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Sharing an interest with like-minded people is not only fun, it can expand your circle of friends, improve your fitness or stimulate your mind. Whatever your passion, there’s bound to be a club for you.

Bridge
It’s early afternoon and Trumps Bridge Centre on Sydney’s North Shore is packed with 115 bridge players, deep in thought as they ponder their next move. Nothing short of an earthquake could get them to take their eyes off the game. Bridge is intense. Just before the players show their hand, the atmosphere is electric.

Colleen Pidcock, 67, works at the club, ensuring players have everything they need – water, playing cards and score cards – before the games begin. An avid bridge player, Colleen has 40 years’ experience under her belt, and has competed at state and national levels.

When Trumps opened 18 years ago, Colleen joined the team to teach and run sessions. At the time, the mother of four young children found the flexible working hours allowed her to be home when her children returned from school.

“Bridge has so much to offer people – wonderful mental stimulation in a social environment,” says Colleen. “Our members come from all over Sydney and from all walks of life. It’s a real community here, the atmosphere is great and we look out for one another.

“The game has a much broader age appeal than when I started playing forty years ago. Most universities and some schools now have bridge clubs.”

During the day, Trumps typically attracts a large number of retirees, but the evening sessions are attended by people whose ages range from 20 to 80. Every day the club runs tournaments, and there are also bridge classes that cater for everyone from beginners to the very experienced.

In keeping with the networking and socialising aspects of the club, each year Trumps organises group holidays to Australian and overseas destinations. Colleen says some of the international destinations, such as Vietnam and China, are places the members probably wouldn’t visit on their own. “This is a great opportunity for our group to travel together and play bridge,” she says. “We had an enormous amount of fun last time, although we were so absorbed in the holiday that we ended up playing very little bridge. In February, we’re off to India.”

Trumps also hosts a variety of social functions, such as Melbourne Cup Day celebrations. “We encourage our members to go all out and have prizes for the best hat – it’s great fun,” says Colleen.

The club’s success stems from teamwork. “I’m just one cog in the wheel,” says Colleen. “The most important element of the club is the people. Bridge is great and that’s what people come for, but then they realise they’ve joined a community and a real bond is formed. There is always something to learn. This is a game you can play for the rest of your life.”

Younger players also enjoy the challenge and most Australian universities offer bridge to their students. Sydney University Bridge Club has 70 members, including medical student Gabby Feiler, 22, who was introduced to the game at the age of 11. “I started playing because my dad needed a bridge partner. Now I play and teach bridge at the university. We have many students who enjoy the game, and it’s also very sociable because you play in pairs. If you love card games and enjoy a challenge, this is the game for you – you’ll never get bored.”

Other players agree. Elizabeth Grunfeld, 79, and her sister Ellen, 82, share in the activity together. “It’s something we look forward to: the social interaction, the mind game, and it’s a lot of fun,” says Elizabeth.

Retirees Rose and Mark Reisin have been playing bridge for the past 10 years. “It’s addictive,” says Rose. “We aim to do well when we play, but we also really enjoy the social side – that’s why we come three times a week.”

Building a bridge

Trumps Bridge Centre (NSW): www.trumps.net.au.
Australian Bridge: www.australianbridge.com.au.

Cycling
When Julia Clark, 25, moved from Melbourne to Sydney three years ago, it wasn’t long before the keen cyclist joined the Northern Sydney Cycling Club, which had no women members at the time. “Initially I was riding with the guys and it was great because you learn so much and they really push you, but I missed having female company,” says Julia.

Her passion, enthusiasm and word of mouth attracted 10 more women to the club. “I used to see all the guys out riding and they were really friendly – they would meet at the cafe after each ride. Now we share in the experience,” says Jill Pattison, 41, a fellow club member.

It’s only 9am on Saturday morning, and already Jill, Julia and the other riders in the club have finished their favourite trip of the week – cycling through Bobbin Head and out to Terry Hills. After completing the 60km round trip, it’s time for a well-deserved coffee break before they head home. Dressed in matching lycra shorts and cycle shirts, the women chatter with boundless energy: time trials, training and recent purchases of the latest ultra-lightweight bike components – all in the hope of shaving valuable seconds off their racing times.

Their sense of achievement and camaraderie is palpable. As they dismount and remove their helmets, small droplets of sweat form around their hairlines. The benefits of the sport they love is in full view: lean, toned and tanned, they grab water bottles to replenish their thirst.

Julia and Jill are eager to discuss why they love their cycling club. “We talk about everything from our training to our jobs, we enjoy each other’s company, and we’re getting fit. It makes getting out of bed so much easier when you know the others are there waiting for you. Motivation is important: there is always someone to encourage you along,” says Julia. “When we’re finished, we stop and have a coffee and a chat – it’s not just about the cycling, it’s also the friendships you develop.

“Our Saturday ride is very sociable. I know this might sound crazy, but even when I’ve had an injury and I can’t ride, I still go and meet the girls for a coffee and catch up – it’s addictive,” smiles Julia.

Jill agrees: “It’s social with one shared goal for fitness. There’s a certain bond that you get with people when you exercise together.”

Julia’s goal for the club is to organise more women’s riding events and regular outings where members can bring along a friend to encourage them to try cycling. “Everyone in our club is really helpful and friendly,” says Jill. “It’s really about having confidence, as it can be quite intimidating if you’re not a strong rider. Also, it’s much safer for women to ride in a group than on their own.”

In January 2005 the club organised a trip to Adelaide to watch the annual Tour Down Under cycling event. Another achievement was the formation of the club’s first women’s racing team. The prospect of competing in open racing events is one the women are looking forward to. However, not everyone in the club is there to race, some just enjoy cycling and the social aspect. “One woman could only ride ten to fifteen kilometres when she joined; within six months she was riding one-hundred kilometres,” says Jill.

Besides fitness and friendship, being a member of the club has other benefits – Julia met fellow cyclist and now boyfriend Tom Joynt through the club. “There are about fifteen men to one woman, so yes, this may be another benefit that could appeal to women,” she laughs.

“Cycling can take over your life,” smiles Julia. “It’s normal for me to go to an early movie session so that I can get to bed at a reasonable hour and be up at 6am for my morning ride. I’ve learned so much from being in the club and you become a better rider.”

On the road