5 Social Sports To Round Up The Squad For This Summer

Like the idea of team sport but hate how competitive it can be? Getting a social team together is a perfect way to stay active without having to play against someone who fancies themselves as a future GOAT.

Most social comps will let you put together a team of friends, so it'll be a good time even if you’re not much of a sporty spice. Not only will it help keep up your fitness, but it’s also an excuse to see your friends every week over summer.

So if that sounds like something you'd be keen to try out, here are a few fun social sports to get your squad playing this summer.

AFL 9s

AFL 9s is a lot more common in other states compared to Queensland and New South Wales, but it’s a sport you should definitely consider if you haven’t already.

It’s basically a modified version of aussie rules football, played on a smaller field with only 9 players on each team. There’s no tackling, so you don’t need to worry about getting floored by a six-foot-five seasoned footballer. 

Ultimate Frisbee

Ultimate frisbee is kind of like a cross between netball and gridiron. The aim is to catch the frisbee in the end zone, but you’re not allowed to move while holding the disc.

Frisbee is gaining popularity in Australia, so you should be able to find a competition at a sports ground near you. 

Hockey

Just so we’re clear, I’m talking about field hockey. Not its violent, icy, close relative. Hockey is a great shout as a summer sport because an Australia wide organisation, Social Hockey, have developed a few variations of the sport that are perfect for anyone new to the game. 

There’s hockey sixes, the six-a-side adaptation of the sport. Plus, there’s also JBall, where players use lighter sticks and balls to make the game easier to learn, and less intimidating. 

If that all sounds a little bit too easy for you, there’s always the Unicycle variation you never knew you needed to watch a highlight reel of. 

Flag Gridiron

Flag gridiron is basically the oz-tag equivalent of American football. The rules are the same as gridiron, except each player has two velcro tags hanging from their hips which players try to rip off instead of tackling. 

While it’s not the most common summer sport, you should be able to find a nearby competition if you live in a metropolitan area. 

Indoor Netball

You’re probably well across this one, but it’s too good of an option to not mention. You can find actionball competitions in most local areas so you shouldn’t have to travel far if you fancy trying out the sport this summer. 

If you like a bit more novelty in your summer sports, a few indoor sports centres run a netball/basketball hybrid called 'action ball'. It borrows most of its rules from netball, except you can score 2-pointers if you shoot from outside the circle. 
 

Most of these sports have the option to play in a mixed team, so they’re perfect for a squad with a mix of guys, gals and enbys. 

If you’re still struggling to choose which sport to have a go at this summer, start by searching for competitions that are nearby and easy to get to.