Bummer! My gym is closed tonight

[prophet]

What a bummer! :( I was pysched to play some badminton tonight with some friends, and try out some new tips that I've picked up from all of you.

Lo and behold, the gym was closed tonight when I got there. They were having a dance instead. That just sucks. Not only that I couldn't play, but you just get that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, ya know? Like I was on such a high, anticipating my play tonight, and now it comes crashing down.

So I just have some rants :mad: to get off my chest. I really wish the gym (and its manager or whomever) would let us faithful players know ahead of time regarding the gym closure so 1) we wouldn't get our hopes up to play 2) waste our time driving out to the gym.

Anyone share similar bad gym stories?

[bigredlemon]

Originally posted by prophet
What a bummer! :( I was pysched to play some badminton tonight with some friends, and try out some new tips that I've picked up from all of you.

Lo and behold, the gym was closed tonight when I got there. They were having a dance instead. That just sucks. Not only that I couldn't play, but you just get that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, ya know? Like I was on such a high, anticipating my play tonight, and now it comes crashing down.

So I just have some rants :mad: to get off my chest. I really wish the gym (and its manager or whomever) would let us faithful players know ahead of time regarding the gym closure so 1) we wouldn't get our hopes up to play 2) waste our time driving out to the gym.

Anyone share similar bad gym stories?
my club cancelled an entire week without telling us. We went each day only to find it closed, and had no idea when it would reopen if ever. Then they doubled the hours a few days after but didnt tell us either so we missed that too.

[Yodums]

Dang that sucks! Ironic I read this thread to find out my club was cancelled today too! The water pipes were broken!

Oh well, I can hold for another 19 hours and especially on a weekend. I think this is a sign for me to study for my science weather unit test! :)

[tonten]

I know how you feel hehe

[Pecheur]

Originally posted by prophet
What a bummer! :( I was pysched to play some badminton tonight with some friends, and try out some new tips that I've picked up from all of you.

Lo and behold, the gym was closed tonight when I got there. They were having a dance instead. That just sucks. Not only that I couldn't play, but you just get that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, ya know? Like I was on such a high, anticipating my play tonight, and now it comes crashing down.

So I just have some rants :mad: to get off my chest. I really wish the gym (and its manager or whomever) would let us faithful players know ahead of time regarding the gym closure so 1) we wouldn't get our hopes up to play 2) waste our time driving out to the gym.

Anyone share similar bad gym stories?

Yeah we had that problem over summer they resurfaced without telling the club :P Naturally we did what badminton fanatics do and booked courts at another gym ;)

[TOmike]

lol.

yeah we booked gyms at school for the school team from october to february, only to be out prioritized every week we brought our stuff to practice.

[nSmash]

Yeah, I don't get why badminton keeps getting cancelled for some other
sport or activity to use the gym. Do any other sports experience the
same treatment? At this point, I'm finding it hard to believe that anything
can get cancelled so badminton can use the gym.

[blckknght]

we layed down courts with special non-residue tape and came back again only to find that it had been pulled off. lackin in the respect department, those guys...
G

[LazyBuddy]

Talking about those surprise "close out", I think I experienced some worse kinda last summer.

In the college club I used to participate, they posted up schedule for saturdays. The first time I went, the front desk was empty. More than 20 players waited there for like from 30 min upto 2 hrs, but no one ever showed up to help. Since those ppl working there control the key for equipment room, many of us have to just smash around without nets. After we filed some complain, they promised us saying it's just a very rare accident due to some employee messed up their schedule. Ok, fine, we let it go.

Then, the next week, we went again. This time, still no one was working at the front desk. However, there's a very "friendly" note posted on the door, "out for lunch, be back in 15 min". Sure, understandable. More than 15 of us just happily waiting there and expected for a 4 hrs of practice. Time passed fast, and finally, all of us realized that's nothig but just a lie!!! We left there with great anger after about 1 hr later. I mean, if u cancel that, or just being lazy about going to work, fine. Just say it. Why lie to ppl?

