Smash City will be the first installation of Teraflex Badminton Plus in the USA. It has the same playing surface as their "Teraflex Badminton" portable court mats, the same bottom layers as their "Sport 3D", and is approx. 8mm thick.

Many factors, including thickness, contribute to a playing surface’s performance -- and the manufacturers work hard to balance these parameters for shock absorption, resiliency, and durability. Of course as players ourselves, we are confident our floor will be great, but please try them all and see what works best for you!

Thanks again for your continued interest!!

[Moshi Moshi]

Hi,
thanks for the reply. So basically it's a moblie floor mat just like others? Or its like Golden Gate Badminton, bound to the floor like carpet? I mean one piece bound to the concrete, then print the lines on the huge piece? I hear Golen Gate Badminton is thicker than 8mm? But still need to comfrim, they are rubber type that I may asume it will be more cusion then Teraflex? Now it will be really interesting. Thickness VS Preformance. I guess Yonex over all may still be the best.....Victor is the second since all those stuff has been used in International 5 or 6 stars tournamnets. Who is going to put those mat in the GYM? Please let me know...I really want to try them all.... Yes, badminton community will benfit from all those new courts since it's all better than traditional GYM Floor.....





There are several different models of Teraflex (and other) sports flooring just as there are several different models of Yonex racquets. SmashCity's Teraflex flooring will be the new "Teraflex Badminton Plus" not yet listed on their website. In fact, Smash City will be the first installation of Teraflex Badminton Plus in the USA. It has the same playing surface as their "Teraflex Badminton" portable court mats, the same bottom layers as their "Sport 3D", and is approx. 8mm thick.

Many factors, including thickness, contribute to a playing surface’s performance -- and the manufacturers work hard to balance these parameters for shock absorption, resiliency, and durability. Of course as players ourselves, we are confident our floor will be great, but please try them all and see what works best for you!

Thanks again for your continued interest!!

[Smash City]

Badminton Alley (www.badmintonalley.com (http://www.badmintonalley.com/)) and Smash City (www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net/)) are pleased to announce that Badminton Alley has partnered with Smash City to provide on-site Pro Shop sales and services. Badminton Alley carries the largest selection and offers the best prices on badminton equipment in the country, and is a proud sponsor of the Bay Area Open series of tournaments. Badminton Alley is an authorized dealer of quality badminton equipment from Alpha, Black Knight, Carlton, Gosen, Pointfore, Yang-Yang, Yonex, and Wilson. Badminton Alley and Smash City look forward to the coming joint Grand Opening in Milpitas!

[Joseph]

Badminton Alley (www.badmintonalley.com (http://www.badmintonalley.com/)) and Smash City (www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net/)) are pleased to announce that Badminton Alley has partnered with Smash City to provide on-site Pro Shop sales and services. Badminton Alley carries the largest selection and offers the best prices on badminton equipment in the country, and is a proud sponsor of the Bay Area Open series of tournaments. Badminton Alley is an authorized dealer of quality badminton equipment from Alpha, Black Knight, Carlton, Gosen, Pointfore, Yang-Yang, Yonex, and Wilson. Badminton Alley and Smash City look forward to the coming joint Grand Opening in Milpitas!

Since Smash City and Badminton Alley have partnered, will that mean that the Bay Area Open series of tournaments will be held at Smash City from now on?

[nas88]

I don't know if this is true, but I heard this from a friend. He said Smash City's gym originally was almost leased out to Golden Gate (Mike Yang) but GG pulled out last minute because the warehouse is contaminated with chemicals and adjacent to few chemical companies hence would required extensive detoxification.

Does anyone know how true is this? Is this the same warehouse that GG wanted to lease out originally? I went out to the warehouse to snoop out and its pretty scary to see all the chemical signs along the neighbourhood companies.....I wonder if this would post any problems to the kids and seniors that would want to play there...

May be the owners of Smash City can provide some insights to this matter.. I certainly would not want to see kids get any chemical radiation playing badminton there....

[kwun]

I don't know if this is true, but I heard this from a friend. He said Smash City's gym originally was almost leased out to Golden Gate (Mike Yang) but GG pulled out last minute because the warehouse is contaminated with chemicals and adjacent to few chemical companies hence would required extensive detoxification.

Does anyone know how true is this? Is this the same warehouse that GG wanted to lease out originally? I went out to the warehouse to snoop out and its pretty scary to see all the chemical signs along the neighbourhood companies.....I wonder if this would post any problems to the kids and seniors that would want to play there...

May be the owners of Smash City can provide some insights to this matter.. I certainly would not want to see kids get any chemical radiation playing badminton there....
before anybody else makes any comment on this matter. i want you to clarify: who (with name) did this rumor come from, and where did he/she get the rumor from.

[kwun]

i was in the Milpitas area today. it turns out to be a business park with some high tech companies as well as a furniture warehouse right opposite. i see no signs of chemical plants closeby. so nas88, if your intention is to give other gyms a bad name, then cut it out, i am quite disappointed as i expect more integrity from badminton players.

if you read the full zoning report, you will find a food processing plant, but that's about it. i trust the city zoning report more than some kids who comes here with a "my friend told me". if anything, gyms should work together to promote the sport.

http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/citygov/commissions/planning/agenda020905/2.pdf

i took some pictures of the SmashCity location.

- first one is the outside of the building
- second one is a peek of the inside
- third one is the view from the building with the furniture warehouse right opposite.

[harrycoomer]

I would recommend removing this post and all references to it. We can do without rumor mongering.


I don't know if this is true, but I heard this from a friend. He said Smash City's gym originally was almost leased out to Golden Gate (Mike Yang) but GG pulled out last minute because the warehouse is contaminated with chemicals and adjacent to few chemical companies hence would required extensive detoxification.

Does anyone know how true is this? Is this the same warehouse that GG wanted to lease out originally? I went out to the warehouse to snoop out and its pretty scary to see all the chemical signs along the neighbourhood companies.....I wonder if this would post any problems to the kids and seniors that would want to play there...

May be the owners of Smash City can provide some insights to this matter.. I certainly would not want to see kids get any chemical radiation playing badminton there....

[wira]

Yup. Checked the place out and there is no sign of any danger due to chemicals.


I would recommend removing this post and all references to it. We can do without rumor mongering.

[B3nny H4nn4]

i know the owners personally, and they have kids themselves. So i do not think that they would build there gym in an enviroment which is harmful. lol i wonder who makes up these rumors...

[kwun]

just realized that the back side of the building faces highway 680. put up a big neon sign there and voila, cheap advertising for the gym. every driver and passenger will be wondering what this badminton club is about. :D

[Han]

Any idea when is the opening date?

[kwun]

Any idea when is the opening date?

interesting question, let's do a case study:

Bintang - IIRC, Bintang at Geneva was scheduled for a November opening, and then ended up opening in late January.

UBC - was first talked about there in BC in the beginning of October. it ends up opening in April - don't blame those guys as they really did made the place very nice. it took 6 months with a xmas/new year break.

GGBC - i think they started in Jan/Feb, and i am guessing they will be opening within a couple of months. let's say June, so they are taking 4-5 months.

so depending on how fast the SmashCity folks work, it will be a few months after their April start date. my guess is at least beginning of August.

prove me wrong. ;)

[Han]

Kwun:
The next interesting question is "Is the market big enough to have so many facilities(4 full badminton facilities)?"
My answer is : No.

