Being an adult is great — you can stay up as late as you want to, you can eat as much candy as you like and no one is telling you to do your homework. On the downside, it can be really difficult to make new friends, especially in a transient city like D.C.
That’s where social sports leagues come in. They’re a great opportunity to meet new people in an active and fun setting, without the added social anxiety.
“We pride ourselves on being 50% sport, 50% social,” said William Dennis, senior operations manager at D.C. Fray, an online platform offering dozens of different adult social sports leagues in the Washington metropolitan area.
With the weather getting warmer, it’s the perfect time to ditch your coat and grab your cleats. Or if soccer isn’t for you, you can opt for volleyball, kickball, bocce ball, flag football or even axe throwing.
And you don’t need to be a college athlete to sign up.
“You can literally be someone who played tetherball or foursquare in elementary school and that’s the last time you did something sporty,” Dennis said.
As for which sport to choose, Dennis said, go with your gut.
“If you’re like, ‘hmm, I’m interested in that,’ go for it. Don’t shy away from it,” he said. “If it works, that’s great. If it doesn’t, know that there’s so many different other sports that you can be a part of.”
D.C. Fray leagues play at locations throughout the region including soccer at Meadowbrook Local Park in Montgomery County, Maryland, volleyball at Quincy Park in Arlington, Virginia, and axe throwing in Ivy City in D.C.
The rates for the eight-week season range from $55 to $100. Dennis said, for most sports leagues, you can show up with just your gym shoes.
While the emphasis is on the social aspect of the social sports league, he does say that soccer tends to draw more competitive players. Registration for D.C. Fray’s spring season closes Friday, April 5.
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