As I stated in previous threads, that college gym is 50 miles away from my home. As, for 2 consecutive weeks, me and my friends were looking like idiots, each time drove 100 miles (with some traffic) for NOTHING!!! :(

[nSmash]

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
As I stated in previous threads, that college gym is 50 miles away from my home. As, for 2 consecutive weeks, me and my friends were looking like idiots, each time drove 100 miles (with some traffic) for NOTHING!!! :(
That's just mean... like those people should just forget about the activity
being badminton for 2 secs and just think about respect for fellow humans!

[prophet]

LazyBuddy, I know just what you're feeling.

Part of what irks me and prompt my first thread is that my buddy was driving up to play at this gym- and he has a good 40-50 mile drive. And this isn't the first time its happen to him. But lucky for him (and us), these gym closures only occur infrequently. He's a good sport about it, since we then just grab a bite to eat and talk badminton.

A little side note: I went back to play (same gym) on Sunday, and I talked with the gym manager. He was apologetic about friday, and said an event came up suddenly and he had no control over it. He was concrite and I appreciated his attitude.


-prophet

[Rohly]

Lazybuddy i think what happened to you was extremely harsh. there should of been someone at a sports centre.

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by Rohly
Lazybuddy i think what happened to you was extremely harsh. there should of been someone at a sports centre.

The problem is, this front desk is ran by the PE dept, but out schedule is posted by the REC dept. Therefore, with lack of communication, many incidents happen here and there.

I can recall some major issues like:

1. Once badminton club reserved gym but being kicked out due to PE promoted college faculty club a indoor soccer game. Come on, a reservation is a reservation!!! Kicking 20 poor ppl out is no respect.

2. We were playing badminton (with reservation on Sat, but only 5 ppl showed up at 1pm), college girl's field hocky team coach showed up, and tried to kick us out. She told me, "come on, I have 50 girls waiting!". I told her, "sorry, a reservation is a reservation, even though we have 5 ppl now, I might have 30 ppl showing up within 1 hr". Lucky, I won, and really more than 20 ppl showed up later on.

3. Some times, the gym we played at is listed as "Open Rec" (first come, first serve). Once we set up nets, some times, we don't have enough ppl for 4 courts immediately. Then, some basketball or volleyball ppl just step in and took half of the gym. We told then due to safty concern, it's very dangerous for everyone. They just point to the sign, say, "hey, man, OPEN REC!!!" This is the most frustrated moments, since we don't have the "RULE" to back us up. Many ppl (including ppl working there) think us just need to take a tiny square and bounce bird around, but they don't know what about we got hit by rackets or balls or what so ever. We tried to tell them, badminton can NOT share a gym with others, but we were told, "fine, u don't play!!!". What kinda answer is that?

[Rohly]

Do the people get paid to work there? If they do they should try a bit harder to help out, especially when you have the hall booked and someone comes and tries to take it away. People think that just because the courts are smaller badminton players don't need a whole hall which is completely wrong.

[badrad]

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
As I stated in previous threads, that college gym is 50 miles away from my home. As, for 2 consecutive weeks, me and my friends were looking like idiots, each time drove 100 miles (with some traffic) for NOTHING!!! :(
Do something about it... There was a gym that we had access, but we did not have key to equipment room and the rule was to find the janitor who would unlock it for us, he would wait until we finished setting up then lock the room before he continued his duties. Closing up was the same thing, search the school for the janitor and do the reverse. Finding the janitor was sometimes an adventure in itself since there were labyrinths where he could disappear. After a few weeks of this nonsense the solution was to get our own nets, four posts and we had control over our own destiny.

The nets were cheaper but works fine, and the wood posts were cut from 1x3 for the middles with a small X base, and the end posts were aluminum tubes we found from a scrapper yard. The nets were confugured so that we could use them singular or in series, and we had extra rope for most situations where there were no floor holes but wall anchors, etc. Total cost for our initial setup. $5 each net, wood posts - $2, aluminum end posts $15, rope and hooks $10.

[LazyBuddy]

Badrad,

Thanks for the suggestion. That's what we did in several other clubs I've participated. We have our own nets, post, even spare rackets for new comers.

However, the college gym we can't do anything about it. The front desk (run by REC dept) has the key to the equipment room. Janitor, security guards, even other PE staff don't have the key. Most the practice session are at the off hrs (night or wkends), so, if the front desk ppl decide to take a day off, we are screwed. Also, per campus gym regulation, we can't bring our own equipment, which might dmg the floor (their rule). If we ever voilate those rules, the entire club will be getting in trouble.

