Adult Sports Leagues Because Maybe Your Glory Days Haven't Passed You By! By Julie Senger Who says that just because youre an adult that you must stop playing recreational or competitive team sports? In fact, adulthood is as good a time as any to play sports for many reasons. First of all, you no longer have to worry about how youre getting to and from practices and games; you can totally drive yourself! No more relying on moms taxi or carpooling with your neighbor! Also, you no longer have to worry about impressing your parents no more looking over to the sidelines or grandstands to see if mom or dad saw that amazing play you just made (or to see if they saw you rib-cage it while going for that fly ball that you missed)! All kidding aside, the biggest reasons why now is as good a time as any to take part in a sport is because its physically and mentally healthy for you. Just be sure you obtain your physicians consent before starting any new physical activity. According to StateOfObesity.org (Adult Obesity in the United States), Georgia is tied with Wisconsin for having the nineteenth worst adult obesity rate in the U.S. as of September 2016 (Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi rank 1st-3rd, respectively, in case you were wondering). Over thirty percent of adults in Georgia are considered medically obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of thirty or higher. This means a large percentage of adults in Georgia need to eat less and exercise more. Of course, for most of us, thats easier said than done. But, in terms of exercise, wouldnt it be fun to get your cardio in by running up and down a basketball court, crossing up your opponent to get inside the paint to make that sweet lay up, scoring two points for your team? Think youre too old to dribble up and down the court? Well, check out the San Diego Splash (ESPN.com/espnw/video/19395401/san-diego-splash). The Splash is a womens basketball team for which you must be at least eighty years old to play. You read that correctly; eighty was not a typo. In addition to the physical advantages of playing a sport, there are also mental advantages. Physical activity releases endorphins (your bodys happy chemical), which helps reduce depression, stress, insomnia and anxiety. It also boosts self-confidence, brain power/concentration/memory skills, creativity and energy level (The Top 7 Mental Benefits of Sports, Healthline.com). So, why not grab your buddy from the office, and join a local kickball team? You can release some work-related stress, clear your head, and allow your creative juices to start flowing, which may help you come up with a new way, (anything other than another PowerPoint presentation), to present your latest brilliant idea in the next company meeting. Finally, theres a reason that so many companies invest in team-building retreats for their employees. There are definitely some positive things to be gleaned from being a part of a team. Teams are about bringing people together to achieve a common goal, so individual egos must be cast aside. When you are part of a team, you must learn to take constructive criticism from coaches and teammates, and apply it to your athletic performance. That said, if you are the teammate who is giving constructive criticism or communicating critical instructions during the heat of a game, you must be clear and diplomatic in your communication. And having the self-awareness to know your own strengths while also recognizing the strengths and skills of others is an invaluable trait that can be developed on the playing field. All of these skills translate well to the workplace and your family at home. Not sure where to find a local team sport to join? Here are a few suggestions to start your search: Basketball Cherokee Recreation and Parks Association CRPA.net/athletics/adult-basketball/ Life Time Fitness UHLife.com/find-your-league-1 LA FitnessLAFitness.com Flag Football Cherokee Recreation and Parks AssociationCRPA.net/athletics/adult-flag-football/ Kickball Cherokee Recreation and Parks Association CRPA.net/athletics/adult-kickball/ Softball Cherokee Recreation and Parks AssociationCRPA.net/athletics/adult-softball/ Cherokee Senior Softball AssociationCSSA.teampages.com/ Soccer Impact Adult Soccer League CSAImpact.com Volleyball Atlanta Volleyball Meetup GroupMeetUp.com/AtlantaVolleyball/
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