Marblehead, MA Badminton Club

Special Notices

The hours of this club have shifted to have a starting time of 8:00 p.m. for a 3-month period from 20-Nov-13 through 26-Feb-14. Marblehead Youth Basketball uses the gym annually for the duration. There may be some evenings when the ending time may be extended to 10:15 p.m. An exception to this time offset will be for 27-Nov-13, the night before Thanksgiving; hours that night are 7:00 to 9:45 p.m.

Effective 6-Jan-13, Sunday fees increased to $8, and Sunday Family Play was discontinued.

Please use the sign-in sheet at the front desk when you arrive. Any checks should be made out to "Town of Marblehead".

This club is now meeting two times a week throughout the entire year at the Marblehead Community Center (MCC) at 10 Humphrey Street at the corner of Humphrey and Pleasant Streets in Marblehead. The hours are normally from 7:00 to 9:45 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sundays. Usually, school vacations do not affect the schedule, but if school is cancelled due to weather, then this activity is also. The fact that this club continues through the summer is unusual; most other clubs are dormant through the summer. This club has been meeting at this location since January, 1998.

This club is not an independent club, but it is an activity (named "Pick-Up Adult Badminton") sponsored by the Marblehead Recreation Department, whose phone number is 781-631-3350. Participation on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays is for adults only, except for the family hour on Sundays.

There is now one way to pay for playing in this club on Wednesdays and Sundays and that is to pay $8 per person. You are asked to sign in and pay at the front counter when you arrive and before you enter the gym. Suzanne is the usual Recreation Department person there.

There are four courts. Feathered birds are used, and plenty of already-used birds are supplied for warming up. The town brochure suggests you should bring your own birds. Level of play includes players of levels A through D, and this club is also available to beginners.

The club meets all year round, including warm summer evenings. The gym is not air-conditioned, but this has not proven to be a problem for most players.

There have been badminton lessons held at the Marblehead Community Center for adults on Tuedays. The contact for this program is Nick Vered at NickVered@gmail.com. There is also coaching for juniors in this town. See details on this page.

For more information, contact club regular David Soule at dsoule44@gmail.com. You can also visit the Marblehead Recreation Department web site; click on "Members" and "Badminton".

The club supports a Yahoo Groups e-mailing list to notify players of news about the club. If you would like to be added to this list, contact David.
A Map Showing the Club Location

There are more steps in these directions, but this route is usually faster than following the following set of directions. Beware that this route cannot be used in the reverse direction, since Raymond Rd. is one-way. Taking Route 114 all the way back to Route 128 is suggested. Beware that it is difficult to notice where Route 114 makes a diagonal left at a signal about 3/4 mile past the signal at which Route 1A North joins Route 114 near Salem State College.

Take Route 128 North, past where Interstate 95 diverges, and take Exit 26A, which is "Lowell Street". At the bottom of the exit ramp, you are forced to turn right at the STOP sign.
Take this street for 2.5 miles, through residential and commercial neighborhoods, until it ends at a T intersection. Turn right, following the sign for Route 107 South.
Go 2 blocks to the signal, and turn left onto Jackson St.
Take this to the end, where there is a STOP sign, and turn right onto Jefferson St.
Go 1.1 miles to the end, and turn left onto Loring Ave., which is also Route 1A North.
Take an immediate right, staying on Route 1A. Then take the next right quite soon onto Raymond Rd. Take this to its end at a STOP sign, and turn right onto Route 114, but there is no immediately visible route sign.
Take Route 114 one mile (entering Marblehead along the way) to the signal. At that corner, Humphrey Street comes in from the right, and there is the Marblehead Savings Bank on the right. At that intersection, go straight across and into the access to the high school. Take an immediate right into the Community Center parking lot.

Simpler Directions to the Club

There are less steps in these simpler directions, but you do go through the center of Salem, which can be slow.

Take Route 128 North, past where Interstate 95 diverges, and take Exit 25A, which is Route 114 to Salem. This is the same exit as for the North Shore Shopping Mall.
At about 1/2 mile from the exit ramp, Route 114 turns left, and it turns right a block later. Then take this street to the end, where there is a T intersection, and Route 114 turns right again.
Stay on Route 114, proceeding through Salem center. You will be making turns: left, right, left as you go through the center. On the other side of the center you will merge with Route 1A.
As you pass by Salem State College, Route 1A turns off, but you should remain on Route 114. You will soon leave Salem and enter Marblehead. As you do this you go up a hill and the road curves to the left. You are on Pleasant Street.
There is a signal 0.6 miles from the town line. You are seeking the second signal 0.9 miles from the town line. At that corner, Humphrey Street comes in from the right, and there is the Marblehead Savings Bank on the right. At that intersection, go straight across and into the access to the high school. Take an immediate right into the Community Center parking lot.

The Gut 'N Feathers private club is also in Marblehead, but it is not affiliated with this public club.