If you’re looking for something to do, a chance to meet new friends, and a way to stay active, joining an adult sports league covers all the bases. Since moving to Grand Forks for school and staying for a career, I’ve found that many of these leagues are a great way to liven up the week. There are tons more leagues than I could list in this article, so I picked 5 personal favorites I’ve played in over the years:

1. Grand Forks Curling League

This sport has been one of my go-to winter activities for over 10 years. If you are not familiar, it consists of sliding granite “stones” down a sheet of ice with the goal of getting your team’s stones closer to the center than the other team’s. Since a detailed explanation could take up this whole article, I would suggest attending a “Learn to Curl” event at the Grand Forks Curling Club. Leagues of all varieties and skill levels start late in the fall and last through the end of March. Teams consist of 4 players, so start your own team or contact the club to find one to join up with.

2. Grand Forks Softball League

Not many activities break up a long week in the summer better than spending a warm evening or two playing ball with your friends. The Grand Forks Softball Association does a great job of organizing and umpiring men’s, women’s, and co-ed leagues throughout the summer, as well as a variety of fun-filled weekend tournaments. Usually, it takes a team of 10 players and a sponsorship from a local business to start up a team of your own. If that isn’t an option, there are always teams looking for extra players.

3. Grand Forks Sand Volleyball League

Running around barefoot and diving headfirst into the sand at Bringewatt Park is a great time and sand volleyball league is great exercise to boot! You can register to play with teams of 2, 4, or 6 players so there is plenty of flexibility on team size. The league is run by Choice Health and Fitness through Grand Forks Park District, if you’re looking for more details. Grab some friends and give this one a shot, I highly recommend it.

4. Grand Forks Area Golf Leagues

Fore! Many of our great local golf courses in the area have league nights throughout the summer. Golf league is a great opportunity to hang out with friends and network with new people you might not normally run into. I personally play in the men’s league at Valley Golf Course in East Grand Forks which is a ton of fun. Different courses offer different league styles and formats so with a little research you can find one that suits you. So hit some bombs, sink some putts, and shoot some birdies this summer. Check out #gfiscooler resource list of the golf courses in the region here!

5. Grand Forks Archery Leagues

Bear, elk, snake, dinosaur – you name an animal and the Red River Archers Club in Grand Forks probably has a 3D target of one to shoot at. This is another fun and challenging wintertime activity. They offer a 3D target league and a more traditional paper target league. I started shooting in the 3D league in 2020 and really enjoy it. You don’t need to be a hunter to enjoy this one either. I highly recommended it to anyone who wants to give something new a try.

I hope some of my experiences in these leagues can help some of you find a new pastime in Grand Forks! As I said, these are just a few of the leagues offered in Grand Forks. Go check out the Grand Forks Parks District adult league webpage for many more options.