Sports & Hobbies groups near Middleton, WI

A networking group for Madison Area wellness professionals. We get together to learn, collaborate, network and elevate our energy with likeminded professionals.

Meet and socialize with other local Software Developers. Discuss various programming languages and techniques, software architecture, cross-platform development, iPhone development, etc. We're an informal, social group designed to get most of us out of the office/home. Our members cover a huge cross-section of the programming industry, from web to embedded, desktop to iPhone, from Java to C++ to Haskell. If you program, either professionally or as a hobby, you'll probably get something from our group.  

This group is the perfect way for anyone in their 30s/40s to experience Madison, socialize, and make friends. The group will offer a good variety of events, so you are sure to find something that suits you: concerts, craft events, parties, happy hours, wine tastings, sporting events, movies, dancing, volunteering, game nights, pick up sports, hiking, lake-based activities, museums, and anything else we can think of. We are always looking for ideas and organizers for the group. Let’s have some fun!!

sphere is a community that connects people through soccer and fitness. Each session begins with a workout followed by structured open play - all set to music. While the workouts are soccer-inspired, you don't need know anything about soccer to participate. In fact, they were designed with the non-soccer player in mind. People of all abilities and skill levels are welcome, and rule #1 is that there are no strangers on the field or in the gym. sphere's mission is to build a community and connect, not compete. There are no refs and no scorecards. We get together "off the pitch" as well. We do no shower happy hours after each sphere session for those interested, and have met up for other events like Forward Madison matches, a World Cup watch party, and others. Our Fall/Winter 2024-2025 sessions will be held on Thursdays at 6 pm at [Lowell Elementary](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lowell+Elementary+School/@43.0929774,-89.3451173,16z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x880653f520a70873:0x591e6b02d64ceba7!8m2!3d43.0929735!4d-89.3403537!16s%2Fm%2F076j0m7?authuser=0&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D), located at 401 Maple Ave. The entrance to the parking is in back of the school on Ludington Ave. sphere is membership-based and you can choose to buy a season pass or pay week-by-week for the sessions you can attend. sphere Club Madison is run in partnership with Madison Sports & Social Club (MSSC), and registration is done on the MSSC site. Please make sure you're signed up here: [sphere club Madison](https://www.madisonssc.com/sport/Soccer)

This group will host events that allow guests to experience Madison’s natural beauty, as well as engaging social experiences – combining the two as often as possible – particularly, as the spring and summer weather allows.   Events in this meetup will vary - examples include: ·      Coffee socials ·      Outdoor concerts ·      Volleyball ·      Canoeing and kayaking ·      Swimming ·      Beach parties ·      Cookouts, bonfires, and picnics ·      Hikes and nature walks ·      Nature appreciation and/or educational events ·      Visits to zoos, conservationists, etc. ·      Gardening events and classes ·      Sports and other fun stuff in a local park ·      Outdoor Madison events ·      Skiing, snow-shoeing, and other fun winter activities ·      Hayrides and harvest festivals ·      Camping

Scrum Day is an annual, in-person conference which takes place in Madison, Wisconsin. This year's conference is scheduled for September 14, 2023, at the Alliant Energy Center. **Visit [www.ScrumDay.org](www.ScrumDay.org) to register for this exciting event!** This isn't your same old conference. Scrum is a team sport, so we've designed a conference that unleashes the power of the team. * Our morning keynote is a series of guided discussions designed to help you make new connections while sharing challenges in advancing your practice * Our afternoon keynote is Scrum.org CEO Dave West on developing individuals for successful Agile teams * Our break-out sessions include topics for Executives, Product Owners, Scrum Masters and Developers from thought leaders in Scrum Scrum Day is the Agile conference that you don't want to miss! * Thought Leaders like Mary Iqbal, Don McGreal and Gunther Verheyen * Learn about the journeys of local companies including SubZero and Promega * Great topics like "Shift your Product Backlog Management" * Activities like the "Fishbowl Q&A" and "The Art of Stopping to Start"

