las35

Hello, I've recently moved to the USA (northern Delaware) and am having trouble finding any sports clubs to join or even just normal sports centres (such as every town has in the UK) at which to play with a friend. I'm particularly looking at playing Tennis and Badminton, but maybe squash or croquet even.

Has anyone any experience of getting involved in amateur sports in the USA once an adult (i.e. not school or student)? Any advice about how to find out what is available in an area? Perhaps I am using a different vocabulary?

Cheers,

L.

Mummy in the foothills

They don't have anything like local sport centres or leisure centres. Closest would be to join a local gym. ours does have games of basketball and indoor soccer when they can get it together.
I have noticed that theres a mens soccer team around here, but they are all spanish speaking (I can hear them calling out on the field) they use the local elementary school for practice.

Orangepants

Try your local YMCA.

Manc

ditto

and gamesnake.com

Bob

YMCA....or ask local college, usually have sports nights for none affiliated people, but with a discount if you go as a guest of someone.

MIT charge $5 if you go as a guest, or it's $10 other wise for badminton...but for quite a popular sport, you won't find as many places doing it....but town rec departments might have a badminton night, usually seasonal though and membership if for town residents.

http://wolfberg.net/badminton/ website is a bit shit, but it's a good starting out point....dedicated clubs are bloody pricey though, Maugus club where I play, only as a guest of a whole bunch of members there were charging $250 initiation fee and $800 a year for a single member, just for badminton, went up if you wanted to use other facilities. No idea what they charge now...so chum up with people who are members is my best advice.

I only know members because they were customers of where my wife worked, so a different member would sign me in each week.

Michael

In California, they are primarily called ski clubs (but may be referred to as social clubs, over or under 30 or 40 social clubs, singles clubs, etc.). One that I have belonged to snow skied during the winters, played tennis every week year round on public courts, golf and boating and other water sports in the summer, as well as bowling, hiking, biking, and many other activities including parties. The club owned a cabin at Lake Tahoe that could be used by members for about $10 per night when activities aren't planned or about $30 for an organized weekend including food (members were assigned tasks).

They also organized tennis, golf, and skiing tournaments and assigned members to a category depending on their skills.

Generally they are non profit and charge only enough to pay for expenses with club members volunteering their time.

If you want to play squash or racketball, you will likely have to join a sports club or be a guest of a person that is a member. Basketball is generally played in the gym at colleges.

kimilseung

In Seattle, many of the parks have tennis courts, you can often (usually) just turn up and have a good choice of court.

scrubbedexpat099

For Squash and Tennis I joined a local Club, sort of like the David Lloyd ones in the UK.

With tennis I have come across a couple of times club that meet to play on Public courses and from there you can meet people and arrange your games.

meauxna

Does your town have a Parks & Recreation department? Ours puts on all sorts of opportunities.

Keighley Cougar

We're over the boarder in Kennett Square. Not sure where in Northern Delaware but there is a Tennis Club at Hockessin I believe - off Mill Town Road I think.