Indoor soccer, with the smaller field and sometimes fewer teammates, doesn't quite match up to the experience of playing outdoors on grass, but for the avid soccer player, it's hardly worth quitting a season over.
Through these following adult sports leagues, you can play the foot sport year-round indoor or out, though with the days much shorter than they used to be, your best bet's on indoors for now.
At Chelsea Piers, you can golf, bowl, ice skate, do rock climbing, and of, course,
play soccer. In fact, if you're looking to get the most play, this is the place to go. With 12 games plus playoffs, this will have you on the field for at least until April.
Kicking off January 3, the league has soccer going on every night of the week, with divisions for co-eds, women, players over 30 and intermediate and more competitive levels. Teams can sign up beginning one month prior to the start date, with the team fee costing $2,850. Minimum is 8 people per team, maximum 15 (though only 12 people can dress each match).
Those without a team looking to play can register as well, and will try to be placed on a team, so don't be shy. Fees for individual players will be determined by the third week of the season.
For those looking to make it an office activity, the
New York Co-Ed Corporate Indoor Soccer League accommodates.
The 10-game season kicks off January 11, 2010, and all members of your company, plus clients, spouses and friends, are welcome to join. So filling the 12-person roster shouldn't be a problem. Like the others, the league is divided into different levels of competitiveness, so all levels are welcome as well. Those looking to make it to the finals, played at Madison Square Garden, might want to start scouting now.
For those new to the season, the fee is $2,000 per team. For fall veterans, it's $1.800, plus a guaranteed spot for the winter season.
Applications are due by January 6, 2010.
Playing for a cause?
ZogSports lets you do just that, as a percentage of the company's profit goes to charity, and prize money from their sponsors goes to the winning team's charity of choice.
These games are strictly co-ed, and it's 5-on-5, making for 3 men and 2 women on the court at all times, and, given the player restraints, no goalie. Four divisions make for different levels of play, from players to sorta players to casual to the extremely casual (translation: those more into socializing than soccer). With that in mind, after kicking a few soccer balls around, be sure to kick back a few at the organized happy hours after each game.
The 7-week schedule's flexible depending on your availability, with Friday, weekend and weeknight games. Friday games kick off January 8, 2010, with registration costing $130 per individual and $1,400 per team when you sign up between November 9 and 18, or $140 per individual and $1,500 per team between November 19 and December 4. Weekend games (beginning January 9, 2010) and weeknight games (beginning January 4, 2010) cost the same, with $140 per individual and $1,500 per team for early registration, or $150 and $1,600 respectively for regular. As you can see, it pays to be on the ball.
