How to Recruit People to Play Pickup Sports Games

As a teenager, there always was a game going. It didn't matter the sport--football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis or soccer. But when people get older, they tend to get wrapped up in other activities, and it's harder to find playmates. Here are ways to shake the trees and get enough players to play pickup games regularly.

Things You'll Need

• Your own equipment, ball, bat, racquet, whatever is needed; if you, the organizer, don't bring it, don't expect anyone else to
• A place to play
• A computer with email and an address book

Instructions

1. Whatever the sport, determine how many people you will need. Create a list of slots to fill, and start filling them with the core group that you put together before you realized you don't have enough to make it work. Whatever that number, focus in on getting that many people, and maybe an extra or two, in case someone drops out at the last minute.

2. Start at work. Since most adults are too busy to play anymore because they work too much, this is the most fertile ground for you. You already have the relationships. You might have chatted with these people about your interest in the sport. You can look and see who seems athletic. You also know who the jerks in the crowd are, to avoid. If your company allows it, send out a broadcast email stating what you would like to do and when.

3. Ask friends, relatives and other people already planning to play if they know of anyone else who might be interested.

4. Check out the places that this kind of sport happens, and get in contact with the people in charge of the fields/courts. They might know of people who are in the same situation as you, looking for someone to play with. City leagues also often keep rosters of people looking to join teams. Even if you aren't putting together a team, the folks on these lists are eager to get some action. They might just make a great new contact.

5. At cocktail parties or other social events, make that topic one of your go-to standards, like "What do you think of the weather?" Only, asking, "Do you play any sports?" might lead to either a new player or someone who knows a player. The great thing about recommendations are that most people are reluctant to recommend a jerk, so that filter helps to keep the bad ones away.

6. What other social organizations do you belong to? Any place where there is a lot of people probably includes players yearning to get back into a sport. The only trick is to start asking.

7. If you've tried every other avenue, and still have a slot or two to fill, there's always the local gyms. Get a hold of each manager, explain the situation, and ask if that person can recommend anyone (or pass on a message). That might be an introduction to a great new friend.

Tips & Warnings

• Be open to giving people a try. Worst case, just don't invite them back for a second game.

• Don't tolerate jerks. Kick them out, or don't invite them back. Otherwise, the group of players you worked so hard to build quickly will begin to crumble.

• Make sure to be upfront with costs, if there are any.