Published on August 29, 2003 for Go NYC Magazine.
“PLAY, GIRL.”
by Jeff Kagan
The word ‘sports’ dates back approximately five hundred years, to a time when people knew the world to be flat. The phrase “women’s sports,” however, has only been used for less than a century leaving many historians puzzled over the lack of participation of the female gender between the time of Columbus’s discovery of America and Susan B. Anthony’s well-known proclamation, “Do the dishes, MY ASS!!” (paraphrased).
Go NYC Magazine hired a CPA to do the math on this one, and we’ve determined that women have missed out on over four hundred years of sports! Girls—we have a lot of catching up to do! And Out of Bounds NYC is here to help us!
Out of Bounds NYC is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes sports and recreational organizations with interests in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. They’re working hard to get you involved with the various sports and recreation groups out there! Here are some suggestions from Out Of Bounds on ways to improve your sporting life:
• Look out Nancy Kerrigan—they’ve got STICKS! It’s the Brooklyn Blades, New York City’s only Women’s Ice Hockey League. For over 10 years, they’ve been teaching women of all ages how to play the “coolest” game around. Their 20 game season runs from September through March and it ends with an annual tournament in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
• If you don’t want to travel all the way to Brooklyn to play ice hockey, there’s the NYC Gay Hockey Association (NYCGHA). Four years and counting, these pucks have five co-ed teams at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. Check out their stunning website for more information: www.nycgayhockey.org.
• Ice too cold for you? Then jump into the warm waters of the John Jay College swimming pool in Hell’s Kitchen. That’s where Team New York Aquatics holds most of their meets. TNYA has been around since 1990 and their membership now numbers over 175 swimmers of all levels of experience. Swim for fitness, enjoy a nice breast stroke, or just lie around the pool looking good in a bikini! You’d better get rid of those tan lines before the cold weather gets here…
• Not ready to be seen in a bikini at the pool? Get back in shape by running a few laps around Central Park with Frontrunners New York! FRNY has been running for 24 year (and boy, are their legs tired…(wakka wakka wakka!) Running not your thing, sweetie-pie? Then sit that cute butt on a bicycle and join the Fast & Fabulous Cycling Club for one of their many exciting bike tours. You’ll meet dikes on bikes, without all the damn noise! F&F holds weekly rides varying in pace, distance and skill level. They have over 120 members, and about one third are women.
• Do you like to jump around and shout out? Maybe you should join up with NYC’s one and only GLBT Cheerleading troupe, Cheer New York! Watch them toss one another up in the air, do flips and spins, with the message “Cheer Loud, Cheer Proud!” Don’t stand underneath when they fly by!
• Over one billion balls served! Volleyballs and tennis balls, that is… The Gotham Volleyball League, the largest GLBT volleyball league in the world with over 700 members! Now set the ball and SPIKE it hard! But nicely, please… The Metropolitan Tennis Group is New York’s lesbian and gay tennis organization. They have over 400 members, and they host the annual Liberty Open each July, bringing players from all across the United States to compete. The ball was IN!!!
That’s just a brief summary of some of the sports that are available to you. For a full listing of all of the groups, and how to contact them, check out www.oobnyc.org. Let’s go ladies! Time to PLAY!!