Back to ground zero again, badminton is a sport needs more equipment (nets, post, rackets, shuttle, etc) than basketball, volleyball (just need to bring ur own ball, and they have outdoor options). Therefore, if the equipment room is locked, badminton is the 1st one to get burned. My friends (they play basketball) used to joking with me, saying "hope they lock the front desk all the time, so, we don't have to fight for gym with ur guys". So, u see...

[badrad]

Bribes always helps too! Another gym we had, we simply became very good friends with the staffers. Bought them beers at the close of their shift, bring them a bag of snacks so they can munch during the shift, chatting with them in between games.

To the point that if they didn't have the gym ready for us, they were really feeling upset for letting us down. And they often looked forward to seeing us each week.

Most staffers wind up being just aface behind the desk, and sometimes you need to put a person to it. But then there are lots of dorks out there too, but you can also shmooze them too, lots easier to shmooze an idiot...

[bigredlemon]

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
We tried to tell them, badminton can NOT share a gym with others, but we were told, "fine, u don't play!!!". What kinda answer is that?
Isn't it a bit unfair though to take entire gym even though there's not yet enough people for it? It is open gym after all. I think his argument has merit. If you can't do something safely, you shouldn't do it at all. It's dangerous for me to ride my bike on the streets, but I wouldn't think of writing to city council to have cars banned. The operators of the gym was supportive enough of giving you guys dedicated gym time.

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by bigredlemon
Isn't it a bit unfair though to take entire gym even though there's not yet enough people for it? It is open gym after all. I think his argument has merit. If you can't do something safely, you shouldn't do it at all. It's dangerous for me to ride my bike on the streets, but I wouldn't think of writing to city council to have cars banned. The operators of the gym was supportive enough of giving you guys dedicated gym time.

I got ur point. I am 1000% agree with "everyone has right to play during Open Gym".

However, maybe I did not tell the entire story yet. The way REC dept organize schedule is partial "reservation" + partial "Open Gym" (they assume EVERY sports can just stick into one corner, and share). "Open Gym" takes over 65% of the entire scheudle time.

Therefore, for basketball, volleyball, etc, they have their reserved time, as well as Open Gym. For badminton, we can't take any advantage in Open Gym (which happend to 75%+ of the time). By this, do some math, u will find out, that most other sports can have 50% chance to play, and badminton has no more than 15%. Plus, basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc have outdoor facilities as well, but badminton, u know the answer.

The thing drive me mad, is not really saying, "even i only have 2 ppl, I will take the entire gym". Most of the time, even a lot of members immedicatly show up, the basketball player still don't want to stop. Even though, they were out numbered by say 25 vs 3 or 4. Then, all of us 25 ppl or so, have to either "shut up" and being in danger, or, we can't play. The thing drove me mad are the following:

1. Basketball / Volleyball players can "kick" us out (by playing ball) by using 2 ppl. We can't do it, unless we have more than 8 (4 courts).

2. A lot of times, they see us busy warming up or changing, they just come in, and take it. And always use "Open Rec/Gym" to attack us. They say, "first come, first serve". Well, what about if next time, we set posts right in the middel of every basketball court before they do, will they be happy?

3. We tried to let Rec Dept. know, it's not fair that badminton will lose majority of Open Gym time, but they just say, "hey, other sports don't complain, why u always bring things up?" Plz, do u understand this sport before talking like that? It's like, hey, how come the rich ppl never complain has no food to eat, only u poor ppl crying for hungriness???

4. Sometimes, basketball / volleyball has another larger gym (college gym has 3 sections, but only this small section is ideal to setup posts), they just want more...

5. Those players and managers don't want to solve the problem for us. They just use "Open Gym", "If u complain, don't play" as weapon to attack us all the time. U know the feeling by against some "law / rulez" which does not make too much sense itself...

6. I know maybe it's hard for the manger to just kick ppl out. However, can they give us a little bit piroity, like, "wait for 15 min after the post is set". If we still don't have enough ppl, we won't complain. But once the door is open, ppl chasing in. Basketball player just need to grab a ball, and us need to set up the post (ask ppl to open equipment room first, if we are lucky enough to find them within 10 min), u know who's always faster...