[kwun]

Kwun:
The next interesting question is "Is the market big enough to have so many facilities(4 full badminton facilities)?"
My answer is : No.

i agree. the current badminton community will not be able to fill 4 large clubs, all of which opens 7 days/week, morning, afternoon and evening.

it will no longer be a "build it and they will come" type of business. however, that does not mean doom for the clubs, as the market can be expanded. one key thing that the new clubs must do is to work together to promote badminton in the bay area. setup intra-club leagues, setup tournaments, setup classes.

they must also attract potential badminton players out there. badminton doesn't need to be an ultra competitive sport, there are a lot of recreational and fitness value in badminton as well. many people can become a regular badminton player.

they need to spread the word, get the newspaper involved. maybe get the TV stations involved. maybe a 2mins feature it in "Bay Area Backroads", or the evening news.

and us badminton players can help out also, tell/invite your friends.

it is a win/win situation, popularity is a good thing.

[krantikt]

I totaly agree with the intra club meets.

That will be a very good idea. Just not sure, that it would materialize, with competition between businesses.

Kwun and Han should probably be the league coordinators, as you are the "nice guys" amongst all these clubs ;)

[Han]

I will let Kwun do the coordination so Krantik(alias Gopichand) and I(alias Lin Dan) can concentrate on training so both of us can represent Bintang in the inter-league games :-). I think we can give some fight against those elite players(alias Chen Hong, Lee Ching Wei, Peter Gade, Jonassen, Taufik, Lim Swie King, ...) from United Badminton?
Kwun, the other way to make this sport popular is to have more kids per badminton family so parents can influence theirs kids to pick up this sport. So Janet, please take note :D

[Qidong]

Kwun:
The next interesting question is "Is the market big enough to have so many facilities(4 full badminton facilities)?"
My answer is : No.

Interesting that after the gym in Fremont opened, there are more people going to Bintang at lunch hours. :confused:

[cooler]

i agree. the current badminton community will not be able to fill 4 large clubs, all of which opens 7 days/week, morning, afternoon and evening.

it will no longer be a "build it and they will come" type of business. however, that does not mean doom for the clubs, as the market can be expanded. one key thing that the new clubs must do is to work together to promote badminton in the bay area. setup intra-club leagues, setup tournaments, setup classes.

they must also attract potential badminton players out there. badminton doesn't need to be an ultra competitive sport, there are a lot of recreational and fitness value in badminton as well. many people can become a regular badminton player.

they need to spread the word, get the newspaper involved. maybe get the TV stations involved. maybe a 2mins feature it in "Bay Area Backroads", or the evening news.

and us badminton players can help out also, tell/invite your friends.

it is a win/win situation, popularity is a good thing.

I think the owners have market expansion in mind in their business model. More facilities do and would increase consumers, how much i dont know and depends in amount of advertising/marketing

[cooler]

I don't know if this is true, but I heard this from a friend. He said Smash City's gym originally was almost leased out to Golden Gate (Mike Yang) but GG pulled out last minute because the warehouse is contaminated with chemicals and adjacent to few chemical companies hence would required extensive detoxification.

Does anyone know how true is this? Is this the same warehouse that GG wanted to lease out originally? I went out to the warehouse to snoop out and its pretty scary to see all the chemical signs along the neighbourhood companies.....I wonder if this would post any problems to the kids and seniors that would want to play there...

May be the owners of Smash City can provide some insights to this matter.. I certainly would not want to see kids get any chemical radiation playing badminton there....

-i had toured chemcial sites before and photos from kwun don't indicate that.
- when u use the term 'chemical radiation', u convinced me that u don't know what u r talking about or you're making it up
- if that site has radiation, the EPA would quarantine the whole site up plus several hundred meter (or yards in US) of buffer zone, ie that furniture warehouse plus all other business shops adjacent to ground zero wouldn't able to get license to operate.

on the plus side, it's nice to see some hard rubbing competition been drumming up. :p -just keep it clean - :D

[Viper2005]

Can anyone confirm if Lili Zhou is coaching at Smash City?
Lili Zhou is the runner-up at the 2004 U.S. Open.

[kwun]

Can anyone confirm if Lili Zhou is coaching at Smash City?
Lili Zhou is the runner-up at the 2004 U.S. Open.

where did you hear that rumor from?

i am sure the organizers can confirm or deny.

any updates on progress and opening date?

[Viper2005]

where did you hear that rumor from?

i am sure the organizers can confirm or deny.

any updates on progress and opening date?

Can anyone confirm Lili Zhou sightings at GGBC, UBC, Bintang, or SJSU?

Sorry, can't disclose my source.

You heard it here first. :)

[kwun]

Can anyone confirm Lili Zhou sightings at GGBC, UBC, Bintang, or SJSU?

Sorry, can't disclose my source.

You heard it here first. :)

you sure it is Lili Zhou? there is a lady, not Lili Zhou, but former world champion, Zhou Lei, teaching at UBC. maybe you have them mixed up.

[Viper2005]

you sure it is Lili Zhou? there is a lady, not Lili Zhou, but former world champion, Zhou Lei, teaching at UBC. maybe you have them mixed up.

I'm pretty sure she moved up north two weeks ago.

Now you'll have two Coach Zhou in SF area.

[MacGyver]

you sure it is Lili Zhou? there is a lady, not Lili Zhou, but former world champion, Zhou Lei, teaching at UBC. maybe you have them mixed up.

:) I can confirm that it is true that Lili Zhou is at SmashCity. She told me a few weeks ago.

When will this club be open to public? and what are the fee for membership or walkin?

[Smash City]

Smash City is proud to announce that Lili Zhou has joined our coaching staff!

Lili has many years of coaching experience, beginning in China and most recently at San Gabriel Valley Badminton Club and Irvine Valley College. Lili will help Smash City provide structured training programs using modern training techniques.

Lili is also one of the USA's top ranked players - 2nd in Women's Singles at the 2004 US Open and 1st in Women's Singles and Women's Doubles at the 2005 Boston Open. As an athlete currently competing at an international level, Lili is able to provide additional insights to students.

Smash City will offer training opportunities for players of all ages and abilities. Lili will focus her efforts on Smash City's Elite juniors and other advanced students.

Smash City, with Lili's leadership, is the premiere training center for Elite juniors!

Stay tuned for future Smash City announcements!

[freeheeler]

open yet, the webisre does not give much information

[Smash City]

Smash City is pleased to announce that our gym renovation project will soon be completed!

Lights have been installed, walls painted, and bathrooms and chilled drinking fountains added. Security systems, clean-up items, and Taraflex sports flooring are scheduled to be completed by this week. Our badminton net standards are due to arrive this week as well!

We are in the process of ordering seating and tables for our large reception/waiting area.

Badminton Alley's pro-shop will also be completed soon - the flooring is done and the retail cabinetry is on its way. Additional inventory is on its way to provide you with the largest selection of badminton equipment and supplies anywhere -- with TWO locations for your shopping convenience!

We optimistically look forward to a late June Grand Opening, but this is dependent on some key city approvals. We expect to beat Kwun's projection of August based on others' experiences to accomplish the quickest opening!!

We are re-amazed every day at how complex and time-consuming this endeavor is. Thank you all for your patience! We are hard at work on our Programs - stay tuned for more announcements soon.

[Han]

Did have a chance to play at Smash City yesterday night and I have to rate this facility as high as the United Badminton Club, thumbs up for the work force to put together such a nice facility. I am sure the Grand Opening is just around the corner.
Great Job once again!

[samkool]

Did have a chance to play at Smash City yesterday night and I have to rate this facility as high as the United Badminton Club, thumbs up for the work force to put together such a nice facility. I am sure the Grand Opening is just around the corner.
Great Job once again!
played there last night.

pros:

very cold water fountain
a lot of courts
very good visibility
cons:

no shower
floor is harder than i expected; not good for the knees over the long term
questions:

what queing system will they use?
how much will membership and admission be?

