The Asics Gel-Rocket is not a great pickleball shoe Until recently, Asics ™ had a great reputation in the indoor court shoe category. Unfortunately, as anybody who pays attention to these things can tell you, those days are behind us now.
Asics Canada has pretty much given up on the indoor court shoe business. Two seasons ago, they offered 12 different indoor models in a variety of colours and ten of these were good shoes that were suitable for adult pickleball players.
This season, however, they are offering only four models. Two of these models (Gel-Upcourt and Gel-Rocket) are transition shoes designed for kids, not adults. One of the four is a high priced volleyball shoe that is designed to look like a street shoe (Netburner Ballistic FF) and the other is the Gel-Tactic, which is nothing special.
The Gel-Rocket is undoubtedly their top seller in this category. But this is not because it is a good shoe for pickleball. It is their best seller only because Sport Chek and The Sporting Life are selling it to gullible consumers who don’t know any better.
As in previous years, the newest version of the Gel-Rocket has a loose upper with very weak support and a segmented sole featuring alternating patches of low grade gum and painted rubbers. Neither of these rubber blends offer adequate traction on hardwood floors and neither will stand up to long term use by adult players.
At best, the Gel-Rocket is an imitation court shoe suitable for use by teens who are likely to outgrow the shoe in a few months. It is not and should not be considered an adult pickleball shoe even though it comes in adult sizes.
Babolat makes excellent indoor court shoes with Michelin rubber soles.At Racquet Network, we have replaced Asics ™ with Babolat ™. While Asics is in rapid decline in the indoor court shoe category, Babolat is clearly in the ascendance.
Over the past five years, they have consistently improved their court shoes to the point where they have now surpassed Asics as the brand preferred by the majority of our pickleball customers.
The other brand that continues to do well in this category is Yonex. In addition to making excellent court shoes generally, Yonex makes two wide models that are excellent for pickleball and the older players who tend to dominate that sport.
Regardless of your size or foot shape, if you are a former Asics customer in need of some quality court shoes, you should come in and see us. Our experts will fit you and make sure you leave with the right size and the right shoe for the surface you are playing on.
Babolat ™ Championship tennis balls are available at wholesale price.Great news for instructors and small outdoor tennis clubs in the Calgary area.
Racquet Network has just negotiated a deal with Babolat Canada that allows tennis instructors and small outdoor tennis clubs in southern Alberta and eastern British Columbia to get their tennis balls at wholesale cost with no additional shipping costs.
Racquet Network warehouses bulk quantities of Babolat balls for children and adults in our southwest Calgary store. Established clubs and certified instructors are able to buy cases at wholesale cost and pick them up in-store.
Balls included in this program are as follows:
MODEL
SIZE
TYPE
AGE
Babolat Championship
Case of 24 tubes
Hard court
Adults
Babolat Academy
Bag of 72
Hard court
Adults
Babolat Green
Bag of 72
Hard court
11-13 years
Babolat Orange
Bag of 36
Hard court
10-11 years
All prices are wholesale for duly registered tennis clubs and certified tennis instructors. Instructors must be current members of the Tennis Professionals Association or the Professional Tennis registry. Schools and non-profit community associations are also eligible for this program.
This program applies only to orders that are picked up in-store. Racquet Network reserves the right to impose reasonable limits during peak season.
Place orders by email through orders@racquetnetwork.com. You will be notified when orders are ready for pickup. No walk-ins, please.
We do our best to recycle tennis, squash, badminton and racquetball string.Did you know that racquet string cannot be recycled? Most people don’t. They assume it can, but it can’t.
All synthetic string ends up in landfills. Tennis string, badminton string, squash string, racquetball string, speedminton string. Once we cut it out of your racquet, it’s garbage.
For that reason, we offer arts and crafty people an opportunity to use discarded string one more time before it moves on to the local dump.
All of the string we cut out of racquets is stored in a string-only bin. We hold onto those string pieces until the bin is full.
Anybody who wants it can have it — absolutely free!!
We never mix it with garbage. The only thing in the string bin is clean string. All colours. All gauges. All sports.
Use it for arts and crafts. Use it for whatever you like.
No charge. Just take it away. All we ask it that you put it to use in one way or another.
Please visit our southwest Calgary store in person for more information. No calls. No emails.
Touchtennis Tournament in AlbertaTouchtennis is a modified version of tennis played by adults on a compact court with foam balls and shorter (21 inch) rackets.
It is regularly featured on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and is growing in popularity and acceptance as an alternative form of the full size game of tennis.
The first ever Touchtennis tournament help on Canadian soil is being organized by David Rossolatos (david.rossolatos@tennisalberta.com) of Tennis Alberta. It will occur at the Ralph King Athletic Centre in Edmonton on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018.
The draw will be capped at 24. It will be also the first event on Canadian soil with prize money and ranking points.
Registration includes lunch, which will be a burger/hot dog BBQ around lunch time.
The main event will feature singles while consolation event will feature doubles.
Where to play badminton in CalgaryThe information in this article is offered as a courtesy to our customers. We cannot guarantee that it is 100% accurate because these groups do not always update us when they make changes.
If you have questions about these groups and their activities, DO NOT call our store. Call or email the contact info for the groups below.
Our retail store staff will not be able to give you answers about any of these clubs or facilities. So please do not call the store.
SOUTHWEST BADMINTON GROUPS
FISH CREEK BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-281-7024 (Frank)
Email: suneel@telus.net (Suneel)
Location: Woodlands Elementary School – 88 Woodgreen Drive SW
Summary: Adult group. Three courts. Tuesday and Thursday evenings September through April. There are 12-20 regulars at the intermediate level. Some of these players have been playing together for 30 years. Drop-ins are welcome but beginners typically don’t come more than once or twice. Racquet Network staff play here frequently.
