Racquet Network

More people discover our network at this time of year than at any other point during the winter season. In fact, only Wimbledon and the US Open bring more people to our network than New Year’s Day and the week that follows it.

“I want to start playing racquet sports,” people tell me when they join. “I want to be more active and lose some weight this year,” they say. “Which sport do you think I should play?”

Great to hear! Glad to have you with us! Helping people start and continue playing racquet sports is what Racquet Network is all about.

Everybody in our network is here for two reasons. One: they enjoy playing racquet sports. And two: every racquet sports player needs a partner.

WHICH SPORT SHOULD YOU PLAY?

That question can be tough to answer. It really depends on you, your fitness level and what the people around you are playing.

For example, squash players can burn up to 1000 calories per hour. However, it is not recommended for people who are substantially overweight or for people who do not have a base level of fitness to begin with.

Racquetball players, on the other hand, tend to burn fewer calories per hour. So it is more accessible to players with weight issues. But it’s not always easy to find racquetball players at the beginner level. So it would be silly of me to recommend racquetball to somebody who lives in an area where beginner-level racquetball players are few and far between.

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER

The first thing to consider is what you like to do. If you enjoy badminton and hate squash, then play badminton and don’t play squash. You will be more active when you play a game you enjoy.

The second thing to consider is what you have at hand. Take a good look at the racquet sports facilities near you. Racquet Network lists facilities with websites on our club home pages. However, we don’t list all facilities.

Call your local gyms and community centres. Find out what they have to offer. My life changed when I discovered that the community centre across the street from my house had an old, rarely-used squash court hiding in the back. That dusty old court eventually became ground-zero for Racquet Network.

And finally, find out what the people around you are playing and don’t be afraid to try something new. One of the keys to active living is to stay active. If you can’t play tennis, play badminton. If you can’t play badminton, go for a run. If it’s too cold to go for a run, go to the gym.

It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do something. Make a commitment to being active at least five days every week and then your life (and health) will begin to move in a new direction.

Racquet Network gives you opportunities to meet new people, to try new things and to become reacquainted with sports you played when you were younger. The degree to which you take advantage of these opportunities is entirely up to you.

Join the only network that pays you to play racquet sports. Register – Play Games – Report Scores – Get Free Stuff