Springing into seasonal sports

By Bertha Serrano
April 27, 2009

With warmer temperatures underway, Chicago’s spring sports teams are ready to kick off another year, while others have already begun their spring season.

Though most sports can be played throughout the year, several are known as spring sports, such as kayaking, dodgeball, softball, kickball and cycling. Despite showers and unknown weather circumstances, these sports are still some of the most popular around this time of the year.

While some leagues are free of charge for players, others require a membership fee. Some clubs have seen the effect of the economic downturn and have been forced to cancel their spring leagues due to the low registrations.

Rob Housing is manager for SportsMonster.net, a website dedicated to organizing adult recreational sports. The spring dodgeball league was canceled due to a lack of sign-ups, he said. In previous years, the season kicked off in mid-March and ran through May.

“Our leagues are different because we referee our own games,” Housing said. “Although we didn’t want to cancel the spring league, people didn’t sign up for it.”

Other leagues are willing to lower the fees and offer discounts for customers. Aaron Gershenzon from Chicago Kayak runs Wateriders.com, a site about kayaking and rowing tours down the Chicago River.

While the kayaking season doesn’t start until mid-May due to weather precautions, the company is offering special recession prices starting at the kickoff of the season up until June 15.

“Our tour prices are discounted pretty significantly, about 30 percent,” Gershenzon said. “After June 15, it’s back up to our normal prices.”

To prepare for the kayak season, Wateriders offers 50-minute workouts on Mondays and Tuesdays with an instructor. The workout is designed to help kayakers increase their strength and reach personal goals.

Other leagues, such as Players Sports Group in Chicago, are still operating the same as previous years. Scott Brost has been the sports director of Players Sports Group for more than a year. Their coed, men’s 12-inch and 16-inch softball season has already begun.

“People join our leagues because of our organization and professionalism,” Brost said. “We all play in the same fields, but the way the leagues are carried out are much different.”

Whether you’re looking to join a league now or looking for one in the summer, here are some of the more well-known leagues and websites to join around town.

Dodgeball

Sportsmonster

What: Leagues throughout 11 cities

Price: Varies on option. Sign up alone, become a captain or start your own team

Contact: (773) 866-2955

North Avenue Beach Sports

What: Bar-sponsored teams; Thursday nights on the beach

Price: $100 for individuals

Contact: (773) 248-3055

Kayaking

Wateriders

What: Sightseeing and tours down the Chicago River