Las Vegas Badminton group

***Oldhand*** · 11-21-2008, 02:26 AM

Thanks, cooler

Here's the article with Don's picture.

PS: Please remember to credit the original source (and writer) in such posts.
But for the email address, very few would know that this is from the Las Vegas Sun.

***Oldhand*** · 03-23-2009, 04:45 AM

A year later, it's Vegas time again.
This time it's 18 to 26 April.

I will, of course, be packing a few racquets.
Any BC members in the area, please drop me a line

**badwally** · 03-23-2009, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by Oldhand

A year later, it's Vegas time again.
This time it's 18 to 26 April.

I will, of course, be packing a few racquets.
Any BC members in the area, please drop me a line

Oldhand those one arm bandits are no good for you. It will give you RSI and where will you be then with badminton. Sideline for 3 months

Bring back some photos to show. Especially if you going to a badminton court near you...

I have been dying to go back to Las Vegas since my last trip a few years ago. Did not have time to see everything. So much to see, so much to do, too little time...

Anyway enjoy...

***Oldhand*** · 03-23-2009, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by badwally

Oldhand those one arm bandits are no good for you. It will give you RSI and where will you be then with badminton. Sideline for 3 months

Bring back some photos to show. Especially if you going to a badminton court near you...

I have been dying to go back to Las Vegas since my last trip a few years ago. Did not have time to see everything. So much to see, so much to do, too little time...

Anyway enjoy...

Haha... no RSI for me, sir

I hope to meet with Don Bolwaire again.
Also, there are quite a few Singaporeans in Vegas working odd jobs.
And they do play regularly at the two places I visited last year.

Also around will be a Philippino coach, two American enthusiasts and a Danish gentleman who plays a mean game of mixed doubles partnering his Vietnamese wife.

Yes, I will snap some photos but they won't be of badminton

**norcalstringer** · 03-24-2009, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Oldhand

Haha... no RSI for me, sir

I hope to meet with Don Bolwaire again.
Also, there are quite a few Singaporeans in Vegas working odd jobs.
And they do play regularly at the two places I visited last year.

Also around will be a Philippino coach, two American enthusiasts and a Danish gentleman who plays a mean game of mixed doubles partnering his Vietnamese wife.

Yes, I will snap some photos but they won't be of badminton

Haha! I played in Las Vegas last year and I think I played with those same people. There was an older Filipino guy (maybe that's the coach you're referring too) and an Indonesian lady (I don't remember her name). She was very nice and accomodating on the courts to a visiting badminton fan like myself. Nice people all around

***Oldhand*** · 03-24-2009, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by norcalstringer

Haha! I played in Las Vegas last year and I think I played with those same people. There was an older Filipino guy (maybe that's the coach you're referring too) and an Indonesian lady (I don't remember her name). She was very nice and accomodating on the courts to a visiting badminton fan like myself. Nice people all around

The name Freddie popped up somewhere in my fuzzy RAM.
Is that the coach's name?

If so, he is the one I referred to

**norcalstringer** · 03-24-2009, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Oldhand

The name Freddie popped up somewhere in my fuzzy RAM.
Is that the coach's name?

If so, he is the one I referred to

Freddie sounds familiar but I can't remember. Have a great time in LV in April! I'll be playing in GGBC in Emeryville

**wangj11** · 04-12-2009, 04:35 PM

hi i'm from the vegas area and i'm looking to start playing badminton again. i'm new to this forum. please let me know when you decide to play or where :]

***Oldhand*** · 04-12-2009, 08:50 PM

Look for Don Bolwaire.
He's the man in Vegas

I too will be there next week

***Oldhand*** · 04-21-2009, 11:15 PM

It's been a disastrous badminton week in Las Vegas

Saturday - no game
Sunday - no game
Monday - no game
Tuesday - no game

The problem is that badminton session timings in Vegas have been moved to much earlier in the day - for instance, 12 noon!

For a 'working' tourist, that isn't a convenient time

This morning, I motored down to the UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) after I was told that they have a regular badminton session every day from 8am to 12 noon.

Next to the Thomas & Mack Center is the, er, Student Wellness & Recreation Center, an imposing building with a glass facade.

A glass facade?
A badminton court with glass walls?

The four-storey gym is a fantastic place. Nearly a hundreds treadmills and other exercisers (yes, a hundred), scores of body-building machines, two indoor basketball courts, an indoor running track, an indoor volleyball court, cafeterias, giant multi-viewers... the place is amazing.

The lines for the badminton courts are drawn rather weakly on the upper-level basketball court. And, as I feared, they are set against a blindingly bright wall of frosted glass!

I sat there waiting for the 'several' regular players to turn up.
Not one did

Wednesday - renewed hope

------------
PS: The girl at the counter told me that if I didn't have 'birdies', I could rent them from the gym. When I showed her the tube of shuttles I had brought along, she said she had never seen a feather shuttle before!

**wangj11** · 04-21-2009, 11:47 PM

how long will u be here in vegas playing? I get my equipment from LA tomorrow, so I'm hoping to start playing Friday night sometime during the 6PM-12AM slot at UNLV. let me know

***Oldhand*** · 04-21-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by wangj11

how long will u be here in vegas playing? I get my equipment from LA tomorrow, so I'm hoping to start playing Friday night sometime during the 6PM-12AM slot at UNLV. let me know

I'm leaving Vegas around noon on Friday.
Better prospects await me in Los Angeles

***Oldhand*** · 04-21-2009, 11:53 PM

By the way, I hope to play tomorrow at the Mirabelli Community Center

Their session begins at noon.
Don Bolwaire is the organiser.

**wangj11** · 04-23-2009, 01:01 AM

lol i do agree there are a lot of crazy players in LA .. so many at sgvbc!

**ctjcad** · 04-23-2009, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by Oldhand

I'm leaving Vegas around noon on Friday.
Better prospects await me in Los Angeles

..so you've finally decided to swing by L.A., this time around??...i take it you've made reservations already??..

***Oldhand*** · 04-26-2009, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by ctjcad

..so you've finally decided to swing by L.A., this time around??...i take it you've made reservations already??..

Sigh

I should have seen this earlier.

Yes, I did make a detour to include Anaheim's OCBC.
Had a great session with a few fantastic games.

The inimitable Halim Heryanto and the Panda-in-a-Honda added to the fun.
Quite an unforgettable evening (and that includes the steaks)

***Oldhand*** · 04-26-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Oldhand

By the way, I hope to play tomorrow at the Mirabelli Community Center

Their session begins at noon.
Don Bolwaire is the organiser.

For those who might be heading for badminton in Las Vegas, do check out the courts at Mirabelli CC. The walk-in fee is just USD 2... and that's it.

The playing hall is a wonderful piece of work. It's well-lit, wind-blocked and well maintained (although, ideally, they should be mopping the courts before the games and not after).

What's more, the hall is acoustically treated to such a fine degree that the venue is worth playing at just for the sound!