FALL 2018 SCHEDULE
8:00-9:30 PM
Tuesdays, Sep 11, 18, 25 — Oct 2, 9, 16, 28 — Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 — Dec 4
Thursdays, Sep 27 — Oct 4, 11, 18, 28 — Nov 1, 8, 15, 29 — Dec 6
DIE HARDS BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-281-6940 (Phil)
Email: phil-hum@shaw.ca (Phil)
Location: Southland Leisure Centre – 2000 Southland Drive SW
Summary: Adult group. June/July/August only. Four courts. Thursday evenings June through August. There are 25-30 regulars at the intermediate level. Racquet Network staff play here frequently.
HARSIDE BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Email: hardside_badminton@shaw.ca
Location: Menno Simons Christian School – 7000 Elkton Dr SW
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. September to May. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally.
KINGSBORO BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Locations:
Henry Wisewood High School – 910 75 Ave SW
Lord Beaverbrook High School – 9119 Fairmount Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. Wednesdays and Fridays. Season runs from September 2015 to end of May. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally.
NORTHWEST BADMINTON GROUPS
BEARSPAW BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-239-1502
Location: Bearspaw School – 253210 Bearspaw Rd, Calgary, AB T3L 2S5
Summary: 6 courts.
Time: Monday and Wednesdays 7-10pm
Summary: Adult play. All Skill levels welcome. Players are primarily intermediate to Advanced level.
Nylon Shuttles provided but feathers are welcome.
They play during the school year, September to end of June.
Membership option or $7 drop-in fee.
BRIAR HILL / HOUNSFIELD HEIGHTS ADULT BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-289-0921 (Lorne)
Location: HHBH Community Gym – 1922 14 Ave NW
Summary: Adult group. Morning group plays Tuesday through Friday. Three courts.
NORTHERN LIGHTS BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
NO LONGER ACTIVE
Phone:
Location: Beddington Heights Elementary School – 95 Bermuda Road NW
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. 6 Courts
SOUTHEAST BADMINTON GROUPS
BOT BADMINTON (GROUP)
Email: botfederball@gmail.com
Location: Prince of Wales School – 253 Parkland Way SE
Summary: Adult group. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings
FCR BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Email: fcrnsa@hotmail.com
Location: MidSun Community Center – 50 Midpark Rise SE
Summary: Adult group. No summary available.
RIVERBEND BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-816-1661
Email: RiverbendBadminton@groups.facebook.com
Location: Riverbend Elementary School – 65 Rivervalley Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. Wednesday evenings. September through April.
LAKE BONAVISTA BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
Phone: 403-248-8530 (Pat or Kelly)
Email: pat.eberle@shaw.ca
Location: Lake Bonavista Community Center – 1401 Acadia Dr SE
Summary: Adult group. 4 Courts. Drop in welcome
NORTHEAST BADMINTON GROUPS
FRIENDS OF BADMINTON (GROUP)
Phone: 403-710-8393 (Alfred)
Location: Georges P Vanier Jr High School – 509 – 32nd Ave NE
Summary: Adult group. 4 courts. All skill levels welcome. Friday evenings.
U of C BADMINTON CLUB (GROUP)
2500 University Drive NW
Email: ucbadminton@gmail.com
Summary: Adult group. No summary available.
BADMINTON FACILITIES
VILLAGE SQUASH LEISURE CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2623 56th Street NE
Phone: 403-280-9714
Summary: No summary available.
WESTSIDE REC CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2000 69 St SW
Phone: 403-531-5875 ext 0
Summary: No summary available.
TALISMAN SPORTS CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2225 Macleod Tr S
Phone: 403-233-8393
Summary: No summary available.
SOUTHLAND LEISURE CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 2000 Southland Drive SW
Summary: Friday, Saturday, Sunday drop in. Open courts. First come first serve. No coordinator present. Racquet Network staff play here occasionally. Kids programs available.
HILLHURST/SUNNYSIDE BADMINTON (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-283-0554 Ext.232
Email: frontoffice@hillhurstsunnyside.org
Location: 1320 5 Ave NW
Summary: Monday and Thursday evenings. There are 4 courts with good lighting, rubber compounded floor, showers and lockers for post beginners to advance level.
EDISON BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-306-0001 (Billy or Beth)
Location: 2km North of Okotoks on highway 2A
Summary: No summary available. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
SUNRIDGE BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Location: 401 33 ST NE
Phone: 403-263 9222
Email: info@sunridgebadminton.com
Summary: Private club. 16 professional IBF/WBF approved courts with a 30ft high ceilings. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
CLEARONE BADMINTON CENTRE (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-265-3886
Email: calgary@clearonebadminton.com
Location: 1853 – 120th Ave NE Calgary AB T3K 0S5
Phone: 403-265-3886
Email: calgary@clearonebadminton.com
Summary: Full service badminton club. 14 sprung wood courts with specialized flooring system and 32′ ceilings. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
SAIT BADMINTON CLUB (FACILITY)
Summary: Sunday mornings.
Phone: 403-284-8734
Email: tj.babey@sait.ca
Summary: No summary available.
SMASH CITY (FACILITY)
Phone: 403-569-0328
Location: 4839 47 St SE, Calgary, AB T2B 3S5
Summary: No summary available. Lessons and programs available for kids and adults.
Our Pro Shop has moved to Canyon Meadows Shopping Center. It is on the 2ND FLOOR of the NORTH WING. The unmarked glass doors leading to the second floor are immediately to the right of the Rexall Drug Store. Please note the new address: 2ND FLOOR - NORTH WING, UNIT 201, 11625 ELBOW DR SW. Dismiss