[harrycoomer]

Lunch time will be impossible. Evenings will be iffy. I lose about 1 litre every hr. My car will smell really badly :)


played there last night.

pros:


very cold water fountain
a lot of courts
very good visibility
cons:

no shower
floor is harder than i expected; not good for the knees over the long term
questions:

what queing system will they use?
how much will membership and admission be?

[Ben Lee]

Kwun,
I agree about badminton players starting rumors. Everyone out there, please let's keep the rumors to yourselves unless you have legitimate concerns. GGBC also went through many rumors and speculation in the beginning and it was extremely frustrating. Players should just investigate concerns for themselves and see what the best solutions are.
The other issue I would like to address is the flooring. There are many different types of flooring out on the market and they all claim to be the best. Mike and I researched many different flooring companies before finally deciding on Robbins Flooring. We even researched Taraflex. On our floors at GGBC, we have a 9mm thick runbber underlayment that is manufactured and formed together with small rubber "granules." The granules are put together with an adhesive creating small air pockets throughout the underlayment. That's what is so great about the floor, it's almost like you are playing with Nike air shoes on. Then a sealer is applied on top of the underlayment to cover any seems. THen finally there are two coats of polyurethane and the top playing surface. So basically, players are playing on more than 12mm of surface. We have placed a detailed explanation of our Robbins Flooring at our facility so players can see what they are playing on.
One thing that players have to keep in mind about the Yonex floor mats are that whenever a tournament uses them, they are usually placed on top of an already existing gym floor. They will rarely place the mats directly on concrete. It would be too hard. OCBC for example already has a beautiful gym floor and they place the Yonex mats on top. THat's the best way. The Yonex mats are great but not directly on top of concrete. I have traveled the world playing many international tournaments and have never seen Yonex mats directly on concrete. There are also a few companies out there that are IBF certified. Remember, that does not mean they are a better floor. All that means is that the company paid the IBF a certification fee. Any company can do that. Currently, the IBF does not have any measuring standards for flooring systems that I know of. If they do, then I would like to invite them to GGBC to test our floors. Currently, 19 out of the 30 NBA basketball teams are practicing on Robbins Flooring. Obviously, they would not need IBF certification for that. (Why would they?):rolleyes:
As far as the Taraflex floors, they are a very good company. The basic difference between Taraflex and Robbins Flooring is the underlayment. Taraflex uses foam and Robbins uses rubber. Like I said in the beginning, players just have to try them and see for themselves which flooring they like better.
As far as all the clubs in the Bay Area, I think it is a great and wonderful thing we are all doing to promote our great sport of badminton. We will all work together to market this sport the way it deserves. Badminton really needs to be exposed to the masses out there and once it is, it will finally get the recognition it deserves. We truly are involved in an exciting time and all badminton players in the Bay Area now have several places to enjoy their passion. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at ben@ggbadminton.com. Take care.
Ben Lee

[cooler]

;) ben

from your description, i would had chosen robbin mat too. If one know what he/she want, one can do better than certified products.
eg. I know many people owning VERY EXPENSIVE home theater system that aren't THX certified :rolleyes:

[harrycoomer]

Unless one is playing in professional sports. (like the NBA).

I have played wood, concrete, dirt, teraflex on concrete, the floors on GG and UBC.

In my less-than-humble opinion :), dirt and concrete are a little tough on the knees. Wood is by and large good enough for all amature sports.

I would love to try out Yonex :).


Kwun,
I agree about badminton players starting rumors. Everyone out there, please let's keep the rumors to yourselves unless you have legitimate concerns. GGBC also went through many rumors and speculation in the beginning and it was extremely frustrating. Players should just investigate concerns for themselves and see what the best solutions are.
The other issue I would like to address is the flooring. There are many different types of flooring out on the market and they all claim to be the best. Mike and I researched many different flooring companies before finally deciding on Robbins Flooring. We even researched Taraflex. On our floors at GGBC, we have a 9mm thick runbber underlayment that is manufactured and formed together with small rubber "granules." The granules are put together with an adhesive creating small air pockets throughout the underlayment. That's what is so great about the floor, it's almost like you are playing with Nike air shoes on. Then a sealer is applied on top of the underlayment to cover any seems. THen finally there are two coats of polyurethane and the top playing surface. So basically, players are playing on more than 12mm of surface. We have placed a detailed explanation of our Robbins Flooring at our facility so players can see what they are playing on.
One thing that players have to keep in mind about the Yonex floor mats are that whenever a tournament uses them, they are usually placed on top of an already existing gym floor. They will rarely place the mats directly on concrete. It would be too hard. OCBC for example already has a beautiful gym floor and they place the Yonex mats on top. THat's the best way. The Yonex mats are great but not directly on top of concrete. I have traveled the world playing many international tournaments and have never seen Yonex mats directly on concrete. There are also a few companies out there that are IBF certified. Remember, that does not mean they are a better floor. All that means is that the company paid the IBF a certification fee. Any company can do that. Currently, the IBF does not have any measuring standards for flooring systems that I know of. If they do, then I would like to invite them to GGBC to test our floors. Currently, 19 out of the 30 NBA basketball teams are practicing on Robbins Flooring. Obviously, they would not need IBF certification for that. (Why would they?):rolleyes:
As far as the Taraflex floors, they are a very good company. The basic difference between Taraflex and Robbins Flooring is the underlayment. Taraflex uses foam and Robbins uses rubber. Like I said in the beginning, players just have to try them and see for themselves which flooring they like better.
As far as all the clubs in the Bay Area, I think it is a great and wonderful thing we are all doing to promote our great sport of badminton. We will all work together to market this sport the way it deserves. Badminton really needs to be exposed to the masses out there and once it is, it will finally get the recognition it deserves. We truly are involved in an exciting time and all badminton players in the Bay Area now have several places to enjoy their passion. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at ben@ggbadminton.com. Take care.
Ben Lee

[kwun]

played there last night.

pros:



very cold water fountain
a lot of courts
very good visibility
cons:

no shower
floor is harder than i expected; not good for the knees over the long term
questions:

what queing system will they use?
how much will membership and admission be?



nice chatting with you samkool.


SmashCity held a "sampler" event on Saturday. they asked a few badminton friends to invite their friends to try out the facility. little did they know, one friend invite another, who in turn invite another, in the end, almost the whole badminton community in the bay area showed up. :)


SmashCity has a spacious facility, they have 12 courts with ample amount of free spaces around the courts. the ceiling is of decent height and lighting is bright. the flooring is professional. good grip and decent shock absorption and rebounce. i didn't play long enough to judge if my knees like it or not.


there are still a little bit of work to be done before they can officially open, but badminton fans should look forward to yet another top quality facility.


i hope i can answer samkool's question as i talked to the owners while i was there. they haven't decided on the queuing system yet. nor have they decided on the membership/drop-in cost.


i took many pics while i was there. i will post them as soon as i have finish sorting them.

[kwun]

here are the promised pictures...

[Cheung]

Yucks, is that all?? :eek:










I am doing my utmost not to go green with envy :crying: (so jealous).
That place looks really great. Congratulations

[krantikt]

Good job with the pics Kwun.

Very descriptive. The place looks nice.

