Looking for an adult basketball league near you to join? Don’t want to waste time scrolling past search engine results that aren’t relevant? Well, you’re in luck because the Adults Play Sports directory has the most robust compilation of adult basketball leagues in North America all in one place.
But before you go check it out, here’s a quick lowdown on how it works and what you should consider when searching for a basketball league to join.
How To Use The Adults Play Sports Directory To Find An Adult Basketball League Near You
I’m a lifelong athlete. Throughout my adult life, I’ve used all methods to find sports leagues–from Craigslist to Meetup to web searches to simply asking around. It can be a bit daunting.
To make it easier, I came up with the idea to create a directory where all the leagues are on one platform–and only for adults. Woo hoo! So far, there are almost 700 listings for adult basketball in North America–and growing.
Search By Location
Use the map to find listings near you, or enter your location in the search bar. Hit the magnifying glass to work some magic, and you’ll see all the adult basketball leagues near you pop up.
In the filters, you can drill down even further to find your perfect match.
Search By Gender, Skill, And Other Features
You may want to find a men’s basketball league near you that plays at highly competitive levels. Or maybe a chill league is what you’re after, and you don’t care if it’s co-ed or single-gender.
Maybe you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, and you’d feel most comfortable in an LGBTQ+ adult basketball league.
Whatever you’re looking for in an adult basketball league, the place with the most options is the APS directory.
A Few Key Points About The Sports Directory
The directory listings are only as good as the information the leagues provide on their websites. Since that’s where the APS directory sources its information, some listings might have less detail than others.
I’m working with leagues to encourage them to edit their directory listings to be as descriptive as possible for players like you searching for adult basketball leagues and their specifics.
Reviews
If you happen to play in an adult sports league and it’s in the directory, leave a review. You’ll help out your fellow adult athletes who trust the opinion of people like you.
Things To Consider In An Adult Basketball League
Now that you know how to easily find an adult basketball league in your area, you’ll probably want to take a few other things into consideration in your quest for the perfect fit.
Cost of the League
League fees can vary greatly, so be sure to ask how much a season costs and what your fees cover. Most fees will cover referees, but there are some leagues that require a separate ref payment at each game.
Ask if you’ll need to buy a uniform or if that’s also included in your registration costs.
Competition and Skill Levels of the League
You’ll want to find an adult basketball league that suits your skill level. It’s no fun being a complete newbie trying to keep up with ultra-skilled and competitive players. Plus, your chance of injury will greatly increase.
On the flip side, if you’re a former D1 basketball player and want to keep playing after graduation, you probably won’t enjoy playing on a team with a bunch of rookies.
The good thing is there are plenty of adult basketball leagues with various skill divisions suitable to most playing styles. Some organizations even offer special skills camps and clinics for new players.
Age Divisions
Regardless what stage of adulthood you’re in, it’s fantastic that you still want to play basketball. And you should. It’s one of the best workouts you can get, plus you’ll have fun doing it.
However, as you age, your body eventually slows down, and it’s hard to keep up with 20-year-old dynamos when you’re a pushing 50 dynamo.
If you’re getting past the prime of your twenties, there are many basketball leagues that offer over 30s, over 40s, over 50s (and even older) divisions.
If you’re in your late 30s but still keeping up with the twentysomethings, by all means, keep playing in the open division if that’s what makes you happy. But if you’re struggling to keep up but still want to play, look into the higher age divisions.
Keep in mind that the older age divisions might implement slightly different rules to minimize the increased risk for injury (especially since it takes longer to recover from injuries as you get older).
But don’t ever let your age be a deterrent from playing basketball well into your later years. There are basketball leagues with men and women playing in their 90s!
Game Locations
Find out if the league you’re interested in plays at the same location each week or if you’ll switch it up. Then, determine how far you’re willing to travel for a game.
You’ll also need to decide if you prefer playing on indoor or outdoor basketball courts–or if that even matters to you.
League Format
There are several formats for adult basketball leagues that include the traditional 5v5, or you’ll also find 3v3, 4v4, and half-court options.
Find out the format of the leagues you’re researching. There are plenty of combinations out there, so you’ll need to consider which format best suits your playing style.
Practices
Basketball practices are more common among leagues with younger players and with leagues that are more competitive. Be sure to ask a team you want to join if they practice and factor in whether the extra time commitment will work with your schedule.
If you can’t commit, it’s better to find an adult basketball team or league with a more relaxed schedule.
Physical Fitness
Basketball requires stamina. If you’re an active person or already play basketball casually, you should acclimate quickly. If you’re a newbie, you might want to practice sprints and running prior to joining so you’ll be more physically prepared for the real deal.
You just got the lowdown. Now go find an adult basketball league so you can play your heart out.
