good sport

Try your hand (or feeT) aT These alTernaTive acTiviTies, all accessible wiThin zero

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Did you know that tug-of-war, hand tennis and live-pigeon shooting have been Olympic sports? Well, the birdshooting thing was held just once, in 1900. But doesn’t it go to show that what is considered sport is subjective? And sports — even ones with funny names like cornhole or mushball — can be life-enhancing. Whether you’re looking for improved physical fitness, healthy competition, camaraderie or pure silliness, there’s a sport for you. You just might not know it exists.

Ultimate Frisbee

When you think Frisbee, do you imagine a couple collegeage dudes, all smiles, tossing colorful disks on a windswept beach? Sure, that’s Frisbee. But it ain’t Ultimate Frisbee. The formations look a little like football and the objective is to move the disk into the end zone. There’s a lot of running, passing and jumping and falling, but it is non-contact, at least that’s what the rules dictate. Ultimater Mike Ahern has been playing since 1993 and says he likes not only the athleticism involved, but also the “camaraderie of the Ultimate community.” It’s different from many other team sports in that, in general, individuals sign up for the league and then are drafted onto a team as opposed to a bunch of people forming a team and then joining a league.

“The Ultimate way makes for more of a sense of community because you get to know more people and you’re less likely to develop deep grudges,” Ahern says. “That guy you’re mad at one season may be your teammate in the next.”

The Ultimate Frisbee demographics skew younger, Ahern says, but there is a significant subset of older people playing these days, and that stereotypical Frisbee guy — “the protohippie, let’s say” — is an endangered species. And it’s not just the guys. Maybe one-third of the players are female, Ahern says.

PLAY ULTIMATE // Beginners can find pick-up games Mondays at The Village Apartments on Southwestern or Wednesdays alternating among Norbuck Park, Glencoe Park and Lake Highlands Park. Winter league is popular among Dallas players, though the games are held in Oak Point near Denton County. The leagues are divided into recreational and competitive. Winter league costs about $70 and runs December through March. Ahern is involved in the Irving league. Cost is in the neighborhood of $30 for a season of league play. Learn more at dallasultimate.org.

Bike polo

Ah, the sport of kings. Fancy hats, refreshing cocktails, royals. Well, this ain’t that. Bike polo, a sport whose popularity is growing in Texas, is played on tennis courts. And it’s more like a bunch of punk-rock looking guys and gals in cutoffs, wielding croquet mallets alongside their dirt bikes. Dylan Holt organizes the Dallas Bike Polo League, which meets weekly at Norbuck Park near White Rock Lake. About 10 bike polo loyalists show up every week to compete, joke around and, occasionally, have a minor wreck. Most experienced cyclists can catch onto bike polo quickly, Holt says. “It’s mostly just for fun, but we do take it seriously,” he says.

Play Polo // The Dallas Bike Polo League meets at Norbuck Park on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Visit leagueofbikepolo.com/club/dallasbicycle-polo.

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Assessing the needs of a person during the early stages of Alzheimer’s can be difficult. We’re here to help. Villages of Lake Highlands offers Alzheimer’s Support Groups and family nights where you can learn from other families coping with the effects of memory loss. We also offer several educational programs for family members as well as complimentary sitter service for your loved one while you are here.

Kickball

Kick the big red ball. Run the bases without getting tagged. Think baseball, but the bat is your foot. Seriousness ranges from just-out-here-to-meet-people to no-mercyin-it-to-win-it. Far North Dallas-based Dallas Sport and Social offers mostly year-round kickball leagues. A season is typically seven regular-season games plus playoffs, if you’re good enough.

PLAY KICKBALL // Games are held at Glencoe Park near Southern Methodist University or Norbuck Park at Northwest Highway and Buckner. The cost is about $75 per person or $630 for a team. To sign up, visit dallassportsleagues.com.

Pole Dancing

Hold on to a pole, and wrap your body around it, forming different acrobatic positions. It’s not just for exotic dancers. Pole dancing is considered performance art and requires a great deal of strength, flexibility and stamina. In fact, the U.S. Pole Dance Federation hosts a national championship in September. But most people pole dance for exercise.

START POLE DANCING // The Girls Room on Greenville, in addition to poling, offers yoga, zumba, ballet and belly dance classes among others. Most classes are $25, and memberships start at $99 per month. Visit thegirlsroom.com.

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