Do you miss running across a field and dribbling a soccer ball while you dodge opposing players? Do you want to make friends through low-stress kickball leagues or basketball clubs?
The mild weather in the Tampa Bay area makes it a perfect climate to play sports all year round.
There are dozens of groups in the area looking for players, friends, and (occasionally) post-game drinking buddies. Here are our top picks and the sports they play.
Tampa Bay Club Sport
One of the biggest groups in the area that you can join if you’re interested in a variety of sports in Tampa Bay Club Sport. This group has about a dozen sports leagues, from soccer to bowling. Check the website for the schedule, locations of games, and information to register. This is a great option if you want to play a variety of sports throughout the year and use the games to meet new people.
Tampa’s CLUBWAKA Chapter
Another large-scale organization that you can join if you’re looking for an active league is CLUBWAKA. There are chapters across the country, so you can always look for a pickup team if you move away from the area – or just moved here.
This is another organization that doesn’t require you to form a whole team to participate. You can sign up as a free agent and they can place you. There are also some pickup games that they schedule on Facebook and Meetup if you casually want to check them out before committing.
Tampa YMCA
The Tampa YMCA offers fitness classes and other social groups surrounding sports. They also offer some adult sports leagues for people who want to play recreationally. This is a good place to start if you want to improve your fitness overall.
Along with offering adult sports leagues, the Tampa YMCA can also give you an opportunity to volunteer and help with youth sports. You can meet people and help kids in your area while running around the field as a coach or referee.
Meetup App
The Meetup app is a great way to find groups with similar skill levels near you. If you just want to start out with a new sport, you can find other like-minded people who want to play casually. Similarly, you can find more advanced groups to help you challenge yourself.
On the sports and fitness section of the Tampa - St. Petersburg page, you can find groups of people who run together (like Running for Brews), play golf, challenge each other to tennis, and enjoy stand up paddleboarding. This is a great place to start if you want to use sports to socialize.
Don’t Let a Social Game Create a Serious Sports Injury
Just like competitive sports, these community sports groups can get intense. You may end up injuring yourself and missing games and other life events for a few days or weeks. If you suffer a sports injury, reach out to the experts. Contact the Florida Wellness Medical Group and ask about their sports injury treatments to help you recover fast.
For more recreation news in Tampa, connect with us at 813area, we're your free guide to things to do in Tampa!
