Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the US, but did you know that it’s also one of the most social?  From local weeknight leagues to costumed weekend beach tournaments to the USA Adults Volleyball Open National Championships, adult volleyball takes all shapes and forms. Depending on what you’re looking for, volleyball leagues can cater to your experience, age and/or commitment level.


And what’s not to love? Adult leagues play year round (so there’s no break in the action!), tend to carry upwards of 20 players (to balance last minute work commits and such), and have a ton of flexibility in terms of gender participation (whether women, men and co-ed).  They also take into consideration the level of competition you want to participate in with leagues ranging from A to Beginner.

Probably the best part of all joining a volleyball league is it is a great way to meet people if you’re new to a city, looking to branch out from your existing social circle or just looking to get a good workout in on a weeknight!  Local restaurants frequently sponsor teams, so rest assured that irrespective of a match's outcome there's ample opportunity to get to know your fellow players better.

But how do you find a league that’s right for you? Below are some resources for finding a league near you.

• Meetup (Indoor Volleyball): Probably one of the bigger “players” in the game (pun intended!), Meetup is a social networking platform that facilitates offline group meetings. For their volleyball group, Meetup has a robust national footprint and is a great starting point to find local teams in your area.
   

• Meetup (Beach Volleyball): While this site has more of a sand focus, so you might be constrained if the facilities in your local neighborhood gym or parks don't have a sand court available (whether synthetic or not), but if you’re situated on either coast it should not be much of a  problem to find a league, which you can take advantage.
   
• USA Volleyball: The official governing body of volleyball, Team USA has an expansive directory of their regional USAV contacts who are available to provide you with more specific information on what’s happening in your areas, as well the upcoming USAV sanctioned events, which are held annually around the country.  
   
• Active: Similar to Meetup, Active is a one-stop-shop for volleyball events, leagues and tournaments happening close to you. It has more of a hyper-local focus, so the site tends to be heavy up on municipal listings, but they cater to a wide range of options, which are available. Definitely a site you want to peruse if you want to get involved locally.
   
• Sportsvite: Touting themselves as #1 recreational sports community on the web, Sportsvite was built with the purpose to manage various teams and events. Check out what’s happening on the volleyball front with regards to, teams, clubs, adult leagues, events and activities. You will be pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of activities, which are taking place.
   
• iSport: Yet another online resource, iSport includes listings on volleyball teams for all levels of experience. As with some of the other options mentioned above, you can search or browse by location.

In closing it would be amidst to not mention the traditional stand-by of the YMCA (website varies), as another great place to initiate any search.  Depending on the availability found at your local gym, the YMCA is always a great place to check out.  In addition to hosting adult Rec leagues, many Y’s also offer instructional classes and a transitional build up to more competitive play. Do note, activities vary by location.