Badminton @ Lindbergh Center

I come here every Wednesday night for open badminton from 7 – 9:30, and they do it on Fridays too. It costs $ 5 a night, or you can buy a $ 20 stamp card good for 5 nights. It is mostly Indian dudes and couples (my Indian roomate got me into it), but of all ability levels. The badminton area is divided into two sides– one for those just starting out, and the other for more advanced/​competitive players. The beginner side has many true beginners and those with some experience are very friendly with helping out newbies! No worries if you come by yourself, you sit in a line of chairs and after every game the next four sitting go up– often total strangers.
I was a little intimidated at first as I was one of the only non-​Indians and had never really played badminton, but everyone there is very welcoming and it has been a great addition to my weekly schedule.
There is also a running track overlooking the gym for a warmup or cooldown before and after playing.