[jdileo]

SmashCity has a spacious facility, they have 12 courts with ample amount of free spaces around the courts. the ceiling is of decent height and lighting is bright. the flooring is professional. good grip and decent shock absorption and rebounce. i didn't play long enough to judge if my knees like it or not.


there are still a little bit of work to be done before they can officially open, but badminton fans should look forward to yet another top quality facility.


i hope i can answer samkool's question as i talked to the owners while i was there. they haven't decided on the queuing system yet. nor have they decided on the membership/drop-in cost.


i took many pics while i was there. i will post them as soon as i have finish sorting them.
Great job on the assessment and pics, Kwun! I agree with you that Smash City has excellent flooring - I played for about an hour and didn't feel sore at all afterwards (maybe one hour is not long enough). More important, the flooring's good grip is vital to minimizing injuries. Another HUGE PLUS is the spaciousness between and around courts, which will lend itself to a much more comfortable and safer playing environment. I didn't realize the design's thoughtfulness until I saw your pics, i.e., courts around pillars seem to have even more spacing!


The ceiling height is really quite high - more than adequate for most players. I doubt my birdie will ever hit the ceiling (so now you know I'm not a pro :p ). The lighting is just right - bright enough yet not blinding.


If there's one bone I can pick it would be the facility's closeness to many big trucks, around which it might be a little dangerous to maneuver. :cool: But then if one goes after hours this would be moot.


All in all, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the excellence of the gym. Of course, there are still some important unknowns such as the queuing sustem and fees. I hope the owners will choose sensible solutions.


Here's my take on all four gyms. 5 is most favorable and 1 is least favorable:


Bintang UBC GGBC Smash City
Flooring 1 3 4 5
Spacing around courts 3 3 3 5
Ceiling height 2 4 5 4
Lighting 1 3 3 5
Queuing system 2 5 1 ?
Color scheme 1 3 4 5
Coaching quality 2 5 3 1
Fees 5 4 3 ?
Parking 4 4 3 4


How would you rate them?

[MidBadder]

Like real estate the most three major key factors are

Location Location and Location !!:):)


Great job on the assessment and pics, Kwun! I agree with you that Smash City has excellent flooring - I played for about an hour and didn't feel sore at all afterwards (maybe one hour is not long enough). More important, the flooring's good grip is vital to minimizing injuries. Another HUGE PLUS is the spaciousness between and around courts, which will lend itself to a much more comfortable and safer playing environment. I didn't realize the design's thoughtfulness until I saw your pics, i.e., courts around pillars seem to have even more spacing!


The ceiling height is really quite high - more than adequate for most players. I doubt my birdie will ever hit the ceiling (so now you know I'm not a pro :p ). The lighting is just right - bright enough yet not blinding.


If there's one bone I can pick it would be the facility's closeness to many big trucks, around which it might be a little dangerous to maneuver. :cool: But then if one goes after hours this would be moot.


All in all, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the excellence of the gym. Of course, there are still some important unknowns such as the queuing sustem and fees. I hope the owners will choose sensible solutions.


Here's my take on all four gyms. 5 is most favorable and 1 is least favorable:


Bintang UBC GGBC Smash City
Flooring 1 2 3 5
Spacing around courts 2 2 2 5
Ceiling height 2 4 5 4
Lighting 1 3 3 5
Queuing system 2 5 1 ?
Color scheme 1 3 4 5
Coaching quality 2 5 3 1
Fees 5 4 3 ?
Parking 3 4 2 4


How would you rate them?

[Qidong]

Like real estate the most three major key factors are

Location Location and Location !!:):)

Isn't location depending on different individual? :rolleyes:

For me, Bintang is closest and UBC is last. But for someone living in Frement, the order will be completely reversed.

[samkool]

here are the promised pictures...
:D i see me in one of them! :D

[wooden_racket]

Great job on the assessment and pics, Kwun! I agree with you that Smash City has excellent flooring - I played for about an hour and didn't feel sore at all afterwards (maybe one hour is not long enough). More important, the flooring's good grip is vital to minimizing injuries. Another HUGE PLUS is the spaciousness between and around courts, which will lend itself to a much more comfortable and safer playing environment. I didn't realize the design's thoughtfulness until I saw your pics, i.e., courts around pillars seem to have even more spacing!


The ceiling height is really quite high - more than adequate for most players. I doubt my birdie will ever hit the ceiling (so now you know I'm not a pro :p ). The lighting is just right - bright enough yet not blinding.


If there's one bone I can pick it would be the facility's closeness to many big trucks, around which it might be a little dangerous to maneuver. :cool: But then if one goes after hours this would be moot.


All in all, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the excellence of the gym. Of course, there are still some important unknowns such as the queuing sustem and fees. I hope the owners will choose sensible solutions.


Here's my take on all four gyms. 5 is most favorable and 1 is least favorable:


Bintang UBC GGBC Smash City
Flooring 1 3 4 5
Spacing around courts 3 3 3 5
Ceiling height 2 4 5 4
Lighting 1 3 3 5
Queuing system 2 5 1 ?
Color scheme 1 3 4 5
Coaching quality 2 5 3 1
Fees 5 4 3 ?
Parking 4 4 3 4


How would you rate them?

I think it is unfair to rate Bintang the way you have. Although I myself am a gym hopper, I still give props to Bintang for being the first dedicated badminton gym. And because they were the first, the pioneer, the prototype, however you want to call it, it was difficult for them to put in tons of money when they didn't know what the turnout would have been. On the other hand, the new clubs face much less uncertainty and so they only have to worry about ways to make their club the best possible. If Bintang had not been the first, then UBC, GGBC, Smash City likely would not have come along (and this goes back to the first Bintang, the one in Mountain View). Besides the flooring at Bintang, I feel that everything else about it is great. Phu makes the atmosphere very friendly for people of all ages and levels. I actually like the lighting better than all the others, because you don't lose the bird like you do with the super bright metal halides. But that's just my opinion. And I agree with all the others that location is one of the biggest factors.

[kwun]

noticed that the lights are not place directly above the court but instead above court boundaries.

the large concrete area in the first pic will be the main sitting area, it will be covered when finished (my guess is carpet). the other fenced area partially shown in the second pic is a workout area with gym equipment. what i didn't show is the office/pro shop area. it occupies the remaining corner.

what is a real pity is that right above the office area is this terrace. it would be PERFECT if they could use it as a dining area/coffee shop. setup some chairs/tables there so patrons can get a bite and relax between games. but unfortunately they are not able to provide disabled access to the area so they could only use it as storage. the top view pics i took was taken from there.

there are also uncovered areas of concrete at the perimeter of the gym. they will probably be covered when the gym is done. apparently they only had the floor laid a week before the event last saturday.

[seihackguei]

Bintang?
GGBC?
Smash City?

can someone give me directions ?

[Joseph]

Bintang?
GGBC?
Smash City?

can someone give me directions ?

Just go to each respective thread for that gym and there will be a link to the site which contains their address or there address in that thread.

[seihackguei]

Just go to each respective thread for that gym and there will be a link to the site which contains their address or there address in that thread.


i still didnt find where smash city is... somewhere in milpitas.. but whats the address?

[samkool]

i still didnt find where smash city is... somewhere in milpitas.. but whats the address?1191 Montague Expressway
Milpitas, CA

[seihackguei]

1191 Montague Expressway
Milpitas, CA

thank you! :) at least some ONE is nice enough

[gummiebirdie]

Absolutely agree with wooden_racket's point on Bintang! :rolleyes: Maybe because it is the first gym, I still like it best over there, very homie. :p


I think it is unfair to rate Bintang the way you have. Although I myself am a gym hopper, I still give props to Bintang for being the first dedicated badminton gym. And because they were the first, the pioneer, the prototype, however you want to call it, it was difficult for them to put in tons of money when they didn't know what the turnout would have been. On the other hand, the new clubs face much less uncertainty and so they only have to worry about ways to make their club the best possible. If Bintang had not been the first, then UBC, GGBC, Smash City likely would not have come along (and this goes back to the first Bintang, the one in Mountain View). Besides the flooring at Bintang, I feel that everything else about it is great. Phu makes the atmosphere very friendly for people of all ages and levels. I actually like the lighting better than all the others, because you don't lose the bird like you do with the super bright metal halides. But that's just my opinion. And I agree with all the others that location is one of the biggest factors.

