Where to play in San Jose area?

**beerslayer** · 03-30-2005, 06:13 PM

Hi,

I'm looking to find places to play in the San Jose, CA area. I know that SJSU used to have open gym on Sat. and Sun. afternoons a year or so ago, but I've recently read that it is no longer being offered.

I did see Zclyh3's post from last September regarding weekday evening play, but I can't make it during the week (except possibly Fridays). I haven't found any sort of official page related to SJSU that states definitively when the gym is open - if there is such a page, I'd like to find it.

Also, I should mention that I'm very new to the sport - I know the basic rules of the game, and roughly how to hold the racquet and serve, but not much beyond that. It's hard to join into a match where everybody else is way above me in skill level, and some of the open gyms I've tried to play at have been full of very closed groups who look at us beginners/outsiders like pond scum. So I'd like to find someplace where beginners like me are welcome, and might even find a partner to play with.

Can anyone suggest some places where I might find an open gym at a reasonable price in this area?

By the way, if there are any other beginners in my area looking for an occasional weekend partner who will make you look good by comparison, let me know!

-- Jeff
-- aka The Eternal Newbie

***kwun*** · 03-31-2005, 08:55 PM

beerslayer,

welcome to BC and also welcome to badminton. being a beginner is tough for the reason you mentioned, it is hard to find someone in the similar level to play with. especially when the gyms are usually packed with people.

do you have friends who are going with you? most beginners i see in the local gyms go in a group so they can play with each other. most lone gym-goers are usually more established players.

Bintang is a good place to go to during the weekends, early afternoon and late evenings are the less crowded times.

soon more large gyms will be opening up and the gyms will be much less crowded.

**Greasemonkey** · 03-31-2005, 11:43 PM

Evergreen College got open GYM Friday. I'll be there!..

**beerslayer** · 04-01-2005, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by kwun

welcome to BC and also welcome to badminton. being a beginner is tough for the reason you mentioned, it is hard to find someone in the similar level to play with. especially when the gyms are usually packed with people.

do you have friends who are going with you? most beginners i see in the local gyms go in a group so they can play with each other. most lone gym-goers are usually more established players.

Thanks for the welcome, Kwun!

Unfortunately, I'm pretty much alone when it comes to badminton... currently, my only badminton-playing friend lives thousands of miles away. I'd hate to have to give up the sport for that reason, though. I have no objection to making new badminton-playing friends!

The only concern I have about playing exclusively against other beginners like myself is that when I'm doing something obvious wrong, they may not be likely to spot it and help me correct it. Ideally, I'd like to play against players that are somewhat better than I am, but not overwhelmingly so (I want to have a chance!). I want to learn from better players, and that's hard to do from tapes or from watching from the sidelines. But I understand that such players really gain little from playing against me, so there's a bit of a dilemma.

Don't get me wrong - I'd rather play three other 'me's than not play at all! If nothing else, it would help my conditioning, which has gotten sloppy of late.

Originally Posted by kwun

Bintang is a good place to go to during the weekends, early afternoon and late evenings are the less crowded times.

soon more large gyms will be opening up and the gyms will be much less crowded.

That would be nice! I'd never even heard of Bintang until I came here to this board.

Perhaps someday badminton will become a wider part of the culture here and kids will grow up playing it like they do baseball or soccer.

And perhaps the horse will learn to sing! [1]

Greasemonkey: do you happen to know what days and times Evergreen has open gym?

-- Jeff
-- aka The Eternal Newbie

1 - obscure joke reference

**Greasemonkey** · 04-02-2005, 03:25 AM

Evergreen was close today.

Sorry Jeff, I don't know exactly when they are open, I think I may have to go bintang and play.

**beerslayer** · 04-05-2005, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Greasemonkey

Evergreen was close today.

Sorry Jeff, I don't know exactly when they are open, I think I may have to go bintang and play.

How would you say the environment is there at Bintang for a single beginner? Would I be welcomed or shunned? Would I be able to find at least a few matches? Would I be treated like a leper?

I'd love to have at least some idea what to expect, as that's a bit of a drive for me.

***kwun*** · 04-05-2005, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by beerslayer

How would you say the environment is there at Bintang for a single beginner? Would I be welcomed or shunned? Would I be able to find at least a few matches? Would I be treated like a leper?

