Join a local sports league to reach goals while scoring goals.
Many of us understand the importance of an active lifestyle — the older we get, the more important it becomes. Exercise is imperative in keeping us strong, reducing the risk of disease, preventing some cancers, reducing blood pressure, preventing stroke and maintaining cognitive function.
So why do many of us stop? Even those of us who played sports when we were younger are likely to stop being active. We are not unskilled at procrastination and justification, so it should not be a surprise that adults often use an array of excuses for not exercising. These include health issues and a cited lack of time, interest and access to certain activities. The most significant drop-off in extracurricular activity is after age 26, according to a 2015 poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard Chan School.
Team sports can be a great way to break the monotonous routine of daily life and become more active. More importantly, team sports have the same benefits for adults as children. They can provide adults with an outlet for exercise, a boost of confidence and motivation and a means of social interaction.
Throughout the year, various individual and team activities for youth and adults are available through the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department. Flag football, futsal, soccer and volleyball are offered to give adolescents the fundamentals of competitive play. Basketball, baseball and softball are structured for either youth or adults. “Our most popular sports are adult softball, OKC Dodgers Rookie League (youth baseball) and our 405 Soccer Club,” said Kelly Young, the department’s recreation program coordinator. Additional sports include tennis, co-ed baseball and pickleball. Youth registrations for spring baseball and soccer, as well as the pickleball camp, end in mid-February. Adult winter competitive and recreational basketball leagues are open for registration until Jan. 3 and 4 respectively, and registrations for most spring adult leagues are open until February and March.
Oklahoma Sports and Social Organization (OSSO) runs leagues in bowling, basketball, cornhole, volleyball, kickball and more. The company focuses on “bringing people together” through year-round social and recreational sports, according to its website. Costs are generally low, and OSSO provides everything from venues to uniforms. Participants can expect a minimal amount of equipment necessary for any given sport.
SoccerCity OKC offers leagues, competitions, camps, clinics and practice sessions for soccer and other sports with an indoor facility of more than 71,000 square feet. The space features FieldTurf infill surface and a full-length tempered glass sideline, ideal for spectators from any angle. Score OKC, an Edmond-based multipurpose complex, offers courts for basketball, futsal and volleyball in addition to an indoor soccer field. After the complex’s winter season, leagues and tournaments for all of its offered sports will start again in the spring.
Other locations across the 405 offer an array of team adult and youth sporting activities. These include Let’s Play Soccer leagues; Scissortail Park youth leagues in flag football and soccer and an adult volleyball league; and the Edmond Parks and Recreation Department partnership leagues in tennis, softball, lacrosse, soccer and flag football. When deciding to join a team, it’s worth researching cost, equipment required, upcoming spring schedules and registration information to make sure you’re all set for sporting action.
For more information about Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Sports, visit https://www.okc.gov/departments/parks-recreation.
Information for OSSO may be found at okc.ossosports.com, SoccerCity OKC at soccercityokcity.com/leagues/league-info, and Score OKC at scoreokc.com/edmond-sport-leagues.