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
We tried to tell them, badminton can NOT share a gym with others, but we were told, "fine, u don't play!!!". What kinda answer is that?

Let me be more clear on the term of "gym".

The gym facility we play has 3 sections. 2 large ones, with 3 full size baskeball courts each, and track field, etc. The last one is very small, about just 1 full size baskeball court. The only one able to set posts, is the small one, which has a removeable wall to divide it with the larger gym.

What I say share the "gym" is always refer to the small sectioin (4 badminton courts) only. I never even dream about attempt to take over the entire gym facility at the first place.

Sorry for the confusion.

[bigredlemon]

what kind of facility is this? If it's your college's which it sounds like it is then you could always file a petition. Or lobby to get dedicated gym time. With a hostile environment like that it'd be no fun to play. If I were you I'd just set up posts everywhere. Tell them you need them all for drills. I.e. one person each full court to practice serving or whatever. You can take all the courts with 4 people, and then play when more people come.

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by bigredlemon
what kind of facility is this? If it's your college's which it sounds like it is then you could always file a petition. Or lobby to get dedicated gym time. With a hostile environment like that it'd be no fun to play. If I were you I'd just set up posts everywhere. Tell them you need them all for drills. I.e. one person each full court to practice serving or whatever. You can take all the courts with 4 people, and then play when more people come.

Even though I am no more a student, but yeah, it's my old college gym.

Thnx for all the suggestions. But in NY, which is a "hoops" town, badminton is a minority's minority (u can easily see that i have to go 50 miles for play). Overall, badminton club will surely out-numbered by basketball players, and i don't think any management system dare to piss off 80%, just try to please the 10% (even though, there's nothing really say a great favor, but just ask ppl to behave and be fair about the rulez, but not abuse it).

As a result, many of the serious players from this club started to play in another HS club nearby. Even though, a little bit further and we need to pay $5 to get in. Hey, at least we can get time to play.

[badrad]

I recently had a meeting with the new administrators at a brand new YMCA in our community. We branched from our conversation to gym use and badminton and they told me that badminton sessions they have programmed are always fully attended. I said to them with that sort of attendance they should easily justify opening more sessions for badminton then.

But they came back with a flat economics reply - they said the maximum head count for a badminton session is too small and they can't justify too many badminton sessions. The way they have it figured is as follows: Each court can only have 4 players at a given time, 3 courts in the facilty means that only 12 people are playing at a time. I said that that shouldn't limit only 12, they could enroll upwards to 24 (8 per court). Their reply then was that it wasn't fair to all the players since at any time 1/2 is sitting off, so effectively they are only playing for 1/2 the time.

Whereas, for volleyball they can set up 2 courts in the same gym space, thus having 24 people playing at the same time. basketball, they have 4 hoops, and can arrange for 6 players on each hoop - thus also 24 playing simulatenously. Floor hockey - 2 games simultaneously - 20 players simulatenously.

That is a hard mentality to break past.

[LazyBuddy]

Originally posted by badrad

But they came back with a flat economics reply - they said the maximum head count for a badminton session is too small and they can't justify too many badminton sessions. The way they have it figured is as follows: Each court can only have 4 players at a given time, 3 courts in the facilty means that only 12 people are playing at a time. I said that that shouldn't limit only 12, they could enroll upwards to 24 (8 per court). Their reply then was that it wasn't fair to all the players since at any time 1/2 is sitting off, so effectively they are only playing for 1/2 the time.



I heard about the same kinda issues in the college club. Ppl just use all kinda of "math" to take badminton out of consideration.

Ok, it's true maybe 24 ppl sharing 3 courts might be a little bit over crowded, but what about 18-20? Most club level player won't being able to perform in top level in 2-3 hrs straight anyway. Ppl always need to take a break. If we can set some "winner stay" (no more than 3 consecutive games) in one of the court, u will see the "flow" will be nice and smooth.

So, for them, playing 1/2 of the time (a lot of ppl even prefer 1/2 time, since they coming in not for serious game, but also for social, also consider age, injuries, "no show", weather... very hard to actually get a full house showing up at once.) is no good. Then, easiest way to settle is "NO TIME"...