**FREE** ***Outdoor Women's Group*** *\- no Meetup Fees collected* (a spin-off from the original Bold Betties and amazing Badger Betties - check them out too, they're great!) Scared of competitive running groups or hikes that emphasize fast paces? Not ready to commit to a club or group focused on just one thing because you like variety and a casual approach to outings? Are you interested in trying new things or getting outside more often? Are you longing to try a new outdoor activity or go on an adventure, but reluctant to do so because of cost and/or lack of experience? Are you looking to meet new people or finding that life has become too busy for the people already in it that you're missing out on some potential outdoor/indoor social plans? Are you in a new season of life where it's time for a new hobby, activity or opportunity? Do you love the outdoors? Do you love the water - especially boating, kayaking, paddleboarding or other summer fun? Hiking? Ready to try cross-country skiing and laugh at how slow you're going versus feeling intimidated in a group setting? ***Then this is the group for you!*** **This group focuses on female bonding, being outdoors and active, and trying new things.** ***Boundless Betties*** are adult women of all ages and walks of life. We have Betties ranging from 18 to 82 years old and would love for you to join us! We make adventure and the outdoors more accessible and make it easy to bond with like-minded women in your own backyard. We strongly encourage all members to sign-up to host events of their choosing, based on their timeline and desires. We trust our event hosts to create experiences meaningful to them and our members to pick and choose their involvement level as they see fit too. We're open minded and chill : )

This group is for people who are passionate about playing doubles beach volleyball in the Madison, Wisconsin area. We primarily recruit experienced players with above average volleyball skills. Unfortunately, because of the limited sand court availability in Madison and the fact that doubles is physically very challenging, we can't practically open the group to anyone and everyone. Occasionally we will add less experienced players who are committed to getting better, but this is mostly done through member referrals. Please do not take it personally if your request to join us is denied. We use this Meetup to organize local play sessions, training sessions, tournaments, winter trips to indoor sand facilities, and trips to more distant tournaments or volley-vacations. We DO NOT use the Meetup to organize or promote other sporting events, including other volleyball formats (grass, indoor, 3's, 4's, 6's). We prefer to use two courts for sessions to accommodate a good number of players, but this is not always practical in the evenings with limited court availability. For this reason, we schedule many play and training sessions in the mornings when court space is more plentiful. Some evening sessions may be restricted to fewer players to avoid conflicts with other groups at locations with only two courts.

Unlike most meetup groups, this one does not specialize in any one activity. Rather, the aim is to serve as "one stop shopping" for a whole universe of opportunities to get out of the house, DO something that moves the body, brain, and/or soul, and, especially, meet interesting and active people from all walks of life. Examples could include anything from picnics, kayak outings on Lake Wingra, moderate bike rides, and nature walks in the Arboretum to potluck dinners, dancing, and local live music. 

As we are casual in our activities, anyone can suggest and run a volleyball game, pickup basketball, a snopwshoes hike or a picnic.  Contact me with a date and time and what folks should bring and we'll get it posted.  I'd also like to get volunteers (or recommendations) to teach the basics of sports and other activities.  For many, it has been years since they played CASUAL basketball, tennis, volleyball, or softball or they may NEVER have done these things. 

In that same light, we will be drastically reducing "Bar Time" to perhaps one "Meet and Greet" per month where we can also share suggestions and ideas of events to do.  There are lots of groups  for beer, wine and whatever so if you think drinking is an activity you should look there. 

So, whether you're new to Madison or a native simply looking to widen your horizons, whether you're single or in a relationship, whether you're old or young, this group will have something to offer!  We require you to use your real name (first name at least) and a current head shot photo of just you.  You can't be anonymous and social!!   With a current photo and proper name you'll be able to find your friends and, I hope this is few and far between, anyone who "misbehaves" can be immediately identified.

John is the nominal organizer, but he will depend heavily on both suggestions and assistance from the group's members in order to keep a full schedule of activities on the calendar.

Madison LGBTQ+ Hiking & Adventure Group brings together outdoors enthusiasts in our LGBT+ community for outdoor activities in the great outdoors.

This group seeks to welcome all who welcome others with respect, caring, and kindness. Activities and events will offer you the chance to meet new friends as we hike, boat, bike, and kayak locally in Madison. And, we’ll offer the chance to get started with camping, long distance hiking, overnight backpacking, canoe camping, and adventure travel.

There’s a few rules and guidelines to consider.
1. This isn’t a dating group, but we hope you will form new friendships and maybe discover that special person along the way.
2. This group will not offer events that exclude any gender identity or orientation. Please do not ask for an all women or all men event.
3. You’re going to have to keep mostly clothed. This isn’t a nudist group. We’re not prudes, but while we may be naturalists we are not naturists ... at least not when at group sponsored events.
4. Shooting and archery sports are a part of outdoors culture, but not a part of this group. We respect and welcome hunters but no guns or weapons are allowed at our events. If you conceal carry, we ask that you safely store your gun before attending an event. Remember that you retain the freedom not to join this group and be subject to our rules if you feel that your personal safety is compromised by our rules.
5. No illicit drug use during our events. If we are traveling in a state that allows legal weed then by all means burn one down, but please respect the laws of the states events are held in.
6. Alcohol may or may not be allowed at events at the discretion of the event organizer. Please only drink in moderation. Excess just will not do.
7. This group does not provide for transportation to and from events. Contact other event attendees if you would like to carpool. Do not request transportation arrangements from an event organizer as they have enough to do.
8. Due to the risk of injury from the events we offer you will not be able to bring a plus one or family members to events. However, if your plus one becomes a member then they are covered by meetup injury waivers - so encourage your friends and family to join the group.

