Winter is just around the corner and often it can signal a time of seclusion having to hang indoors waiting for the weather to clear so you can go out and have some fun again. But there are a lot of cold weather sports that individuals can participate in during the winter. Activities like ice skating, hockey, and snowboarding can be fun for anyone at any age level, or ability. It is something you can do on your own, with your family, or sometimes even with a league or community group.
Ice Skating is a really popular sport with kids and adults. One of the most important things in ice skating are the skates themselves. You can purchase a pair for yourself, or typically there are places to rent them at the local rinks, but you want to make sure they fit right and won’t hurt your feet. The blades need to be properly sharpened as well, because this is what helps you to glide and move on the ice. Another very important tip is making sure you lace your skates up tightly from the toes all the way up to the ankles, as this is your only means of support and will keep you from injuring your ankle as you skate.
Another fun sport on the ice is hockey. It can often be thought of as a boys sport but girls can have just as much fun and families too. When you’re playing hockey make sure you have good safety equipment, and you are in control of your stick. Two ways to do that is first by making sure your hands move in the direction of your goal. The other way is to get hockey tape for your stick and tape your blade so it sticks better and is easier to control.
If you want to get out of the ice rink and into the snow, then snowboarding is a fun and thrilling sport anyone can try out. Find a good snowboard shop to help outfit you, or rent a board from the ski lodge if you just want to try it out or save some money. You want to make sure whatever board you use is about as long as you are tall; this is best for maintaining control. And just like a surfboard, you need to find the right wax for it. Depending on what you will be doing on the slopes there are various waxes for different environments and boarding needs, make sure to check with the ski shop to know the right one to buy, and how to properly apply it.
All of these are fun sports an individual or family can do. Watch your local paper, or check with your local parks and recreation or ice rinks to see if there are any new leagues or community groups starting. These are all affordable, fun sports for anyone who doesn’t want to wait for summer to get out and have some fun!
I proudly wear the Garnet and Black of the University of South Carolina Fighting Gamecocks!