Sports is typically played by children, as most people do not continue on to the college or professional ranks. People generally become spectators as family and work becomes the priority over finding glory on a field or court. And for most people, the body just cannot defeat Father Time.
But for some, it’s not time to hang up the jersey just yet. This past Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium at Rancho Cienega Sports complex, a number of men competed in flag football. Nobody will mistake them for the star athletes, or even the high school kids who make the game look easy. But for about an hour, they were able to relive some glory days, and create new ones.
While this nation struggles with health related issues linked to obesity, programs like this create an environment where people can be active and meet their exercise needs.
These programs also create a social environment where people can get to know others in their community. While there was a lot of “trash talk” on the field, and coming from the sidelines of Sunday’s flag football games, it was all in good fun, and all of the competitors departed as friends.
One popular program at Rancho Cienega Sports Complex is their Late Night Hoops program, which is a partnership with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Police Department. The late-evening basketball league provides positive alternatives for young adults by allowing them to run the courts instead of to run the streets. The program is dedicated to the promotion of non-violence and unity, health and fitness, educational opportunities, and employment referral. The Late Night Hoops league will go beyond basketball with off-court activities which include both job and health fairs for the league’s players and the local community.
The league will recruit more than 150 young adults ages 18-25 from the Figueroa corridor and various at-risk neighborhoods in South Los Angeles.
It’s never too late to reap the benefits of athletic competition. For more information about adult league sports, and to find competitions and teams to join, visit http://www.laparks.org/dos/ sports/sports.htm or call (818) 246-5613.
