Get Out and Play (League Sports!)

Participating in league sports is a fun way to increase your health on several levels. First, it gives you regular opportunities to exercise, which of course improves your physical health. League sports can also offer you opportunities to increase your mental health by increasing your self-confidence and creating a supportive social network.

Almost any sport you can name can be played in a league. Leagues are commonly formed through health clubs, schools, and sports organizations. Sports that require special facilities—such as pocket billiards, ice hockey, or bowling—usually have leagues through the facility.  Check your local paper in the sports section or lifestyle section for local league listings and announcements, and of course search on line for opportunities to play.

There are many levels of play in league sports. For soccer, baseball, rugby, basketball—you name it—there will be teams for beginning to advanced players. If you’re a beginner, don’t fret—part of the league director’s job is to develop the league by promoting the sport. In most cases, they’ll want new players and will be happy to help you find the team and the position that’s right for you.

Pick the league that’s best suited to the ability you now have in the sport you love. As you improve (which is likely, since you’ll now be playing regularly), you can always move to a more advanced league. Some leagues are very competitive; others are more for socializing. Do you really want to win, or do you just want to have a fun night or day out? Pick the level of competition that best suits your personality. If you feel that team sports don’t really suite your personality, ask about leagues that offer individual competition opportunities. You will enjoy all the social aspects of being on a league, but your wins and losses will be entirely up to you.

Playing league sports is a great way to meet new people—after all, you already have something in common with everyone in the league! If you’re a bit shy, don’t worry—you’ll find conversation easy when you have the sport to discuss. If you’re single, league play can be a valuable way to develop a supportive network of friends. If you’re married or in a relationship, you could choose a league that encourages couples to participate together. Even if your partner chooses not to play, the friendships you develop can add a new dimension to both your lives.

My experience with league play is that some people come and go, but many people participate year after year. You really do get to know them. In fact, I’ve met and gotten to know some of my closest friends from years of playing in pocket-billiards leagues.

In most cases, league play involves developing skills that can be carried over into other areas of your life, often with great benefit. For instance, most sports require developing physical skills and coordination, as well as encouraging the discipline and focus necessary to win. These are the same skills necessary for success in many other aspects of life. For most people, each success brings higher self-esteem. Competition and cooperation among teammates are skills that can be taken into the workplace to help develop a winning team there as well. Skills in social interaction and good sportsmanship are useful almost everywhere in life.

Those are the physical, social, and mental benefits of playing league sports. But there’s another thing that’s important to your overall health—having fun. Playing league sports can be a lot of fun. (If it isn’t, you might be in the wrong league for your performance level or personality.) Having fun, relaxing, getting some exercise, developing new skills and friendships—put it all together and you have a ticket to good health.