Urban Rec Wollongong Sports Club

     
  1. Home
  2. Urban Rec Blog
Archive

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

NEW Leagues
Apr 1

NEW Leagues

April 1, 2022 - 2 years ago

Play sport & save moola $$ → YES please.

Until Monday, 25/04 at midnight, we’ve got 3 new sports that are 50% off for team and individual registrations!

We wanna share the joy of the forgotten fitness hack of social sport with you this autumn, so grab your mates and create a team OR join as an individual to make new friends.

Drop us a line to [email protected] if you’ve got any questions!

Learn More
Pub Week
Mar 17

Pub Week

March 17, 2022 - 2 years ago

Yes...that’s right → PUB WEEK!

Our clubhouse – North Gong Hotel – hosts a week of pub nights for us each season, and that spectacular week for our Summer seasons is 21-26 March! OMG...HOW FUN!

If you are currently on a Summer team, you’ll be on the list to indulge in some social shenanigans at North Gong Hotel. It’s a time for you to chillax with your teammates and also to meet other teams from within your own sport OR in our other Urban Rec leagues!

Steps to Indulge:

  • Decide on an ideal date/time with your team anyday next week = Monday, 21 March – Saturday, 26 March. (note – they are unable to accommodate Sunday bookings due to ‘Sunday Sesh’)
  • Book your table at North Gong Hotel. → In the booking notes, put URBAN REC & [your team name]
  • Rock up at your booking time **
  • Show your Urban Rec member dashboard to the bar to prove you’re on the team
  • Indulge in 2x FREE JUGS of a drink of your choice
  • ENJOY!

** If you rock up in Pajama Party theme AND tag us @urbanrecwollongong with #urpajamaparty, you’ll be entered to win a FREE team rego for Autumn! **

Learn More
It's a Pajama Party!
Mar 17

It's a Pajama Party!

March 17, 2022 - 2 years ago

Want a FREE team rego for Autumn?!

We've all got pajamas. So there's really no excuse to not participate in THEME WEEK = "PAJAMA PARTY".

But if you really needed a reason, how about the chance to win FREE team registration for next season?!

Next week, all teams who embrace the pajama party vibes AND share it will be entered into a draw to win a FREE team registration for Autumn.

Here's what your team needs to do to enter:

  • 21-27 March = Dress up in pajamas to your league and/or your pub night.
  • Take a pic of your team all dressed up
  • Tag us on social media @urbanrecwollongong with #urpajamaparty
  • You'll be entered into a draw to win free team rego for Autumn.
  • The draw will happen on Monday, 28 March and will be announced on Instagram.

Easy, right?!

Learn More
Hello Autumn!
Mar 16

Hello Autumn!

March 16, 2022 - 2 years ago

HELLO AUTUMN!

Summer’s on its way out and the days are getting shorter. But our love for all things social sport is as strong as ever, and we want you to fall in love with sport this autumn!

We’ve got 12 leagues on offer this autumn. WOW. And all have space for individual players and teams!

MONDAYS:


TUESDAYS:


WEDNESDAYS:


THURSDAYS:


SUNDAYS:

Learn More
Taste Tester of Sport
Feb 23

Taste Tester of Sport

February 23, 2022 - 2 years ago

Scared of commitment? → No worries! We’ve got your back.

Some of our SHORT SEASONS are online now and ready for you to join to give it a little taste test! Just like a sample pack at the pub, these leagues will give you a taste of sport in a small dose to see if it’s for you!

There are spots open for teams and individuals, so take a peek and pick what strikes your fancy!

If you’re ready to jump straight in for a full season, that’s ok too! Touch Footy @ UOW on Thursdays and Netball-7s @ Berkeley on Wednesdays still has spots!

If you’ve got questions, drop us a line to [email protected]

See ya soon! xx

Learn More
Urban Rec Wedding: Nick & Sophie
Feb 17

Urban Rec Wedding: Nick & Sophie

February 17, 2022 - 2 years ago

So, word has it you guys met through Urban Rec and are NOW MARRIED, how did that happen? What sport? What league? What situation?

We met in 2018 in the UrbanRec flag gridiron season in an individual team (our team is still playing today with a few new faces). Although the team were all strangers when we started playing we would usually go to the bar after each game to relive the highlights of the game and get to know each other. After a few weeks of this, Soph and I started messaging privately and not in the team's whatsapp and before I knew it we were on our first date. It was funny watching the rest of the team slowly catch on, the major give away was me no longer asking for lifts from everyone and consistently arriving with Soph.

