# Competitive Sport... do you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2004, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444 "2004-06-15T08:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grant)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/21 "2004-06-15T17:49:03Z")
I’m 35 and I play Hockey year round. Ice and roller in the winter. Just roller the rest of the year. We are fairly competitive in roller tournaments but get our butts handed to us on ice. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/22 "2004-06-15T17:50:21Z")
Doctor, what bat are you using? I’m switching between a 2002 Wicked bat (later models are illegal under this year’s SPA rules) and a Worth blue barrel. I wish I could find a modern, hi-tech bat heavier than 28 ounces, but they all seem to top out at 28. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/23 "2004-06-15T18:22:34Z")
Near 30 year old who, up until 4 months ago, you name it. If it can be hiked, climbed, played, or tossed I played it. In two months, you name it and I will be playing it. Bonus points if you can guess the malady forcing my lay-off, although I doubt anyone could possibly guess every little bit of said malady. ---
**Author:** ![Flyhalf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea5d25/32.png) [@Flyhalf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyhalf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/24 "2004-06-15T19:46:32Z")
Friends don’t let friends play softball! 😛 I’m 34 and I’ve been playing rugby for 13 years. ---
**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/25 "2004-06-15T21:05:27Z")
> [@gatopescado](#): > > Screw you! I’m a dart player! I’ll not have you discriminate against me! They made “Bridge” an olympic sport, fer-crimmany-sake! 😃 > > Multi-time area champion, in both singles and team play, by the way. > > I’ll be competing in go-karts in the fall. But you probably don’t consider that “strenuous” enough. 😉 > > Not good enough for ya? How about Desert Racing, Hare Scrambles and Grand Prix Racing? (Off-road motorcycles! Kinda like motocross on a 40 mile loop! Makes sailing seem positively wussy!) Actually, I don’t do this anymore. But I did a while ago, and took some trophys in Nationals. I’ve been thinking about getting back into it, as an excuse to buy a new bike. The nice thing is that old farts can race in the Veteren, Senior or Super-Senior class and still do well. > > I’ll ski circles around you too, but haven’t done it competitivly since college. Screw me? Sailing is wussy? That there’s fighting talk, boy! lol I’d challenge you to a competition, but I fall off bikes and I bet you’d thrash me at arrows (darts to the uninitiated). And Bridge… an Olympic sport? Come on, you’re kidding?! 😃 Well done for trophies in the Nationals though. I only managed that at youth level. ---
**Author:** ![GlendaWitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@GlendaWitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GlendaWitch)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/26 "2004-06-15T22:38:46Z")
I have to chime in to defend our competitive equestrian. I competed in showjumping and dressage for much of my life up until about 8 years ago. I was also ran to keep in shape and participated in various other sports. Let me tell you, riding horses, especially the type of activities Hello Again is involved in, is really hard work. It requires a much more coordination, strength and stamina than you can imagine. I quit for financial reasons, not age (I am 39). Now I take ballet classes 3 days a week. If you don’t think that is competitive, what with a room full of bitchy ballerinas trying to one-up each other (“I can get my leg up to here”)… sheeesh! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/27 "2004-06-15T23:56:59Z")
26yo. Ultimate Frisbee and soccer mostly ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/28 "2004-06-16T00:39:26Z")
I’m 37 and compete in hunters. It’s another equestrian sport that’s kind of difficult to describe. You jump the horse over a course of fences but you’re not timed. Instead you’re judged on the quality of the trip. Yes, riding can be an intensely physical activity, especially if you do it competitively. And you’ve gotta be pretty athletic to do a three day! I’m exhausted after doing a hunter show–a three day event would send me into cardiac arrest! I think where people get confused is when they’ve been on a trail ride or two and basically just sat there while the horse ambled along. You can think of riding like moving yourself on your own two legs: you can run hard and get a good workout, or you can take a leisurely stroll. Similar with riding. You can really get a workout from it or you can just hang out on your horse–it all depends on what you do. Also, it can be a bit of a disconnect to think of it as a physical activity when you see riders at the top of the sport who are advancing in age (for example Joe Fargis in show jumping who is what now? 56?) Pretty much, you have to be extremely fit to ride well. But once you reach that threshhold of required fitness, the experience you get from years in the saddle can outweigh the better strength of someone younger. You do have to be at that physcial threshhold though. Those older riders are some tough old guys and gals! ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/29 "2004-06-16T00:59:49Z")
::looks at user name:: Yup, I’m involved in sports. Damn near 23 years old, and I play lacrosse, tennis, golf, and I run the occasional race. Also, I mountain (well, hill at least) bike, but that ain’t competitive. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/30 "2004-06-16T01:05:40Z")
> [@GlendaWitch](#): > > Now I take ballet classes 3 days a week. If you don’t think that is competitive, what with a room full of bitchy ballerinas trying to one-up each other (“I can get my leg up to here”)… sheeesh! :rolleyes: No kidding - whoever thought that little girls aren’t competitive has never been in ballet class with a bunch of 8-year-olds. (jump higher, land softer, stretch farther, you name it) Someday, I’m going to have to take lessons again - I miss it. Now? I’m 30 & triathlon, I’m not competitive (in fact, I’m awful at it) but it is a competitive sport and 30-35 age group is the toughest. ---
