MEN & HS YOUTH: Sports League Anyone?

When I was growing up in Colorado we had a sports league where Lutheran churches in the Denver metro area got together every Sunday afternoon to play coed basketball (spring), volleyball (fall), and softball (summer) at one of the churches that had a school field and/or a gym.  We weren't in the competitive league but it was fantastic!

Men need and want friends but they don't really like to hang out unless it's about beer and yard sports or BBQ.  They don't want to share recipes or quilt or talk about their feelings. Most men really like sports and/or are looking for reasons to get moving.  I know my church participates in the city co-rec league for softball but why not try to develop sports leagues within your district?  There are about 246 congregations in the Minnesota South district.  Why not start a MNS sports league?  How much fun would it be to get together and have a championship basketball tournament at Concordia University in St. Paul?  (Or even one of the local high schools?)

Here's what would be needed:

• Somebody to organize and communicate.  (I would be willing to take that on for my district.)
• A fee for each participating team would be required to pay referees and purchase tournament trophies.
• Churches to volunteer the use of their gym or field each Sunday afternoon.
• Somebody to find referees each week.
• Each church would have to have a contact person.

There are any number of options.  As youth we played co-rec everything but I think there was a competitive guys-only basketball bracket that our church didn't have enough interest in to participate.  What a great way to develop relationships with other churches and build camaraderie among men in the congregation!