Dust off your soccer balls, tennis rackets, baseball bats or ping pong paddles. It’s time dive into the world of pick up sports in
Northern Virginia.
Kim Reinick/Shutterstock.com
A few weeks ago my best friend begged me to go play a pick-up volleyball game with her. We both love the sport, but my excitement level to try out a pick-up game was less than stellar because of the fact that I stopped playing competitive volleyball over three years ago. I didn’t want to go because my love for volleyball had changed, but my skills hadn’t seen the light of day in quite some time. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be good enough but also a little skeptical that a random pick-up game would be terribly awkward having to play with so many strangers. Nonetheless, after I realized that her begging wasn’t going to cease at any point in the foreseeable future, I dug out my old, tattered volleyball shoes and decided to go with.
After a night of pick-up volleyball, I could not have been more surprised by how much fun it was. The ages varied from mid-20’s to 40 something year olds. Everyone was basically at the same skill level, even me to my relief, and playing with strangers was actually refreshing. In high school you typically play will the same people over and over again and you bond over time, but it was great to see that knowledge and skills of a game can instantly connect you with others. The teams were divided mostly randomly, only making sure that there was relatively an even amount of guys and girls on each team. We played game after game with just enough friendly competitiveness to make it exciting. All my original fears had subsided within about five minutes of being on the court.
You don’t have to be a volleyball aficionado to participate in pick-up games. There are so many pick-up games for sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, softball, ultimate frisbee and even double dutch jump roping! There are groups that gather all over Northern Virginia so there’s definitely something that can fit your interest and location. The most popular site to find the best pick-up game for you, in my opinion, is called Meetup.com.
This site has pages for hundreds of groups you can join in NoVA, but the ‘sports and recreation’ page will get you started on your search to get back on the field or court. If you’re concerned about your still level like I was, most of the groups specify what level their group plays at. For example, the group that I attended said “You must be 18 years or older to play. This is for BB or better players. Please no backyard or BBQ experienced only players” on their page. I had no clue what ‘BB’ meant but there was a great list of categories depicting the level with what type of skills you should possess. Some meet-ups get specific like above, but some simply want people who love to play the sport!
Once you find the right group for you, RSVP on the website to reserve your spot. Most games have a small fee to pay once you get to the meet-up, but nothing that will break the bank.
If the first pick-up game you attended wasn’t quite what you wanted or expected, you can always just try out others until you find a good fit. You can go if you’re free, or not go if you’re busy. The commitment level is whatever you want it to be! And as cheesy as it may sound, participating in pick-up games can let you make new friends that you automatically have something in common with too.
Pick-up games are basically for anyone, regardless of age or skill. So check out Meetup.com. You’ll have a ball of a time!