Competition starts well before the season as participants hustle to join teams and leagues before they fill up. Getting involved can be a matter of being in the right time at the right place, as in Bauer's case. When I finally got a handle on things, then my wife basically told me I was driving her crazy, and to get out of the house. That's when I met these guys. But not everybody is as lucky.
Teams fill and leagues close quickly, which can make joining a team a challenge.
However, coaches and recreational department organizers say that where there's an athlete's will, there's always a way. If you've found your sport but can't immediately find a team, many recreational programs will help guide newcomers to lineups in need of players. In fact, we just signed up about 60 newcomers to our softball leagues, which is a huge jump over last year. Jimmy Morris, manager for the Cargill co-ed recreation softball team in Durham, says chatting up players at various events and gyms is essential. Morris' own team, for example, is composed mostly of men and women who live in the same suburban Durham neighborhood.