Catch one of the toughest open runs in the city at this sanctuary for Westside ballers.

The Westwood Recreation Center has it all. Two regulation-sized indoor hardwood courts. Two outdoor blacktops. Tennis Courts. Soccer fields. An Olympic-sized pool. It’s a magnet for ballers and other athletes from all across Los Angeles’s West Side.

The hoops program at Westwood is a favorite among locals and runs year-round. It’s ‘ladies first’ in the fall and spring, and the boys and coed leagues run in the winter and summer. Adult leagues compete for bragging rights on Monday nights, Thursday nights, and Sunday afternoons.

With so many courts within the facility, Westwood also offers a wider variety of open runs than most other parks. Anyone can get their game on every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 3pm. Fridays from 8pm to 9:30pm. Sundays from 10am to 1pm.

Park Director Bill Dusenberry guarantees a place for ballers at every level. He explains, “The north court tends to have more competitive players. The south gym is for all levels – just for having fun.”

He’s quick to point out that although the indoor gyms can get crowded, there’s always a game outside on the two blacktops. “There’s a number of regulars who come to the outdoor courts, and those runs are exciting, too,” Dusenberry comments. “It’s mostly neighborhood guys. Some have skills and others don’t, but they all seem to get along.”

More than just a place to ball, Westwood is a community center offering services to entire families as well as the diversity of athletes found in Los Angeles. “My favorite thing about our facility is the wide range of people who visit here,” Bill discloses. “From disabled children’s groups to stars. Clyde Drexler was recently spotted on our courts.”

So if you’re a baller looking for a game, or you’re just hoping to witness some of the nastiest moves on the Westside, The Westwood Recreation Center is the spot.