[TrunkZ69]

Some people stick with their cabs, while others moved on to isos.

[samkool]

Some people stick with their cabs, while others moved on to isos.i still use my yonex blacken from 1980...

...

...

...for straining vegetables :p

[Smash City]

Congratulations to Smash City Coach Lili Zhou for winning the Women’s Singles wild card entry today at the World Championships Trials held in Massachusetts! With this win, Lili has qualified to represent the USA at the 2005 World Badminton Championships!

The 2005 World Badminton Championships will be held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, on August 15-21, 2005.

[B3nny H4nn4]

congrats Lili!!!!!!!




Congratulations to Smash City Coach Lili Zhou for winning the Women’s Singles wild card entry today at the World Championships Trials held in Massachusetts! With this win, Lili has qualified to represent the USA at the 2005 World Badminton Championships!

The 2005 World Badminton Championships will be held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, on August 15-21, 2005.

[baInsider]

I had the opportunity to try this facility out in a less hectic time, and find the environment able to provide one of the best, if not the best, badminton experience in the Bay Area. As mentioned in the previous posts, the facility is more than adequate, spaces between courts is fantastic, and now, I know why Taraflex is the floor choice of so many badminton facilities in the world. What I would like the add is that when we arrived, we were welcomed like vips.

[harrycoomer]

Otherwise becomes unusable for me....

[harimau]

Congratulations to Smash City Coach Lili Zhou for winning the Women’s Singles wild card entry today at the World Championships Trials held in Massachusetts! With this win, Lili has qualified to represent the USA at the 2005 World Badminton Championships!

The 2005 World Badminton Championships will be held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California, on August 15-21, 2005.

How many players actually played in the trial for Women Singles ?? And who did Lily beat in the trials to get pass the qualification ??

[MidBadder]

The space is definitely will fit those who played at Bintang for a while. I went GGBC and feel those courts are too close especially those next to wall. It makes me feel some sort of congestion there.

[Smash City]

Smash City is pleased to announce that we will be open Saturday, July 2, 2005 from 4:00pm to 11:00pm. Come join us during this introductory trial period from now through our future Grand Opening. During this period, our drop-in rate will be $5.00.

Smash City is located at 1191 Montague Expressway in Milpitas – just a few minutes from the Great Mall. Our building is part of the Fleming Business Park.

Our hours of operations for future dates will be published as soon as possible.

Our courts are complete and ready to play, but Smash City is still a work in progress in some areas. Some of our seating is still in transit and our carpeting will be installed next week. Please bear with us as we put the finishing touches on our facility.

Our Grand Opening will be in Mid-July – right after the U.S. Junior Nationals being held near Spokane, WA. Wish our juniors luck as they compete in the USA’s most prestigious junior tournament!

Membership rates and other programs will also be announced during our Grand Opening. Stay tuned!!

[Smash City]

Our operating hours will be:

Sunday, 7/3 -- 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Monday, 7/4 -- Closed

From 7/5 until our Grand Opening:

Monday through Friday -- 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Saturday/Sunday -- 3:00pm to 11:00pm

$5.00 for Open Gym drop-in. We will announce membership programs during our grand opening!!

[Han]

Congratulation for the partial opening, I am sure many are happy to know this. I just hope my injury will not linger for long so I can join the group.
Han

[Smash City]

Congratulations to our Smash City Elite Team! Our 9 juniors came home from the US Junior Nationals (last week in Spokane, WA) with 25 medals, including 7 first place finishes and 9 second place finishes!

If you are interested in joining our Smash City Elite Team, please contact wlum@smashcity.net for tryout and details.

Please attend our Grand Opening on July 30/31 (Saturday/Sunday) for announcements for our other training programs and memberships.

We are currently forming beginners and intermediate classes meeting once or twice a week (Saturday/Sunday) with Coach Yuan Wang.

We are also forming advanced and adult classes with Coach Lili Zhou.

Please contact Wayne at wlum@smashcity.net with all your training needs!

Thanks,

Smash City

[MidBadder]

Hi,

I am thinking to play there for first time.
Could anyone comment about what the atmosphere and queue system is there?
I do not have a partner tho.

greeting...........:confused:

[harrycoomer]

But not too many people, so easy to get a game or find a partner. Enough friendly people around. Nice layout, with lots of space between courts, nice lighting, and large area to sit (saw a couple with a crib :) ). But no showers and did not spot any water fountain.


Hi,

I am thinking to play there for first time.
Could anyone comment about what the atmosphere and queue system is there?
I do not have a partner tho.

greeting...........:confused:

[MidBadder]

But not too many people, so easy to get a game or find a partner. Enough friendly people around. Nice layout, with lots of space between courts, nice lighting, and large area to sit (saw a couple with a crib :) ). But no showers and did not spot any water fountain.

Thanks. I am going to give it a try.
I'll bring my water tho.:)

[B3nny H4nn4]

But not too many people, so easy to get a game or find a partner. Enough friendly people around. Nice layout, with lots of space between courts, nice lighting, and large area to sit (saw a couple with a crib :) ). But no showers and did not spot any water fountain.
hey harrycoomer

They actually have 2 refrigerated waterfountains by the bathrooms on the right side of the gym when u come in...check it out

[Smash City]

We would like to invite you to our Special Lunchtime Trial Period, 8/1 – 8/19. ($2.00 drop-in rate from 11:00am to 2:00pm Monday through Friday)

Thanks to everyone who attended our Grand Opening this past weekend (July 30 & 31) and making it a huge success! It was great to see so many of our friends.

Smash City has expanded its hours! Smash City is now OPEN for drop-in play 11am-2pm and 5-11pm Monday thru Friday and 11am-11pm Saturday & Sunday. Weekday lunchtime drop-in play is $5 (only $2 during our special introductory period!) All other times are $7.

There will be a raffle for badminton t-shirt/product at 12:30pm Monday through Friday for paid drop-in during the Lunch Time Special from August 3-19, 2005. We thank Badminton Alley, the pro-shop within the Smash City badminton facility, for donating the products for the raffle. Lastly, we look forward to having you try out our facility during lunch time. Please don't forget to give us your feedback at wlum@smashcity.net.



See you there!

[SweatyPalm]

Instead of paying for every entry, do they take membership? If yes, how much/month? unlimited access?

[B3nny H4nn4]

Instead of paying for every entry, do they take membership? If yes, how much/month? unlimited access?


General Membership:
initiation fee - 50.00
monthly dues - 58.00
6 month term - 49.00 per month

Family (2 adults - 2 U18):
initiation fee - 100.00
monthly dues - 150.00
6 month term - 130.00 per month

Each additional child:
initiation fee: n/a
monthly dues:28.00
6 month term: 25.00 per month

Couple/Buddy:
initiation fee - 100.00
monthly dues - 110.00
6 month term - 90.00 per month

[Smash City]

It’s not too late to submit your entry forms for Smash City’s Fall 2005 SMASHING DOUBLES tournament to be held Sunday, September 4, 2005 (Labor Day weekend). The deadline has been extended until Thursday, September 1, 2005.

