Anonymous
Post 06/03/2025 15:03     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The problem that I see is the lack of court space. When my kid was in middle school, the kid who like basketball would try to play 5 on 5, and kids who don’t really play would just wander onto the court and try to play, so it would end up as 40 kids on the court. It’s a little like running, where 3:20 used to be a slow marathon time, and now 10,000 people walk the Disney marathon.

The only place my kid got decent runs was with adults, and even then, guys who have a good group tend to keep it secret. My kid would get invited to runs and it would be in a church gym in the burbs with no windows and all the lights in the rest of the building off, the people would tell him “don’t tell anyone about this.”


I wouldn’t have believed you a week ago but I just found out about a top secret parents’ pickup game at our kids’ private school on weekends. The AD hosts it but they are quiet about it because they are really worried about liability.


LoL so funny, I know the one you mean.
Anonymous
Post 05/29/2025 20:55     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:The problem that I see is the lack of court space. When my kid was in middle school, the kid who like basketball would try to play 5 on 5, and kids who don’t really play would just wander onto the court and try to play, so it would end up as 40 kids on the court. It’s a little like running, where 3:20 used to be a slow marathon time, and now 10,000 people walk the Disney marathon.

The only place my kid got decent runs was with adults, and even then, guys who have a good group tend to keep it secret. My kid would get invited to runs and it would be in a church gym in the burbs with no windows and all the lights in the rest of the building off, the people would tell him “don’t tell anyone about this.”


I wouldn’t have believed you a week ago but I just found out about a top secret parents’ pickup game at our kids’ private school on weekends. The AD hosts it but they are quiet about it because they are really worried about liability.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 17:20     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
The problem that I see is the lack of court space. When my kid was in middle school, the kid who like basketball would try to play 5 on 5, and kids who don’t really play would just wander onto the court and try to play, so it would end up as 40 kids on the court. It’s a little like running, where 3:20 used to be a slow marathon time, and now 10,000 people walk the Disney marathon.

The only place my kid got decent runs was with adults, and even then, guys who have a good group tend to keep it secret. My kid would get invited to runs and it would be in a church gym in the burbs with no windows and all the lights in the rest of the building off, the people would tell him “don’t tell anyone about this.”
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2025 16:19     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
www.hoopsquad.com
Anonymous
Post 12/05/2024 16:01     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:Anything near Bethesda or NW DC or even Silver Spring?


Wheaton and downtown Silver Spring rec centers have basketball open gym hours. Silver Spring has basketball open gym on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Specific times are listed here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec/Resources/Files/ssrac-opengym-dec.pdf

Wheaton rec has basketball open gym almost every day of the week: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec/facilities/recreationcenters/wheaton.html#trumba

If you're a MoCo resident, you can get a membership for free to use the rec centers. If you're not a resident, you'd have to chek...
Anonymous
Post 12/04/2024 21:13     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anything near Bethesda or NW DC or even Silver Spring?
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2024 13:26     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Rec basketball fills this need IMO, especially at the high school level. Kids are playing for fun. It’s a mix of athletes who play other sports or just kids who want to play for fun.

It’s not a just show up thing, but it’s very casual and low key.
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2024 13:22     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
My kid at a FCPS middle school plays basketball after school with classmates two or three times a week. It is officially part of the after school activities run by the school, but it is much more like the pick up basketball of old.

(He also plays on an organized basketball team).
Anonymous
Post 01/30/2024 10:25     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:TJ community center in Arlington. It's for kids under 18. Pickup volleyball too on Fridays.


thanks!, will try that!


I think this is only for arlington residents. But if you are you can also look at Lubber Run has pick up games.

Or, you can have your son just get boys together and play at one of the numerous outdoor courts in arlingorn.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 21:22     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:Used to take our kids to lifetime fitness for this. Sadly they took the courts out for pickleball.


ive noticed this more and more. I went to the howard county Y a few weeks ago for basketbal training for my sons. 2 nice courts, and one will taken for pickleball.

I get the gyms have to do whats needed to get members but I just feel like they need to build pickleball courts. seeing a basketball court being used for pickleball is sad to me.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 21:20     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:TJ community center in Arlington. It's for kids under 18. Pickup volleyball too on Fridays.


thanks!, will try that!
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 19:08     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Used to take our kids to lifetime fitness for this. Sadly they took the courts out for pickleball.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 18:54     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anonymous wrote:TJ community center in Arlington. It's for kids under 18. Pickup volleyball too on Fridays.


It's FREE for kids under 18. Anybody can go though.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 18:53     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
TJ community center in Arlington. It's for kids under 18. Pickup volleyball too on Fridays.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 18:45     Subject: Youth Pick up Basketball
Anywhere in the region that kids say 10-15 get together and play pickup basketball on a regular basis.

Everything now is pay for play with AAU teams or trainers involved. I am looking for kids of different levels getting together and just trying to win games for the fun of the sport.

most people over 40 remember this as kids. its seems to all but have disappeared in this region