Beach Volleyball
THE VIBE » With Whiskey Island Still and Eatery nearby and a courtside bar, Cleveland Plays draws more than 300 teams to Whiskey Island for competitive and recreational coed, men's and women's leagues. "It's like a Sunday fun-day beach party," says John Teel, president of Cleveland Plays. BE A PLAYER » Keith Cochrane met his wife in this league. "Playing beach volleyball at Whiskey Island — with the Lake Erie sunsets and the backdrop of the Cleveland skyline — reminds me of how much I enjoy being part of this city," he says. SIGN UP » The summer session for the mostly 21-and-older league runs July through September.
Kickball
THE VIBE » Unleash your playground prowess in the Lakewood Recreational Department's kickball league, which hosts up to 16 teams at Tyler Field in the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation. "It's like a gym class activity," says Rick Wallenhorst, Lakewood's adult athletic coordinator. BE A PLAYER » "With all the chaos that is happening in our normal lives," says mechanical engineer Mike Zottola, "Thursday night kickball is always a welcomed change of pace." SIGN UP » The noncompetitive, 18-and-over leagues run June 4 through the end of August.
Lacrosse
THE VIBE » Greater Cleveland Lacrosse is stepping up its game to accommodate the sport's surging popularity. With divisions for elementary school through adult, it is adding more structure with set teams, schedules and a summer championship. "There were other summer programs in the past," says David Blue, president of Greater Cleveland Lacrosse. "But they were more pick-up oriented." BE A PLAYER » Jim Kelley, a former player at Wittenberg University, enjoys the league's less-intense pace. "It was a great time to see some old friends," he says. SIGN UP » With games on Tuesdays, the league runs June 9 through July 14 behind East Woods Elementary School in Hudson.