Our entry forms (and more information) can be downloaded at http://www.smashcity.net

You can drop off your entry forms at Smash City or email dko@smashcity.net with any questions or comments. You can also call us at (408) 934-5800.

Thanks,

Smash City

[Smash City]

Smash City will be open during our regular 11am-11pm hours on Saturday and Sunday, and for extended hours of 11am-11pm on Labor Day Monday.

Thanks to the more than 100 contestants who have entered the Smashing Doubles Tournament, including those coming up from L.A. Thanks for your support!

The Smashing Doubles Tournament will be this Sunday, beginning at 9am. Please see www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net/) for Draws and Match Times.

The Smashing Doubles Tournament will not require use of all of our courts - for most of the tournament only 6 of our 12 courts will be needed. The tournament's last matches are expected to be called at 6pm. All free courts will be available for Membership and Drop-in play.

Have a great, Smashing weekend!

Smash City
www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net)

[Smash City]

Smash City is open for Drop-in play Monday through Friday (11:00am to 2:00pm). Cost is only $3.00! Come play -- with 12 beautiful courts -- there is currently hardly a wait. Plenty of free parking!

The Badminton Alley pro-shop is also open during lunchtime!!

Thanks,

Smash City, Inc.
www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net)

[wmb2002]

Smash City is open for Drop-in play Monday through Friday (11:00am to 2:00pm). Cost is only $3.00! Come play -- with 12 beautiful courts -- there is currently hardly a wait. Plenty of free parking!For those who can only go on weekends and evenings, are passes available?

[Viper2005]

Smash City (Wayne),

Do you have some pictures of Howard's visit to smash city?
It would be nice to post some of the pictures in here.


Smash City is open for Drop-in play Monday through Friday (11:00am to 2:00pm). Cost is only $3.00! Come play -- with 12 beautiful courts -- there is currently hardly a wait. Plenty of free parking!

The Badminton Alley pro-shop is also open during lunchtime!!

Thanks,

Smash City, Inc.
www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net/)

[MidBadder]

Hello,

Plan to go play @ noon time Tomorrow.
Anyone interested to play with us? :):)

[Smash City]

Smash City is pleased to announce that the Yonex Bay Area Open Fall 2005 Tournament will be held at our facility on Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th. Come join the fun as the Bay Area's largest and most prestigious tournament featuring top players compete for $1,000.00 prize money in our "A" events.

The Bay Area Open will also feature "B", "C", and "D" events -- so there is something for EVERYONE to enjoy! Entries must be received by November 14th! Entry forms are available at http://www.baopen.com and can be turned in at either Badminton Alley locations (Sunnyvale/Milpitas) or at our Smash City registration desk. Better yet -- you can register online as well!

Smash City will be closed for Drop-in/open play during the tournament and offers discounted tournament entries for our members and students.

Thanks for your support,

Smash City, Inc.
(408) 934-5800

[cooler]

Badminton club a smash
by Rachel McMurdie







Between unassuming corporate headquarters and quiet frontage roads where the occasional freight truck rumbles, you'll find a place where shuttlecocks fly and badminton is king. It's called Smash City, and since its opening in Milpitas in July, the indoor gym has become the largest, underground, unofficial badminton headquarters in the Bay Area. "We're a little hard to find," admits owner and co-founder Jim Todt. "But we're hoping that more people will hear about us and come." Already thousands have flocked to the expansive facility off Montague Expressway near GreatMall, one of only four badminton clubs in the Bay Area. Players have come as far as Sacramento to play on its 12 green courts with custom-designed nets and official-approved professional flooring. What you won't find at Smash City is a slow game of backyard barbecue badminton. You won't find any English ladies in petticoats, for that matter, either. What you will find, Todt said, are people who are intensely dedicated to their sport. "We're sort of fanatics," he said. "In this sport, you kind of have to be." The gym was the dream of Todt and co-founder Wayne Lum, who not only play badminton themselves, but are both parents of top-ranked badminton kids. Todt's children, Andrew and Lauren, now 18 and 17, took their East Bay high school's North Coast Section by storm in 2003. Lum's son, Brendan, recently played in the Pan American games in Peru and won the under-15 junior pro championship. "Our kids grew up on the court and we just decided this was the next step," Todt said. Like many U.S. badminton enthusiasts, the Todts had trouble finding a good location to practice, often playing in community centers and school gyms. Todt said that wasn't ideal. "When basketball season came around we were always on the bottom of the list, and would be last priority for gym time," he said. Susan Lo, Todt's wife and a top badminton player herself, said she often would shuttle her kids from their home in Danville to gyms in South San Francisco two or three times a week. "It's a lot of dedication," she said, "but when I think back to it, it was worth it." Now the pair is hoping their new club will not only give elite players a place to practice, but will help foster the next generation of badminton enthusiasts and encourage people who haven't played for years, to come back to the sport. "Badminton is a lot like soccer was 10 years ago," Todt said. "It's a good model for us. I think badminton is poised for improvements." Badminton promoters are quick to point out the sport's factoids: first, that badminton is "the fastest racket game in the world" and second, that the shuttlecock or birdie, the small rounded object that is hit back and forth between players, has been clocked at speeds of more than 200 mph. Badminton players will also tell you that they cover more ground per match (one to two miles) in half the time (40 minutes) as their tennis playing counterparts and not only does the sport require excellent hand-eye coordination, it also requires good foot speed, and jumping ability. But the sport, the second-most participated in globally (after soccer) has largely lagged in the United States and has yet to catch on the way other national pastimes have. According to one study only 300,000 people in the United States play badminton on a weekly basis, far less than tennis or racquetball. Badminton's top professional players come from China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Korea, which is why badminton, Todt said, is perceived by many as an Asian sport, "and maybe rightly so," he said. Smash city's clientele is roughly 80 percent Chinese and 20 percent Indian and Pakistani, but Todt hopes to change that. "Instead of badminton being an afterthought, I'd like to see it move into the mainstream," he said. He's not alone in his hope. There are pockets of badminton players across the United States in places like California and New York, who cheered when Anaheim hosted the first-ever world championships on U.S. soil in August. Two U.S players, Tony Gunawan and Bay Area native Howard Bach won. Enthusiasts say it's a start. Milpitas resident Han Cheong, a Smash City regular, said he hoped the championships would help attract more young people to the sport. "For this sport to get popular the only way is to get kids in high school involved. Now it has to be their parents who get them into it," he said. "When local people start to win, and start to win more, we can encourage more young kids to play." For Todt and Wu, getting young kids involved is part of the plan. Already their club hosts an Elite Junior Team which includes top juniors in the United States, three of whom have been selected to represent America in Peru and Canada. They've also hired two knowledgeable coaches, who know a thing or two about competing. Coach Lili Zhou, winner of the 2004 U.S. Adult Nationals singles and doubles tournaments, captured gold again in November at the 2005 OCBC YONEX International held in Orange, Calif. Another coach, Yuan Wang, was ranked No. 2 by USA Badminton in women's singles in 2000. But players come to Smash City at all levels. Joanna Rao, a Milpitas High School freshman, is taking lessons at Smash City with her friend, Jennifer Shieh. The pair said they used to play in the back yard, but Rao hoped, with practice, she would be able to join the school's team in the spring. "It's really fun," Rao said, laughing that this was her first experience playing with a net. Lo, who has raised her own children in the sport, said that kids did well because it was fun and demanding. And, she added, "They like to smash one another." A smash is a powerful overhead stroke aimed steeply downward into the middle or rear of the opponent's court, similar to a tennis serve. It sounds vicious, and can certainly outmaneuver a player, but Lo assured badminton was a very safe "non-contact" sport, despite its fast-paced play. "It is a wonderful game because anyone can play, from very old to very young," she said. "It's as fast a game as you want to make it."

