As temperatures rise and Atlanta swaps out the rain jackets for sunglasses and sunscreen, many sports leagues dust off their bats, gloves and balls to begin a new season.
For LGBT Atliens, there are a number of welcoming leagues and teams that vary from the friendly and social to the fierce and competitive.
All the leagues listed below explicitly welcome LGBT people, and many were founded by LGBT people who wanted a place of their own to play their favorite sports.
Take a look at which welcoming sports leagues are accepting participants right now in Atlanta:
Atlanta Rainbow Trout
The Trout welcome those who love all kinds of water sports, including polo players, swimmers, and triathletes. They meet four times a week at Georgia Tech to get their practice on, and there is no pressure to compete in swim meets. A full year costs $340 — which includes access to the GT recreation center and payments can be made quarterly. Reach out via their contact page to join.
Atlanta Team Tennis Association
Tennis players of all levels are welcome to join ATTA. The group's mission is to "promote and develop the growth of tennis in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) community of Atlanta and our friends and allies." A one-year membership costs $30, and ATTA offers open play every Saturday from 1-6pm at the Glenlake Tennis Center, in addition to other weekly play dates. New members can register here.
Hotlanta Volleyball Association
There is no better summertime activity than volleyball, and the Hotlanta folks sure live up to their name. Play is $7 for members and $10 for non-members, membership dues are $35 annually. Visit their website for more information, or email the team if you'd like to start working on your volleyball game.
Front Runners Atlanta
Runners rejoice —there is an LGBT-friendly group just for you. The group meets Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings at John Howell Park in Virginia-Highland, and Monday evenings over in Midtown. They also sponsor an annual Pride Run and Walk. Membership is $25 annually, and more info can be found here.
Hotlanta Softball League
This League has been around for over 35 years, and now has over 500 players spread across 35 teams! Theere's a spring, summer, and fall season. The annual Big Peach Softball Tournament takes place every Memorial Day weekend. Fees are not listed on their website, but folks can reach out with questions or register here.
Pride Kickball
Billing themselves as "Atlanta's premier social experience for the LGBT community," Pride Kickball has a spring, summer, and fall season, playing on Monday's in Piedmont Park, with socializing time at a nearby bar afterwards. Full details available on their website.
