Sports For the "Not-So-Athletic"

You don't have to run. You don't have to pant. You don't even have to sweat! At my school sports involve running, stamina, doing a mile run under a certain time. But it doesn't have to be that way. Sports can be easy going and can also be fun and competitive at the same time. When playing something like basketball, soccer, or volleyball for your school the season may be fun because of your friends, sometimes your coach, but when your ACTUALLY playing it's a lot running, shuffling, demanding of your physical and mental body. If you want to relax yet feel some kind of competition and want to be involved in the sports world rather than just watching it, there are PLENTY of sports out there for you! While these sports may require for you to have maybe some kind of talent, it definitely more lenient and more easy going than most sports!
Take a look:




Beer Pong
Beer pong is a drinking game in which players throw a ping pong ball across the table with the aim of landing the ball in a cup of their opponents if that does happen, the opponent has to drink from the cup the ball landed in. Honestly, you don't have to be good at beer pong to play. You can just have fun with your friends, make a fool out yourself, laugh and probably get drunk. Many people play at social parties, fraternity houses and even at small gatherings. It's fun, VERY easy going and it can be competitive if you want it to be!


Poker
When you first hear the rules of poker, you might be really confused and kind of turned-off. But when you start playing it whether its with your friends, or in Las Vegas partying it up, it could get intense, competitive, or it could be just a way to socialize. If your playing with money then the competition is fierce, but it doesn't always have to be that way. Bet like chocolate money, candy, pennies and make it something that's more about having fun with your friends! Cards may be a controversy to whether it is actually a sport or not, but poker games are always shown on ESPN so why not consider it a sport?


Miniature Golf
Tiger Woods kind of made real golfing too serious, so lets go to golfing for dummies..DUH miniature golfing! It's actually a lot of fun. You can be on a date, a family vacation, or even with you friends and miniature golfing can be fun, competitive, and quite challenging. When you feel like your pro at miniature golfing go one step ahead because there's always golfing with a big put and further holes! It's also so great because you can make your own rules with whoever your playing with to make the game a bit more interesting!
                                                                                    Bowling

I absolutely love going bowling! Bowling is easily accessible for all ages. When I was a child we used to have competitive games of bowling with the gutter bars up, and even now as a teenager, the community I live in here has competitive bowling competitions. When were bored here in Japan, many people go and bowl with their friends because it's not only fun to watch people mess up, to compete, but its also a fun way to just sit around and interact LIKE every sport up here. If your looking for a slower paced game, and a way to kill time, bowling should definitely be at the top of your list! Bowling can also be very competitive and bowlers take their competition seriously dressing up in bowling outfits, bowling shoes, having warm-up routines and even a certain type of ball they use.


Table Tennis
Table Tennis is a very difficult mental and physical game if your playing it for professional reasons or serious competitive reasons. At our school we have table tennis clubs and table tennis as an activity option on Fridays, and most of the people you see playing table tennis don't usually show themselves out on the soccer, or basketball field. Table Tennis is more focused on hand-eye coordination while the sports on the field are more about moving your entire physical body. You can seriously be competitive with table tennis and other forms of racket sports like badminton if you feel like hand-eye coordination is something your good at rather than running. I also love to play table tennis even though I'm not really good when I'm on vacation with my family. It's a fun way to have some competition and not play by the exact rules once in a while!


Pool
Pool, also known as billiards is ALSO a very competitive sport for the unathletic. Although it involves moving around a average size table rather than an entire field, pool players are quite talented and kind of sexy. I love it when guys "think" their so good at pool and properly angle the stick with the ball but in actuality, they're just praying it goes in. For girls at least teenagers, we just play pool to flirt with guys but some people are actually very good at it, and if you do find yourself being extraordinary, you can go on and play pool a bit more competitively! Pool is a world wide acclaimed sport and some people spend hours and hours watching pool games on television!


Frisbee

The sport of Frisbee can be physically demanding if you are into the ultimate type. Don't worry. Frisbee playing doesn't have to leave you panting. You can always play it with your dog so he can do all the work, or with your friends so you don't have to do AS MUCH. If your catching on to the sport and you like it when playing with your friends or your dog, you could always go for ultimate Frisbee which is more competitive. 

Croquet
Croquet involves hitting a colored ball with a wooden mallet through a wire hoop. It's kind of like a classier version of miniature golf. When you talk about playing it you tend to want to take on a British accent even if you aren't British. It's been a competitive sport for the un-athletic since the 1600's. Croquet has a lot of rules but once you learn them croquet is a relaxing but lengthy game. I guess the climatic part of croquet is when you send your opponent's ball rolling in an undesirable direction.

So be ATHLETIC but UNATHLETIC at the same time, it's actually possible!

Love,
ALPHA