[Ben Lee]

I would like to thank Frank and my friends from Xiyu Badminton for the nice "Goodies" basket I received in wishes for my speedy recovery. Last Sunday at the Bay Area Open, I tore my right calf muscle during the finals of the men's doubles. (I will be out of commission for about 4-6 weeks). Again, thank you Frank, it meant a lot to me.

It was a disappointing injury because it was a very fun match to play up until the injury. I am so proud of Daniel and Chi Weh (not sure of his spelling). They are playing very well and it seems as their training has been going well for them. After playing Bay Area badminton for 30 years now, (yes, I am an old man), it is so nice to see the younger players stepping up to the plate. I think with four beautiful clubs in the Bay Area now, badminton will finally get the attention that it deserves. I hope that all our young players continue to pursue their badminton dreams and get as much from the sport as I have through the years. Trust me, it's well worth all the sacrifices you have to make. As far as all the wonderful clubs in the Bay Area, I encourage you all to continue to support our top young players so we can put US badminton on the world map as Howard and Tony have started us off on.

Thanks again Frank and I will see everyone on the courts soon. (Bet on it)
Ben Lee

[B3nny H4nn4]

I would like to thank Frank and my friends from Xiyu Badminton for the nice "Goodies" basket I received in wishes for my speedy recovery. Last Sunday at the Bay Area Open, I tore my right calf muscle during the finals of the men's doubles. (I will be out of commission for about 4-6 weeks). Again, thank you Frank, it meant a lot to me.

It was a disappointing injury because it was a very fun match to play up until the injury. I am so proud of Daniel and Chi Weh (not sure of his spelling). They are playing very well and it seems as their training has been going well for them. After playing Bay Area badminton for 30 years now, (yes, I am an old man), it is so nice to see the younger players stepping up to the plate. I think with four beautiful clubs in the Bay Area now, badminton will finally get the attention that it deserves. I hope that all our young players continue to pursue their badminton dreams and get as much from the sport as I have through the years. Trust me, it's well worth all the sacrifices you have to make. As far as all the wonderful clubs in the Bay Area, I encourage you all to continue to support our top young players so we can put US badminton on the world map as Howard and Tony have started us off on.

Thanks again Frank and I will see everyone on the courts soon. (Bet on it)
Ben Lee

get well soon benny!

[MidBadder]

When will the result be posted ??????

[MaggieHo]

sorry to heard tat from you, i hope u get well soon.




I would like to thank Frank and my friends from Xiyu Badminton for the nice "Goodies" basket I received in wishes for my speedy recovery. Last Sunday at the Bay Area Open, I tore my right calf muscle during the finals of the men's doubles. (I will be out of commission for about 4-6 weeks). Again, thank you Frank, it meant a lot to me.

It was a disappointing injury because it was a very fun match to play up until the injury. I am so proud of Daniel and Chi Weh (not sure of his spelling). They are playing very well and it seems as their training has been going well for them. After playing Bay Area badminton for 30 years now, (yes, I am an old man), it is so nice to see the younger players stepping up to the plate. I think with four beautiful clubs in the Bay Area now, badminton will finally get the attention that it deserves. I hope that all our young players continue to pursue their badminton dreams and get as much from the sport as I have through the years. Trust me, it's well worth all the sacrifices you have to make. As far as all the wonderful clubs in the Bay Area, I encourage you all to continue to support our top young players so we can put US badminton on the world map as Howard and Tony have started us off on.

Thanks again Frank and I will see everyone on the courts soon. (Bet on it)
Ben Lee

[harimau]

Where can we find the results of the current BA Open ??

[Smash City]

By popular demand, beginning March 11th Smash City will open at 9:00am (instead of 11:00am) on Saturdays giving you 2 more weekend hours of the best Badminton in the Bay Area!

Watch for exciting future announcements as we work hard to expand our training hours and programs!!

Thanks,

Smash City

[Smash City]

Smash City is enhancing our Training Program!


We are holding a Spring Break Camp April 17-21. 3-hour sessions are available mornings 8:30-11:30 and afternoons 2:00-5:00.

By popular demand beginning in April Junior classes will also be offered on Sunday – classes are forming now.
For details, please see www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net).

Thanks!

Smash City

[cooler]

Posted on Wed, Apr. 12, 2006



Grieving family rallies at badminton center

By Lisa Fernandez
Mercury News

People say Wayne Lum is a great dad. When his son, Brendan, 14, had trouble finding a place to play badminton, Lum transformed a Milpitas warehouse into a badminton club to solve the problem.

Today, Brendan Lum is No. 1 in his age group, having won seven national junior titles, and is training for the Olympics. And the badminton center -- Smash City -- is the Bay Area's newest and biggest venue for one of the world's most popular sports.

``Well, he's pretty good,'' Lum, 46, said recently, while watching Brendan smash a plastic feathered birdie, or shuttlecock, over the net. ``And he was always getting kicked off the courts by the basketball team or the volleyball team. He needed a dedicated place to practice.''

Smash City is a focal point for hundreds of young, mostly Asian-American players obsessed with the fast-moving sport. But for Lum, it is one thing more: a pastime that helps fill a void left by the death of his daughter six years ago, in a highway accident while on the way to a badminton match. Ever since, badminton has knitted Lum's family together.

Brendan followed an older cousin into the sport when he was 7, and finding court time was always a challenge. Five years ago, there was one badminton facility in the Bay Area. Today, there are four, in Sunnyvale, Fremont, Menlo Park and Milpitas.

No official numbers exist, but badminton is believed to be the second most popular game in the world, trailing only soccer. The game's roots trace back to ancient Greece and China in the 5th century B.C. The modern-day game was adapted by British Army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. Badminton, which became an Olympic sport in 1992, is to countries such as China, Indonesia and Malaysia what baseball or basketball are to the United States.

In large part, its popularity in the Bay Area reflects the growing number of Asians living here. According to the U.S. Census in 2000, about 28 percent of Santa Clara County's population comprised Asian/Pacific Islanders, up from about 17 percent in 1990.

Fast-paced game

Badminton at Smash City -- a former warehouse tucked inside a hard-to-find sprawling business park -- is far from a game that critics call ``wimpy tennis'' played in the back yard on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

On a recent Thursday evening, dozens of players put the 12 dark green courts to use. The players, mostly young Asians such as Brendan, who is Chinese-American, worked up a sweat during the fast-paced game against the backdrop of the club's eggshell blue walls. The game is played by smashing the plastic shuttlecock -- or birdie -- over a net with small rackets.

Because there is no ball in badminton -- only a birdie that soars through the air -- there is no bounce and therefore, little time for players to recover between lobs. Each set is played to 15 points. Winners must beat their opponents two out of three games.

``I like the game because it's very competitive,'' said Brendan, an eighth-grader at West Portal Lutheran Church School in San Francisco. ``I like to strategize before each match.''

Brendan and his dad head to Smash City about three times a week, after dinner or early on weekend mornings, so Brendan can get in his training time. Lum's wife, Joanne, a nurse, typically brings their youngest daughter, ``Mickey,'' now 7, to play on the weekends.

Wayne Lum's day job is as an information technology manager at Scitor, a Sunnyvale systems engineering firm. After work, he drives the family's Toyota Prius 50 miles back home to San Francisco to pick up Brendan for the trips to Milpitas. They spend a lot of their time together in the car just talking. Lum usually peppers his son with questions about his school day or lets Brendan finish his homework.

