Omaha Pick Up Basketball: Where To Find A Game in Omaha Nebraska
When I moved back to Omaha in 2011 I needed to find a place to find pick up basketball. It didn’t take too long. We were encouraged to join Prairie Life Fitness by friends due to their childcare. I quickly found a good group of noon ball players playing from 11:00 to about 1:00 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and Saturday mornings. Read on to find your Omaha pickup basketball game.
Unfortunately, Prairie Life Fitness decided to sell itself and the new owners took out the full basketball court at 132nd and Center and reduced it to only a half court. They did have another location at 84th and Q and we eventually reorganized the basketball games over at that location. Then the pandemic hit and that killed the game completely. It is possible they still play there but the new owners were not keeping the facilities up and we moved our membership to the Jewish Community Center. They play really early on Tuesday and Friday mornings there and then at 8:00 am. On Sunday mornings. I play there about once a month on Sundays but the other times don’t work very well for me right now.
My guess is that there are other basketball players in Omaha that would love to have a resource that would tell them where all the good pick up basketball games are with a description of the times that they play and the level of play at that gym.
I’m going to try and build that resource on this page. My first order of business is to get a game started in downtown Omaha. I have talked to some of the management at the downtown YMCA there and they are open to getting a noon ball game started.
I want people who are interested in finding pick-up basketball games in Omaha to join the email list to share information about opportunities to play, and even more specifically, try and get a downtown Omaha game started. Use the buttons or the form below to get on the email list.
Sorry, this email capture form is ugly. I didn’t know how to make it look better, but it will get you on the email list.
Omaha Pick Up Basketball Gym Directory
I will keep building on this directory of basketball gyms in Omaha that have pick up basketball. If you know of others please join the email list and let me know the locations.
| Gym | Location | Times | Comments |
| Jewish Community Center | 333 South 132nd Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-334-6426 | Tue, Fri 5:45 – 7:30 a.m. Sun 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. | You have to have a membership or know someone who is a member to be able to buy a day pass. This is an over 30 court. Fridays can be a little crowded, but otherwise a very good, well-organized and civil game. Double-check the schedule here to make sure the gym isn’t closed for an event. |
| Southwest Omaha YMCA | 13010 Atwood Ave. Omaha, NE 68144 | Mon, Wed, Fri 12:00 p.m. | I tried to play here once and they didn’t get started until 12:30 p.m. and were not too welcoming of new players. They just wanted to “run it back” with the same players. If you want to play be assertive. |
| Genesis 84th and Q | 8525 Q Street Omaha NE 68127 | Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | I haven’t played at this gym for almost 4 years, but assume they still going. The last time I saw play there it had become younger than when it was a Prairie Life location, but still looked like pretty civil basketball. |
| Mockingbird Hills Community Center | 10242 Mockingbird Dr. Omaha, NE | Thursdays 6-8 p.m. | Thursday nights at Mockingbird Hills Community Center from 6-8 pm. We play just about every week unless its a holiday. It is $6, but a good group of 25-55 year olds. |
| Sarpy County YMCA \ Papillion Landing | Sarpy YMCA 1111 E First St, Papillion, NE 68046 Papillion Landing 1046 W Lincoln StreetPapillion, NE 68046 | Mon, Fri noon – 1:30 | I have started playing in this game. Pretty competitive and a mix of ages. In the summer they switch to Papillon Landing due to YMCA kid programs. Everyone pays Jeremy, who rents the court, $5. When it is at the YMCA it is free with membership or $12 day fee. |
Again, if you know of any additional games that should be listed in the Omaha Pick Up Basketball directory get on the email list and let me know. Why you are here be sure to check out some of our other basketball-related articles on the site.
Troy Wallace
Troy Wallace is Certified Basketball Speed Specialist and shares his experiences in trying to stay as healthy as possible to stay on the court. He is active in coaching youth basketball in YMCA, Team Work Sports Nebraska, and, currently, in the Jr. Warriors program in Omaha, NE. Visit Troy's Full Author Bio Page or email him directly.
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