The Sports Club

Since moving to a new neighbourhood, Jamie has spent most of his evenings at home. He misses having people to talk to after work, so a poster advertising a beginners' badminton session catches his attention. He signs up for Wednesday, even though his only experience of the sport comes from watching it on television.

When he arrives, the sound of shoes on the sports hall floor makes him wonder whether he has made a mistake. Everyone seems to know what they are doing. Fortunately, Priya notices him waiting at the side and introduces him to two other players who are also relatively new.

The first game is awkward. Jamie keeps swinging too hard and missing the shuttlecock. Instead of laughing, Priya explains how to hold the racket and encourages him to watch its movement before hitting it. By the end of the game, he has managed several successful returns, which feels like a small victory.

During the break, the group chats about work, local cafés and other activities they enjoy. Jamie discovers that Priya moved to the area only a year ago. She remembers how difficult it was to meet people at first and tells him the club is as much about company as it is about sport.

Before leaving, Jamie adds the next session to his phone calendar. He knows he will need a lot more practice, but his original fear of embarrassing himself has almost disappeared. He came hoping to learn a game; he leaves feeling that the neighbourhood might finally start to feel like home.