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Is it easy to find a regular game of pick-up basketball in Morgantown? Say, 3-4 times a week? That's the most important thing for me when choosing a city to live in. LOL
During school times, head off to Towers where the college kids live. Always someone out there balling. During breaks, I head out to that park in Sabraton. I forget what its called...it's across the street from the DMV. I can usually find a game there.
I just turned 24 and have a good job out in the boonies of SWPA.....where it's like stepping back in time some four or five decades everywhere you go. But I have too long of a commute from Pittsburgh(1.5 HR), and Morgantown(25 mins) literally is the only option that I would have that's reasonable. I'd look into places out of state, but I'd be essentially taking a pay cut and getting a good job isn't exactly easy with the way things are right now.
But I've often wondered about this myself when thinking about Morgantown. If I want to stick around for my job, then Morgantown would be the place I'd end up at for the rest of my twenties in the least. Morgantown's a really nice little town and all, and I like it a lot, but I don't want to feel out of place for not being a student. Obviously I still like to go out to bars/clubs/concerts, but I don't exactly feel like being "that creepy guy hanging around college kids" due to the WVU students everywhere. Know what I mean? In all seriousness, what exactly IS the overall outlook for things like dating, making friends, and having things to do every weekend for anybody who's not a WVU student or looking to act like one? Also, does Morgantown just quiet down a bit during the summer months or does it turn into a total ghost town with nothing to do? Point in case...would you consider setting roots in Morgantown if you had a good job within the area, were 24/single, looking for a strong social life/social atmosphere, yet not wanting to be lumped in with the drunken WVU undergrad madness? I'm a fan of WVU athletics in general and like the town, however I don't want to end up "going back to college" so to speak from a social standpoint...so good idea or bad idea as a place to live during your post-college twenties for someone in my situation?
Last edited by TelecasterBlues; 11-27-2009 at 01:16 PM..
I moved to Morgantown in my mid-fifties for a job, having previously lived in Northern Virginia. I like it just fine. It may be easier to live here as an adult if you didn't attend WVU, because you don't have that history and expectations of carrying on just like you did as a student. I experienced the same kind of disjunction when I returned to Austin in my mid-twenties for a job after having partied my way through four years of UT. It took a while for me to quit trying to act like a student and become connected to adult life in Austin.
I just turned 24 and have a good job out in the boonies of SWPA.....where it's like stepping back in time some four or five decades everywhere you go. But I have too long of a commute from Pittsburgh(1.5 HR), and Morgantown(25 mins) literally is the only option that I would have that's reasonable. I'd look into places out of state, but I'd be essentially taking a pay cut and getting a good job isn't exactly easy with the way things are right now.
But I've often wondered about this myself when thinking about Morgantown. If I want to stick around for my job, then Morgantown would be the place I'd end up at for the rest of my twenties in the least. Morgantown's a really nice little town and all, and I like it a lot, but I don't want to feel out of place for not being a student. Obviously I still like to go out to bars/clubs/concerts, but I don't exactly feel like being "that creepy guy hanging around college kids" due to the WVU students everywhere. Know what I mean? In all seriousness, what exactly IS the overall outlook for things like dating, making friends, and having things to do every weekend for anybody who's not a WVU student or looking to act like one? Also, does Morgantown just quiet down a bit during the summer months or does it turn into a total ghost town with nothing to do? Point in case...would you consider setting roots in Morgantown if you had a good job within the area, were 24/single, looking for a strong social life/social atmosphere, yet not wanting to be lumped in with the drunken WVU undergrad madness? I'm a fan of WVU athletics in general and like the town, however I don't want to end up "going back to college" so to speak from a social standpoint...so good idea or bad idea as a place to live during your post-college twenties for someone in my situation?
It's an exciting place to live for a variety of reasons, and since it is a budding job market there are lots of people living and moving here of various ages who are not attending college. You'd have little trouble making social connections here.
SILK (about basketball in Morgantown): Unfortunately, if you want to play with an "older" crowd, you will have to search. Typically, the old Fieldhouse (Stansbury Hall) has at least five games running (simultaneously) on a daily basis (beginning at about 4PM), but it's mostly 18-25 year olds. Nonetheless, during the right time of year (when less students are on campus, i.e. during holiday breaks and summer break), the games are super competitive. You often see current and former Mountaineer players playing there (both from the basketball and football teams). The new recreation center also has competitive games, but you must have a WVU college ID in order to play there (technically, you are required one for the Fieldhouse as well, but they never check, which allows for some "older" guys to play--on a typical day during the peak season, there is 2-3 40-year old guys playing against the younger guys at Stansbury). If you want a little less competitive games, go to the Shell building. I rarely played there, but they do run pickup games. They also play a lot of intramural games there, so court time is at a premium (I am not sure when the regular pickup games transpire). There is a long-standing game at the Coliseum during lunch time that is relatively competitive; however, the guys that play mostly all work there (aged 25-40) and I am not sure how new potential players could be introduced to the group without a connection. It's a really good group of guys, though. Perhaps, just show up on a random weekday around lunch time wearing your sneakers and ready to go. During the warmer months, you can go to Marilla Park (outdoor court with chain nets). The "real" games are mostly "street ball," but the players are a general mix (a few courts with teenagers, competitive players, older guys, girls, etc.). Lastly, the best advice that I could provide is to make some friends. There are several grade school, middle school, and high school gyms in the area. These gyms are "rented" by the general public for pickup games. Typically, a guy with a connection to the school, will "rent" the gym one or two nights each week and invite 10-20 of his buddies to play for a few hours (each paying a few bucks for the rental). It's difficult to locate these guys and become part of the group, but if you do, it can be a lot of fun. Usually, many of the regulars play at the other places listed, so once you become established (get a name / reputation) as a local player, you hear about all sorts of local games. Oh, one last thing, there used to be (probably still is) a local men's league sponsored by BOPARC (local parks and recreation). They have two divisions (more competitive, less competitive, and I believe that one division is a 30+ league) and play at the local schools (probably two games a week). It was usually pretty well ran (local parks and rec officials, but hey, it was at least organized) -- Check the local BOPARC website.
If you go to Marilla Park, I'll be watching some of your games.
The townhouse I am buying is literally across the road from
it. In fact, that was a big selling point for that location.
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