**Author:** ![sishoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@sishoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sishoch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/31 "2004-06-16T01:25:48Z")
I’m 43 and I compete (if you call it that) in triathlons. I also do an occasional 5k and a half-marathon at least once a year. I’m pretty bad, though, so far this year I hold the record as the slowest male triathlete in my fair city. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/32 "2004-06-16T02:44:13Z")
I was on the Telemark Division of the Canadian National Ski Team when I was 35, with my best place at the World Championships that year being 17th in the Super-G. I am now 43. I don’t compete any more simply because I don’t have the time. Not having the same muscle mass as I used to, it takes me longer each season to get to the point that I can safely handle my skis at full speed. Interestingly, though, the added years of experience have helped me relax more while at speed, which makes for technically better skiing. Although not competitive, I used to wild water kayak at a fairly high level (class IV-V). As with skiing, time constraints forced be to drop back (class III-IV), for without a daily committment I was worried tha I might make an error. Although aging affects strength and coordination, and illness and poor injury recovery rates take their toll, I do not believe that age significantly impedes a person’s ability to participate vigorously in many sports. For example, I coach a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. This evening our stroke was a 78 year old woman. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/33 "2004-06-16T03:11:54Z")
It just occured to me that all but one of my six person outrigger crew is over forty. The exception is the adult son of one of the crew. We are not competitive, but we paddle hard and fast, enjoying the sunrise on Lake Superior. Quite frankly, I’d rather spend a day paddling the islands than trying to beat another team (not that there is another team up here). ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/34 "2004-06-16T19:03:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Doctor, what bat are you using? A Worth 2 piece - sorry, I don’t remember which model. We had a couple but my favorite had a silver handle and gold barrel (the other was silver/black). It is 33 inches, 28 ounces. I thought a 28 would be too light as well, but I really liked the way it swung. I believe retail on these bats is about $400 but my buddy bought them used from a friend who plays on one of Worth’s traveling teams. > [@](#): > > We still need a decent shortstop though. Hey, **RickJay** , I’ll fill that hole for you! All I require is airfare to Toronto and a small stipend for the duration - say $10,000 per game? [sub]Sorry, that’s the American sports greed monster coming out.[sub] ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/35 "2004-06-16T23:56:45Z")
I’m 30. I play racquetball and soccer ever week. I’d play softball and volleyball if the opportunity presented itself. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/36 "2004-06-17T00:29:55Z")
> [@EnginNerd](#): > > I’m 24 and just started playing ice hockey recently. > > I also downhill ski a lot in the winter. I’m not sure if it’s really competitive with anyone except trying to do better than myself. > > I started running a lot recently too. Once I get better at it I hope to enter some easy races (mostly up-mountain trail running! :eek: ). So far I’m just competing against my own record times. Damn, I wrote a great reply and it disappeared. Look me up when you start - we live in the same town and I know most of the good trail runners in the area. Up hill trail races are my favorite. I suck downhill. I am 43 and not a bad runner, but I am much slower than I was before I hit 40. Now I’d have to head to sea level to break a 6 minute mile in a 10K. I qualified for Boston without any training. I’ve had some success at the few triathlons I’ve done. I’m not competitive with the really serious ones, the ones that get listed in the overall standings, but I’m significantly better than the “I just wanna finish” athletes. (Mostly because I am a faster runner than most every 40+ triathlete. My swimming is ok, because I swim well for a noncompetitive swimmer.) I do my first adventure race this weekend. I am the runner for a team in the Red Bull Divide and Conquer held in Silverton. ---
**Author:** ![Low\_Key\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@Low\_Key\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Low_Key_1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/37 "2004-06-17T13:29:10Z")
I play Ultimate Frisbee. I’ve only been playing for a year, but am pretty good. Since it’s not a big sport in the UK, it’s fairly easy to compete at a high level after a short time. I played for my university’s first team at indoor and outdoor nationals. (beach ultimate is my new favorite playing surface now after two beach tournaments… and it meant that I could still play with a sprained ankle, sprained wrist, and a broken toe. No chance I could’ve done that on a normal grass outdoor playing field…). I’m 21 y.o. since you ask for that in the OP as well… [Hijack] Does anyone here play ultimate at a high enough level that they are going to worlds in August? I’m thinking about going just to watch…[/Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/38 "2004-06-17T14:01:06Z")
I’m an avid tennis player and compete in local tournaments (usually as part of a doubles team). I played volleyball in high school and on an AAU team while in college (my school didn’t have a men’s team). I’m 40. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/39 "2004-06-17T18:10:42Z")
I’m 39 and I just started playing ice hockey last year. Right now I’m a goalie, and I’m taking skating classes so I can try my hand at being a player as well. So far I’ve really enjoyed playing goalie. I also do martial arts (tae kwon do/mixed martial arts) but I’m only a green belt so I’ve got a long way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Indemnity\_Claws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/da6949/32.png) [@Indemnity\_Claws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indemnity_Claws)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444/40 "2004-06-17T20:14:13Z")
Triathlon - sprint, Olympic and half Ironman distance. Running - currently training for NYC marathon. Rugby - after a two year hiatus, have linked up with a local team for the upcoming fall season. I’m 28. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitive-sport-do-you/250444.md?page=3)