Any pickup in Decatur or L5P?

[Catherine Fox]

Any pickup near Decatur or L5P? If not, any interest?

[dumptruck42]

I'd be interested. In Kirkwood, and the sunday Coan Rec games seems to have died.

[jrd]

Hi Catherine,

For about 9 years, there was consistent pickup at the Columbia Seminary Field in the Winnona Park neighborhood of Decatur on Sunday afternoons. The field was an outstanding place to play, and it was the "sure-to-happen" pickup game in the Atlanta area, if not the whole Southeast, with folks sometimes driving in from Tennessee and Alabama just to play with us.

In 2008, when the Seminary began construction of a dorm on part of the field, the game moved to Coan Rec Center, in Kirkwood (between Decatur and L5P) with still generally good attendance until late 2010/early 2011, when weather and competition from other games around town began to sap numbers.

I felt strongly then that a few healthy games are better than many weak ones, and I equivocated in promoting the Coan game to reduce "splintering" of folks. In the Spring of last year, Columbia intimated that they'd let us return in the summer (having long since finished construction), but eventually they decided they wanted to wait another year for their fields to finish filling out. I briefly tried to revive the game in August at Coan (see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4525) but because turnout was marginal, I decided to table the game there, probably permanently.

At the end of our time at Columbia, we were consistently getting 30 (sometimes 40) or so folks, often with 2 full games running for a good part of the afternoon. Since then, though, there are now many more games around town, with the Piedmont Saturday game replacing Columbia as the "go-to" game when folks want to be sure of numbers. If there's sufficient interest, I can try to see if we can get Columbia to let us back, though I don't think it's been quite a year since they've told us to wait.

I want to emphasize that it's really helpful if there's actually a demand for a game in the time and place you select. Pickup depends a lot on "critical mass", and there's not a shortage of games available in the metro area (If you're willing to drive a little, there's a game almost every day of the week. I know several folks who sometimes play in two different games a day), though are some better than others . Standing around in the sun, waiting on folks who may or may not show up can get pretty boring after a couple of weeks; it's easier to just go where they are, rather than try to get them to come to you. Also worth mentioning is that summer league starts in a couple of weeks, and that sometimes makes getting numbers out for pickup a little difficult until it finishes in August.


Still, hope springs eternal, and I've been asked a few times about the old game. I'd love to see it get it going again. If you know some folks who can consistently show up, I can throw some support your way. Let me know your thoughts.

- J.R.

[Schweers7]

I'd be up for a Sunday afternoon pickup. I'm in East Lake/Kirkwood.

[slblondeau]

Sunday afternoon in Phoenix 2 park. 430ish.

[Catherine Fox]

Glad to see some of you are interested.

My son and I went to the Grant Park pickup game ten days ago or so and it was great! Went again this past Sunday around 7 (maybe too late?) and again today at 6 but no one was there either time. Looked for the nearby elementary school but could not find anyone.

There are lots of fields in Decatur. I can ask the City about it if needed. I am open to the Seminary of course or wherever. How can we make it happen?

If you know other regular games, please let me know when and where.

Thanks!

[jrd]

Hi Catherine,

The Grant Park neighborhood game is pretty steady, at least on Sundays. It was postponed on the day that you went at 7pm because of the holiday weekend, and they played on Monday instead. Wednesdays are a little more hit or miss. Make sure you get on their mailing list next time you go out, and they'll keep you posted of happenings/changes.

Most of the fields I know of in Decatur (and I grew up there) are associated with schools, and I'm not sure of the ability to play on those. Our game actually started at Winnona Park school, but there's signs up now prohibiting "unauthorized" activities, and I think the neighbors are a little resistant to outsiders using the field. We played at Renfroe Middle School for a while, and I suppose we could go back, but the field is not that nice and I'm not that anxious to play there. If you have contacts in the city, by all means try them, but my experience is that schools are resistant to give permission because of liability issues, and there may be costs to use them as well.

At some point this summer, I'll probably wander back over to the Seminary and see if things have opened up. If so, I'll recommend trying to start back August 12th (the weekend after Summer League ends). If not, I'll probably just keep going to the myriad of games already going on around Atlanta. Most are listed elsewhere in this forum, or message me and I'll give you details.

I'll post updates here if there's news on Columbia.

Best,

-J.R.

[Wart]

Well I would suggest Winona Elementary in Oakhurst (Decatur). I coach Decatur High School's team and we use Winona as a practice field. I will speak to some people to confirm but the neighborhood uses the field all the time for soccer, lacrosse, etc. It's great, smack in the middle of a neighborhood, playground for the kids and its a 1/4 mile from Columbia Seminary too so people that know about that can find it.

Since it is on Decatur City School grounds and being quasi-associated with DHS Ultimate Club I would ask that it be kept family friendly, no beers etc. What time shall we say? It's hot in the summer so 6:00ish and in the fall like before/after Falcon's gameish?

I know I've got kids that are dying to play and I want them to get all the PT and experience they can before next season plus they are students in the school system and it's great for parents to come out and watch and even play if they want.

Whatdoya'll think?

I will follow up with some people maybe get the ball rolling late July?????

"Eric"

[osterme]

I'd definitely be up for a regular game in Decatur. If not the Winnona Park field, maybe Glenwood Park? Great fields there and often have people throwing the disc around anyway.

[jrd]

.
Hi Wart,

I didn't know you were helping out at DHS. Is Coach Fowlkes still looking after the Cross Country team over there? I ran with them their first year, way back when. Give him my best if you see him.

As I mentioned, when I first started playing pickup at that game, it was at Winnona (which is technically a few blocks outside of Oakhurst), so I find the possibility of going back there intriguing. I'm not entirely sure of why it left - I wasn't playing when it moved - but I always thought the neighbors were a little ambivalent about people they didn't know on the field. I know at about the same time a sign went up that seemed to restrict use of the field. The sign is gone now, but the post it was on is still there, so I don't know if that means that it doesn't apply any more, of if someone just stole it.

Anyway, if you can get permission, that would be great. I certainly don't have any problem with "family friendly" and I'm all for doing anything that would help keep younger folks coming into our sport (and I know of a couple of other juniors who might want to play). And of course, having parents involved would probably help keep the field accessible.

I'll try to check on the Seminary soon, so we know what our options are. From my circle of friends, I'd still suggest not starting until after Summer League is over, but if you've got numbers before then, by all means go ahead. And yes, it's quite hot in the afternoons now; 6:00pm seems good to start. In the Fall, I've usually suggested 4:30, since most Falcons games are finishing about then, but have to push back as we get close to Winter. We can see how it goes.

Thanks for the initiative. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

-J.R. (Go Bulldogs)

[Josh H]

I'd be interested in pickup in the Decatur/Kirkwood area as well.