Leap Into Action With Austin Sports & Social Club

Want to meet new people? Seeking a not-too-boring, not-too-hard New Year’s resolution? Austin Sports & Social Club is here for you!

Volleyball, Kickball, and Bowling, Oh My!

Austin Sports & Social Club offers more than 14 sports, about 50 sports seasons, and fun events like party barges throughout the year. If you are wildly passionate about soccer or flag football, sign up for one of the co-ed leagues. You say you want to relive your middle school glory days as a dodgeball champ? Sign up today. Wiffleball or cornhole more your thing? Go for it.

Sand volleyball and kickball draw big crowds every time, so for maximum socializing, these may be a good place to start. If you prefer low impact, less intense activities, try cornhole or bowling. There are indoor and outdoor leagues, so any time of year serves up a variety of options.

Austin Sports & Social Club even has group fitness classes to prepare players for the challenge of getting back into a sport after a hiatus. The Sport Fit classes work on improving skill while teaching techniques to reduce injuries on the field/court/whatnot. Run Fit is a “couch to 5K” class focused on stride and conditioning.

If a player starts taking things too seriously, they may be reminded of the group’s motto on the field/court: “Keep it social.” Austin Sports & Social Club places a heavy emphasis on the fun side of bringing people together in friendly competition. With 25,000 participants annually, the potential mingling factor is through the roof.

All leagues and activities are co-ed, and have been from the start. This is an essential element. After each game, the teams adjourn to a local bar for a sponsored happy hour, to rehash the most exciting moments on the field…or not! It’s social; talk about what you want.

The tournaments, leagues, and seasons run year-round, and participants only pay for the activities/leagues they participate in. Unlike other leagues in town, Austin Sports & Social Club allows members to sign up individually, versus requiring whole teams. The organization then matches individuals with other individuals to form fun and balanced teams.

Social Events Galore Through Austin Sports & Social Club

A post shared by Austin Sports & Social Club (@austinssc) on Oct 23, 2017 at 8:53pm PDT

You had me at party barge! The party barge events are some of the most popular strictly social outings of the year. They take place in summer, though. In the winter, Austin Sports & Social Club holds an annual Christmas party, where toys are collected for children. There’s also a New Year’s Eve party at Craftsman with a DJ, drinks, and dancing.

Austin Sports & Social Club is busy planning its 5th annual Ski & Snowboarding Trip to Colorado. Attendees get to visit four resorts for the price of one: in Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, and Beaver Creek. While the deadline was officially Dec. 1, 2017, Director of Marketing Chad Perry promised to squeeze in a few readers of The Austinot for a couple extra days (hurry, and mention this article).

Tailgating season is in high gear now, and Austin Sports & Social Club has tailgate parties you can register for. Besides the regularly scheduled tailgating parties, there are the annual Tailgating Games. Tailgating Games pits contenders against each other for classic tailgating tournaments, such as beer pong and cornhole. Careful, now, you know this one will get rowdy.

The coolest event in my mind is the Downtown Dash each spring. Think reality competition show, where teams of two compete in a type of scavenger hunt to find and solve clues, riddles, and puzzles, as well as complete physical challenges. Because we live in Austin, count on at least one water-oriented challenge. Kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and water bikes have all made appearances in the past.

All in Good Fun

I love seeing a group with a sense of humor about its place in the world. Austin Sports & Social Club does not take itself too seriously. The organizers do, however, understand their roles as facilitators of sports and social activities. In fact, this is no part-time hobby league; it’s a full-time business.

Founder Marc Tucci moved to Austin specifically to start a business like this. Having participated in a similarly fun and active organization in Baltimore, he did his research. He chose Austin and opened the doors in 2005. The city was ripe for the idea, and soon the group expanded with branches in San Antonio and Dallas.

Director of Marketing Chad Perry began at Austin Sports & Social Club as a participant. While he wasn’t new to Austin, he’d reached that stage of life when one’s friends all start moving away or getting hitched. He found the club to be the perfect answer to meeting new people. If you’re new to town or find yourself in the same predicament Perry was in, then Austin Sports & Social Club can kick your social life back into action.

Website

 

@theAustinot wants to know:

Which Austin Sports & Social Club activity sounds the most fun to you?