(0 comments)

Join the League

Find group fitness activities from fun, social sports to physically challenging competitions.

Do you exercise like a lone wolf? If so, it may be time to join the pack. Becoming part of a sports league can boost your fitness level and strengthen friendships along the way. And if you’re just starting an exercise program, leagues can help you ease into following a workout routine.

Here are some tips for joining up, courtesy of Jim Klever, a YMCA interim specialist for health, wellness, and sports, and Eric Burton, administrator of community services adult sports, in Ventura, California.

Select your sport. Sure, there are standards such as softball, basketball, and soccer. But you can also try more offbeat leagues:

• Flag football. Act out your pro fantasies—without the tackling or pads. Kerchiefs or flags are attached to players’ waists, and grabbing a flag indicates a tackle. Find a league at www.usffa.org.
• Dodgeball. Just like the old gym class game, you and your teammates will throw and catch balls to eliminate other players. Find a league at www.dodgeballusa.com.
• Fencing. Challenge someone to a duel and cross épées, all with the safety of a mask and padded chest protector. Find a league at www.usfencing.org.

Link up. City park and recreation departments, religious organizations, and nonprofit groups such as the YMCA offer all sorts of leagues all year long. Find your local Y at www.ymca.net. And specific sports, such as soccer, also have national amateur associations; search www.usasa.com to find your local chapter.

Gather a group. Recruit three or four people more than required to field a team, to help to fill in for absent players. Leagues easily can place individuals on teams, so don’t be afraid to sign up solo.

Match your goal and schedule. If you want a more fun, social experience, look for leagues dubbed “recreational.” You’ll likely have one game a week and no practices. Length of seasons varies from about six to 12 weeks. If winning matters, ask league directors to place you or your team in a more competitive division. You’ll likely play twice a week and have scheduled practices. A tournament may be part of the regular schedule, so you may need to plan time for that as well.

Know the costs. League fees may vary from free to a few hundred dollars. For example, the Ventura, California, softball league fee is $350 per team. Each individual can pay a share of the fee or you can find sponsors. If several of the people on the team work at one company, it may sponsor the team. You can also ask a restaurant to pay the league fee if you guarantee that the team will patronize the establishment after games, Burton says. In addition to a league sign-up fee, you may also be responsible for field maintenance, umpire or referee payments, uniforms, and equipment.

Get ready. Three to four weeks before the season, start to get into sport-specific shape. For example, if you’ll be playing softball, head to a batting cage and hit a few balls. Or if you’ll be playing soccer, run to tone your leg muscles. A trainer or league organizer can help. Make sure to get your doctor’s approval before playing, start slow, and listen to your body, Klever says.