I'd love to have at least some idea what to expect, as that's a bit of a drive for me.

you will have to be "thick skinned" about it, scout around for the players in the gym and see if there are a group of players your level. if you find a group that may have a missing person, you are in luck.

i am afraid to say that i have seen a few beginners who have been rejected by other players. i guess it is just like any social environment, much harder when you don't know anybody.

if you get there and see the owner Phu around, you can ask him if he can find you a group to play with, he is very friendly and helpful as well.

**Greasemonkey** · 04-05-2005, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by kwun

you will have to be "thick skinned" about it, scout around for the players in the gym and see if there are a group of players your level. if you find a group that may have a missing person, you are in luck.

i am afraid to say that i have seen a few beginners who have been rejected by other players. i guess it is just like any social environment, much harder when you don't know anybody.

if you get there and see the owner Phu around, you can ask him if he can find you a group to play with, he is very friendly and helpful as well.

Funny you said that cause my name is Phu too. Now I have to go there and play ahahaah..

**Qidong** · 04-08-2005, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by kwun

you will have to be "thick skinned" about it, scout around for the players in the gym and see if there are a group of players your level. if you find a group that may have a missing person, you are in luck.

i am afraid to say that i have seen a few beginners who have been rejected by other players. i guess it is just like any social environment, much harder when you don't know anybody.

if you get there and see the owner Phu around, you can ask him if he can find you a group to play with, he is very friendly and helpful as well.

And don't forget to bring your racquets and birdies. Last week I met 2 really really "thicked skinned" girls. I was practising with my friend on 1 side of the court, and they asked if they can join us. We said OK, then they asked if they could use our birdies and borrow racquets from us because they don't have any.

**Greasemonkey** · 04-09-2005, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Qidong

And don't forget to bring your racquets and birdies. Last week I met 2 really really "thicked skinned" girls. I was practising with my friend on 1 side of the court, and they asked if they can join us. We said OK, then they asked if they could use our birdies and borrow racquets from us because they don't have any.

Crazy.. don't they sell birdie there? At lease that's what they told me over the phone.

**Joseph** · 04-09-2005, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Greasemonkey

Crazy.. don't they sell birdie there? At lease that's what they told me over the phone.

Yeah, Bintang has it's own proshop. They even rent out racquets to those without...

**Qidong** · 04-13-2005, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Joseph

Yeah, Bintang has it's own proshop. They even rent out racquets to those without...

The problem is that they said they never played before, and want to try it out before spending any money.

**SystemicAnomaly** · 04-15-2005, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by beerslayer

Hi,

I'm looking to find places to play in the San Jose, CA area. I know that SJSU used to have open gym on Sat. and Sun. afternoons a year or so ago, but I've recently read that it is no longer being offered.

I did see Zclyh3's post from last September regarding weekday evening play, but I can't make it during the week (except possibly Fridays). I haven't found any sort of official page related to SJSU that states definitively when the gym is open - if there is such a page, I'd like to find it...

You are incorrect about weekends at SJSU. It is still open on most weekends, altho' it will not be open this coming weekend & the next (Apr 16, 17, 23, 24). You may have read that BANC no longer has open gyms at SJSU, however the coach, Kevin Zeng still has both training & open gym courts on most weekends.

You need to get on Kevin's e-mailing list to find out about days that it will be closed. You can get more info at my post #64 on the following page:

http://www.badmintoncentral.com/foru...t=18310&page=4

**cappy75** · 04-15-2005, 01:23 PM

Heh! Nothing ventured nothing gained

. Did you guys loan them your shuttles and racquets

?

Originally Posted by Qidong

And don't forget to bring your racquets and birdies. Last week I met 2 really really "thicked skinned" girls. I was practising with my friend on 1 side of the court, and they asked if they can join us. We said OK, then they asked if they could use our birdies and borrow racquets from us because they don't have any.

**Joseph** · 04-15-2005, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by Qidong

The problem is that they said they never played before, and want to try it out before spending any money.

Hrmms...I would probably still have sent them to the proshop to rent out racquets. When are you Bintang? Maybe I've seen you before? Maybe I've played against you?

**ahhs_1980** · 04-19-2005, 11:31 PM

Have u guys given badminton alley a choice? its a great place, its both a badminton store and gym. they have 24 courts. u will meet alot of new people there.

**krantikt** · 04-20-2005, 04:20 PM

Where is this located ?

I only know of the badminton alley store on S.Mary in sunnyvale.
Never heard of any Gym having 24 courts

Originally Posted by ahhs_1980

Have u guys given badminton alley a choice? its a great place, its both a badminton store and gym. they have 24 courts. u will meet alot of new people there.