One eerie detail we discovered later was how we both got into UrbanRec. I already knew of UrbanRec, previously playing in the indoor soccer league on the North Sydney Tennis courts. Soph however was new to it and discovered UrbanRec when her usual tennis partner was injured and couldn't play with her anymore. Looking for a new way to play sport she recalled seeing UrbanRec flags on the courts next to her when she would play at North Sydney. That's right, for about six months each Tuesday night, I would play soccer and Soph tennis on the courts next to each other. On top of that we independently moved to join the same team in the gridiron league. Small world.

How long have you been together and when did you get married? Tell us about your wedding?

We will be celebrating our 4 yr anniversary this year as well as our first year of being married. Our wedding was in June 2021, one week before the Sydney lockdown. We were extremely lucky because we were not only able to have our 80pax wedding with no restrictions, but also squeezed in a honeymoon to QLD before being locked down

With your dating history, is online or offline dating better or worse?

Neither of us have much experience with online dating so can't compare too well

Tell me why you think Urban Rec was the inevitable way for you to meet your hubby or wife?

I think the great thing about individual teams in UrbanRec is that it gets you out of your comfort zone and usual routine. It's a great way to meet new circles of people, friends and partners alike. In the same team I met Soph, we both became great friends with another couple and regularly catch up. They were even part of my groom's party.

Tell me one thing about your partner that would make them cringe for you sharing? I

won't fall for this trap

What's the secret sauce to making your relationship fun?

For us, we are both spontaneous and enjoy joking around. So trying new things and not taking things too seriously is a winning recipe for us.

Describe your partner in 3 words!

Spontaneous, empathetic and funny

If you could only play one sport with your partner for the rest of time, what would you choose and why?

Squash, we got into it recently and it has bought out the competitiveness in both of us. We are both pretty clumsy on the court but the games are very close

Lastly, tell others why you think meeting people and dating through Urban Rec is a good idea?

UrbanRec makes it easy to try new sports with no pressure to be good at them. Every individual team I've joined has had great people to become friends with that I would otherwise have never met.

Learn More
It's A Love Sale!
Feb 15

It's A Love Sale!

February 15, 2022 - 2 years ago

All this week, we’re celebrating that special thing called LOVE. <3

To wrap it all up, on FRIDAY 18 FEB, we’re doing a LOVE SALE for you to share the gift of social sport to someone you care about.

HOW IT WORKS:

  1. Register ON FRIDAY as an individual into any of our open leagues.
  2. Email [email protected] with the name and email of your loved one PLUS the sport they want to join.
  3. Urban Rec HQ will put them onto a team for free as your plus 1.
  4. Enjoy!

Bring on the love. xx

Learn More
Valetine's Week - Traffic Light Week
Feb 14

Valetine's Week - Traffic Light Week

February 14, 2022 - 2 years ago

To all you Urban Rec Lovers!

To celebrate Valetine’s Day, we’re having a Valentine’s Week to share the love. We encourage you to have a bit o’ fun and join the party!

If you would like to participate, please wear a traffice light color to correlate to your relationship status:

  • Green = SINGLE & ready to mingle
  • Yellow = ‘It’s complicated’ or ‘not sure’
  • Red = TAKEN

In addition to a bit of fun, the MFP (most fun player) in each game this week will get a cheeky give of appreciation...how f*ing good.

Get involved. Tag us @urbanrecwollongong and join the fun! <3 <3 <3 xoxoxo

Learn More
Urban Rec Lovers: Leish & Darcy
Feb 10

Urban Rec Lovers: Leish & Darcy

February 10, 2022 - 2 years ago

So, word has it you guys met through Urban Rec, how did that happen? What sport? What league? What situation?

We had known of each other from a mutual friend a year before Darcy started playing with Urban Rec. Darcy started in one of the Basketball Leagues and I didn’t really see much of him. He then joined one of the Netty Leagues and I started slowly stepping up my sideline banter whilst he was playing (telling him was shit at shooting 3s). Short story short, the banter got more and more & that turned into getting a drink, which turned into a second date and 2 weeks later we were officially dating. 

How long have you been dating? How serious is this? Living together? engaged? babies on the way?

Almost 14 months, basically lived together since COVID lockdown but officially roommates since December! No babies, Leish is impatiently waiting for a puppy…. 

Were you both using online dating apps before or when you met?

We were on them but both kind of weren’t that active with using them. A date here and there, a bored swipe every other day. Shits & Gigs. 

With your dating history, is online or offline dating better or worse?

OFFLINE! We both have old souls and think meeting the old fashioned way is the best way! Meeting organically is wayyy less pressure. 

Tell me why you think Urban Rec was the inevitable way for you to meet your current squeeze?

We didn’t know until it happened! Whilst we knew of each other before we definitely wouldn’t have started dating without UrbanRec! Like we said before, our old souls brought us together organically. It’s an easy, less stress way to meet to people and have genuine connections. 

