As youngsters, most of us get involved in sports – whether we play basketball for a school team or get together with other neighborhood kids to kick a ball around at weekends. As we grow older, though, changing demands on our time can make playing sports less of a priority. Family, career, and other responsibilities mean that those team games are no longer part of your life – but this isn’t the case for everyone. Throughout the USA, we are now enjoying being part of adult sports leagues. In this blog, we look at why playing on a team could be beneficial to you, as well as offering some advice on how to get involved.
The Benefits of Joining An Adult Sports League
Make Friends& Be Part of a Team
Busy days packed with work and family often mean that it can be difficult to cultivate new friendships and meet people. Joining an adult sports league is a great way to open up your social circle for two reasons – the first being that you are connecting with people who have a common interest with you, and the second being the spirit of friendship that grows within a team.
Get Fit
Whether you already follow a fitness regime or not, training and playing for an adult sports league will certainly improve your fitness and general health. Almost all of us can benefit from being more active, and committing to being a part of a sports league will definitely help you do that.
Destress
Life can be stressful, and we all need an outlet where we can safely and productively “let off steam.” Playing physical sports is a perfect way to do this – it's fun, healthy, and takes you into a different mindset.
Learn a New Skill
When you choose an adult sports league, it is an opportunity to learn a new skill. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to play hockey, or like the idea of playing soccer – by joining a team, you can make that happen. Learning new skills keeps life fresh and is mentally stimulating, as well as building confidence and self-esteem.
Or Pick Up An Old Hobby
If you were once an ace on the tennis court or you used to shine on the basketball court, getting involved in an adult sports league will allow you to dust off those old talents and continue to develop your skills.
How To Get Started & Find A League
There are adult leagues for a huge range of different sports, from baseball and kickball to tennis and hockey. To get started in finding what sports are being played in your area, try trying “adult sports leagues + the name of your city” into your favorite search engine and see what comes up. You may also be able to gather useful information from your local community center.
We have gathered a shortlist of handy links for various national leagues, with listings for each state.
USA Ultimate http://www.usaultimate.org/about/ultimate/where_to_play.aspx
Kickball http://www.kickball.com/searchzip
National Adult Baseball Association http://www.dugout.org/
Tennis http://www.usta.com/Play-Tennis/USTA-League/?intloc=headernavsub
Dodgeball http://www.dodgeballusa.com/
League Organisers for a Variety of Sports