``My dad usually asks how my homework is going and if I need help,'' Brendan said. ``He's very caring. He'd pretty much do anything for me. My friends think he's the coolest dad.''

Lum co-owns Smash City with Jim Todt of Danville, whose son, Andrew, 18, and daughter, Lauren, 17, are also nationally renowned badminton players. Each father said he put in more than $250,000 to build and lease Smash City, which has about 100 members. Membership is $50 a month. Nearly a year after opening, Lum said, the business is just starting to see a profit.

Lum spent 2 1/2 years scouring the Bay Area before finding the 24,000-square-foot club in Milpitas -- it had to be the right boxy size and have high enough ceilings. Before then, Brendan trained anywhere he could. That included, for a time, playing at a Hayward shoe warehouse owned by a Pakistani badminton fanatic who had two courts in the middle of his shop. Brendan also trained at San Jose State University for a while.

Like the bartender

At Smash City, while Brendan trains, Lum works the desk, schmoozing with customers. Especially since his daughter's death, he said he likes to keep busy.

``I like working behind the counter,'' Lum said. ``I see a lot of friends and members who I can talk with. I kind of feel like I'm the bartender where you can hear their problems and they can hear mine.''

It was Aug. 6, 2000, when Joanne Lum was driving the family's Ford Expedition to Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles to take Brendan to a badminton tournament. The passengers: Brendan, Joanne's parents and the Lum's two daughters -- Micaela, then 2, and Kaitlyn, then 5. Wayne Lum was flying to meet the family.

Somewhere near the intersection of Highway 152 and Interstate 5, the car's tire blew out and the Ford rolled over, killing Kaitlyn and Joanne's father, King Choy Chi.

Lum acknowledges that Smash City is a combination of reacting to Kaitlyn's death, as well as making up for what he lacked in his own youth. His parents owned a grocery store, where he worked every day. He was allowed to play Little League for a short time, and can remember his father being in the stands only twice. He wants to be a different kind of father, and so he clears his calendar whenever Brendan has a tournament.

``Half the fun,'' Lum said, ``is just having your parents there watching you.''


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Lisa Fernandez at lfernandez@mercurynews.com or (510) 790-7313.

[cooler]

Smash City, if the blown tire was made by firestone or bridgestone, I suggest you go sue the pants off those companies.

http://www.autoaccidentsettlement.com/lawyer/ford_expedition_rollover.html

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/LAW/06/16/lawsuit.bridgestone.firestone/index.html

[MidBadder]

HI,

Are there a lot of people playing on Saturday morning ??

:)

[Smash City]

Smash City will be open regular hours during the Spring Break week of April 17-21. Come play 11am-2pm and 5-11pm!

Smash City’s Spring Camp will be April 17-21. It’s not too late to sign up for the afternoon session. Please see the Spring Camp flyer (http://www.smashcity.net/index_files/Smash%20City%20Spring%20Camp%20Flyer.pdf) or email springcamp@smashcity.net (springcamp@smashcity.net) for more information and to Sign Up!

Thanks,

Smash City

[Smash City]

Hi MidBadder,

We started opening at 9am Saturday mornings a month ago. The first 9am Saturday was of course slow, but there have been steadily more players Saturday morning each week. Stop by & check it out!

Thanks,

Smash City

[MidBadder]

thanks for the reply. I did check it out last Sat.




Hi MidBadder,

We started opening at 9am Saturday mornings a month ago. The first 9am Saturday was of course slow, but there have been steadily more players Saturday morning each week. Stop by & check it out!

Thanks,

Smash City

[Vtec101]

Anyone know if and/or when the BAJO is going to be and if there's any entry form posted anywhere?

[Joseph]

Anyone know if and/or when the BAJO is going to be and if there's any entry form posted anywhere?

http://www.bayareaopen.org/Tournaments/BAJO-Summer2006/bajo_summer-2006-MAIN.htm

[Smash City]

Check out which Summer Camp sessions are best for you!

Details are at www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net).

Thanks!

[HamSTAB0i]

oiii $240 for a session... Hopefully my mom will pay for 2 sessions xD...

[harimau]

Where can i see the 06 BAJO Draw ?

[harimau]

06 BAJO Results ????

JITT Results :
U19 BS 1st Howard Shu
2nd Arnold Setiadi
U19 GS 1st Jamie Subandhi
2nd Laurent Todt
U19 BD 1st Sasha Boyarin & Azam Ali
2nd Jack Shu & Steven Wong
U19 GD 1st Laurent Todt & Daphne Ng
2nd Cheryl CHow & Rena Wang
U19 MX 1st Jack Shu & Jamie Subandhi
2nd Emmanuel Pun & Daphne Ng

COngratulations to all !!!!
Good luck for those who will represent the US Team for Panam Junior in Sao Paolo, Brazil in July 06..........

[Smash City]

Smash City Update




Congratulations to Elite Team member Lauren Todt – Pan American Under 19 Ladies Singles & Doubles Champion at the XV Pan American Junior Badminton Championships 2006 just held in Brazil! Lauren was also on the Bronze-winning Team U.S.A.


Also medaling in the Individual competition in Brazil were Elite Team members Brendan Lum taking Silver in U15 Singles and Doubles and Bronze in U15 Mixed, and Brandon Chi taking Silver in U15 Doubles. Our 3 athletes brought home a total of 6 Individual medals. Congratulations all!




Smash City's last 2006 Summer Camp is August 14-25 – sign up by August 7.


For the rest of summer, Smash City will be open at 9am weekdays!






Drop-in is $3 from 9am to 2pm Monday through Friday.




Evening hours are 5-11pm ($7).




Saturdays 9am-11pm ($7).




Sundays 9am-9pm ($7).




Visit www.smashcity.net (http://www.smashcity.net/) for the latest news.




See you on the courts!

[Smash City]

Smash City’s Pro Shop is Now Open!

Offering a wide array of products and services:

Racquets

String and Stringing Services

Shuttlecocks

Shoes

Bags

Grips and more

with more to come!

Stop by & check it out!

</SPAN>

[hiroisuke]

Yeah, I've been there a few times, it's awesome, better than any other I've been to before.

1) Great shop, sell plenty of stuff, even though a lot of the products are slightly more expensive.

2) Somewhere in this thread, a few pages back, someone ranked their training as a 1 (out of 5). What?! Seriously, look at this link:

Of the members on the US junior national team, there are at least 4 that play/train/teach at Smash City.

Coach Zhou Lili is currently (I think) ranked 3rd in Women's Singles, Lauren is ranked 4th (right behind coach Lili). Andrew is also up there in Men's Singles, etc.

I can't believe they can find anything to criticize about the coaching there.

3) I wish they (and everyone else) would sell racket cases. Not racket BAGS, but cases. I need one. They sell all this other awesome equip though.

4) You ppl still play there on the weekends?

5) The flooring is great (no more slipping and hurting when falling), as well as the lighting (above the gaps between courts, not above courts), and the nets (always the same great ones, not like at other places), and the ppl (so many ppl...just wish I could find more of my level. Any idea when other high school kids play? Not the good ones of course, I don't want to get doughnutted)

[yasir]

i want to see pakistani matches anyone have?

[PakMail Fremont]

I've never been there, is it really busy? What is the current level of play there?

[Jing09]

I've never been there, is it really busy? What is the current level of play there?

It is quite busy on the weekends. Half of the courts are taken up for Smash City training, so it is hard to find a court to play on sometimes. The level of play there ranges from beginner to intermediate.