Interested in pickleball? It's THE fastest growing sport in the USA. And for good reason! It’s barrels o’fun, very friendly, extremely diverse, inexpensive, and provides a reasonable amount of exercise without a lot of running. This Meetup Group will be focused on getting fellow pickleball players together to play with others of comparable skill levels. We've got a team of organizers already doing that, but if you'd like to get in on the action, just notify us and we can help you create an event! Whether it be just a day/night on the courts, a tournament, coaching, or a league! This is a great way to meet other players! If you'd like to find more places to play or learn about events that are offered in the area, go to the website of the Capital Area Pickleball Association ([capareapb.com](https://www.capareapb.com/)) and check out its "Courts" link to area rec departments. Or, to arrange games on your own, try [PlayTimeScheduler.com](https://playtimescheduler.com/); it's free! Or come to this page, click on the "Members" link, find people you met at one of our meetups, and send them private messages to set up a game. *Cancellations:* Events announced here on Meetup may be cancelled due to adverse weather forecast, as described on forecast.weather.gov. Here are the factors we look at:  • Sky Cover: some sun preferred, but largely irrelevant  • Precipitation: actual = cancel (wet courts); chance of = maybe (depends on %)  • Temperature: <40° = cancel; 40°-60°, dress for it  • Wind: gusts over 20 MPH = cancel (wiffleballs, you know) *What is open play?* Open play = pick-up games. It is a scheduled time where players of any skill level are invited to show up and play with others. That's when most Meetup events are scheduled (basically because we're cheap and don't want to pay to reserve the courts). *What's my rating?* Everyone always wants to know, but for *self-ratings* it kind of depends on whom you ask. We've compiled answers from a lot of different internet sources here: [tinyurl.com/386z2fpx](http://tinyurl.com/386z2fpx). We use the *descriptions* from USAPA and the *terminology* listed below. For something less subjective, If you're registered with DUPR, *that's* your rating. *Fun Fact:* In every hour of tennis, the ball is in play just 11-12 minutes! It may sound crazy, but this is an accurate statistic. How about pickleball? In every hour of pickleball, the ball is in play much longer... a total of **26-28 minutes**! **At all times for all Meetups, players are expected to act with respect and sportsmanship!** **WHAT TO EXPECT AT EACH SKILL LEVEL** **Intro (1.0)** • never played before (or very little) • 1 session • max 6 players • 1½ hours  • 60% info: terminology, rules, score-keeping, safety  • 40% play: dink drill, service practice, one game with running commentary **Learner (1.3)** • been thru the Intro session • 1 session • max 12 players • 1½ hours  • 40% info: tips, tricks, techniques, tactics, teamwork, skinnies, safety, etiquette  • 60% play: diagonal-dink drill, service practice, several fast-paced games, some coaching **Newbie (1.6)** • been thru Intro and Learner sessions • 1 session • max 12 players • 1½ hours  • 20% info: grips, types of stroke, positioning, player communication, court rotations, variants (different ways to play the game depending on how many players you’ve got)  • 80% play: service target practice, several games, some nagging **Beginner (2.0)** • been thru all 3 intro courses • 6-10 sessions • 8-18 players • 2 hours  • 5% info: how this session will be organized; helpful hints and reminders  • 95% play: get in lots of quicky doubles games to develop muscle memory and reflexes. We’ll rotate people in frequently to maximize playing time, and so everyone will get to play with and against everyone else. **Developing (2.5)** • done with Beginner • many sessions • 8-18 players • 2 hours  • 3% info: helpful hints and reminders  • 97% play: normal doubles games (play to 11, win by 2); start honing more sophisticated aspects of your game (lobs, spin, 3rd-shot drops, angles, and outguessing opponents) **Novice (3.0)** • done with Developing • many sessions • 8-18 players • 2 hours  • 1% info: tip of the week  • 99% play: recognizing weaknesses (yours and opponents); fixing yours, exploiting theirs **Intermediate (3.5)** • done with Novice • many sessions • 8-18 players • 2 hours  • 1% info: tip of the week  • 99% play: imposing your will on opponents