Tell me one thing about your partner that would make them cringe for you sharing?

Darcy does ‘fake’ wrestling and his wrestler name is Hugh- Beauty  (I can hear him say ‘it’s not fake Leish’). Leish sometimes gives a little piggy snort when I make her laugh too hard 

What's the secret sauce to making your relationship fun?

We are definitely on the same wave length and have the same sense of humour. We’re constantly laughing and always never go to bed mad at each other, say I love you at least once a day! Also, never watch a tv show episode without the other person…

Describe your partner in 3 words!

Leish about Darcy: Nerdy, Gentle, Goofy. Darcy about Leish: Compassionate, Smiley, Social

If you could only play one sport with your partner for the rest of time, what would you choose and why?

 Basketball, all day, every day. We just have so much fun when we’re playing together, collecting dimes, shooting 3s and playing smart not hard (also known as not playing defence). 

Lastly, tell others why you think meeting people and dating through Urban Rec is a good idea?

It is the absolute best and easy way to meet people. There’s no pressure, you’re always having fun together & you’re being active. You never take yourself or each other too seriously and that’s the best part. Perfect bonding 

To find out more about signing up as an individual with Urban Rec, check out the FAQ’s!

Learn More
Celebrating Turning 10!
Jan 18

Celebrating Turning 10!

January 18, 2022 - 2 years ago

By Madeleine Wilkie, Managing Director. 

When Urban Rec turned 10 last year, we decided it was a milestone worth celebrating. Our 10-year anniversary was chosen as our original launch party which happened back in 2012. Embarrassingly, the event was a small group of friends who were promised free drinks… and looking back… it was a cringeworthy few hours.

But persistence pays off!  In the Summer of 2012, not even 1 team had registered to play in the upcoming season. Going into 2022, Urban Rec Australia boasts 4 cities, 265 leagues, 2,303 teams and thousands more individuals. This tiny side hustle has certainly grown some legs.

Throughout our 10th year, business is up 38%, which for a pandemic-prone business – is something we should be pretty proud of!  Over the years our humble team of  just 1 part-time founder is now employing 10 staff across all the cities.  

So during our second lockdown, I made us fix our thinking caps and we curated a collection of way that Urban Rec Australia celebrated turning 10.

We designed a 10-year logo. Inspired by the 90’s basketball era, the logo had to be fun and nostalgic. If sport is our bread, then beer us our butter, so it made sense to have a can of frothy Aussie inspired beer as the main character. After several iterations and a lot of hilarious feedback “Is it a condom, no, it’s a tennis ball can”. We finally landed on the below. Let’s call him Rick. Watch this space for more Urban Rick appearances.

Our 10 year anniversary logo!

We made our own 10-year anniversary beer! In collaboration with the fine folks at Freshie Beer Co, we were able to can and label 60 cases. The limited edition fresh pils were used as prizing for our members as well as a giveaway for our “Mad Monday” promotion. These cans will forever be kept as part of our Urban Rec historic museum.  

Our very own Urban Rec branded beer!

We got some vintage eskies and stubby holders. Merchandise is a fun part of what we offer and we knew we wanted to create some pieces that fit in with our Aussie Summer theme. So, vintage eskies and stubby holders seemed like the right idea. There were only ever 50 eskies made, and the stubby holders were designed in 2 colours and will never be printed again. They were used as prizes throughout our 10-day promotion.

Limited edition stubby holders!
Vintage coolers! Only 50 ever made. 

We hosted a 10-day promotion for our members. Turning 10 was about giving back to our members, some of which have played for the entire 10-year span. Each day we had a special giveaway, discount or event for our members to help us celebrate.

Our 10 day promotion included discounts for members!

Our 10-year boat party! – La Nina has really enjoyed ruining our Summer and this day was no exception. With a vision of our closest partners and staff in white linen sipping champagne as we cruise under the harbour bridge, sun beaming down - this was going to be the over-the-top, treat yoself celebration we all deserved. Instead, in true Urban Rec style… it absolutely pissed down. The winds whipped, the lighting cracked, and the drinks flowed steady and strong because we were all trapped inside a catamaran sized lightning rod. Proudly we cracked on with an afternoon of cancellations, interruptions, changes and too many shots of Fireball. The team at Urban Rec are not adverse to making fun out of unexpected and uncontrollable factors, and this event was no exception.  

Leish and Darcy still found a way to party!
A wet day on the harbour

So, as we embark on our full 10th year in business, I want to say a huge and special thankyou to all our members, players, staff and employees who have helped grow this brand in Australia to be something I’m very proud of. Here’s to the next 10 years!

Learn More
Please wait...