Vancouver Summer Sports Leagues and Tournaments

It’s time to dust off the tennis racket and break out the running shoes. With summer just around the corner, Vancouver.com has compiled a list of some of the best recreational sports leagues, events and tournaments in the city.

Vancouver is full of amenities that make it easy to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. We’ve got great park and rec. facilities, wonderful beaches and easy access to running/biking trails and paths. Whether you’re looking for a little competition this summer or just want an excuse to meet people, there are many organized activities that will help make this easy. These leagues/events are generally for adults 19+.

Play On! 4-on-4 Street Hockey Tournament

Beach Volleyball
Beach Volleyball is available through the Urban Rec. Leagues (Coed 4’s & 6’s) are run at Jericho Beach and Urban Beach (900 Evans Avenue- see map). They offer over 50 courts of Beach Volleyball each night! Summer registration begins May 10th @ 12:15pm. Register via the Urban Rec site.

Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate frisbee is one of the fastest growing, most popular sports in Vancouver. Summer leagues are run on weekday evenings from May through to August. Almost anyone can learn the sport; especially since the league offers a number of free clinics throughout the year to help new players develop their skills. New players can check out the forum section of the website if they are looking for a team. Registration is already underway. Details available on the Vancouver Ultimate League website. 

Summer Soccer
Vancouver Metro Men's and Metro Women's soccer leagues are the main leagues for organized adult soccer. They run several divisions catered to different skill levels.

Women’s: Spring season runs May 3 till June 30 in the evenings (Sunday through Friday). Check out the bulletin board if you are looking for a team.

Urban Rec. also offers summer soccer. Registration begins April 26. 

Queen Elizabeth Tennis Club
The Queen Elizabeth Tennis Club is a great way to meet people and play some fun doubles tennis. Tennis days are Tuesdays and Fridays at the tennis courts at Queen Elizabeth Park. The club runs from May 4 to September 28. Membership includes doubles play, tennis balls, four tournaments and four socials. Visit the website for more details and to register.

Running
Vancouver is an oasis for runners. The Stanley Park and False Creek Seawalls are great places to go for a jog without worrying about traffic and pollution. If you’re looking for a group to run with, check out your neighbourhood running store to see if they have anything organized. Most Running Room locations host free run groups twice a week. They also offer clinics, if you’re just getting into the sport.

Top Summer Races:

Vancouver Marathon (May 2, 2010)- This high energy race has been a Vancouver tradition for nearly 40 years.

Sun Run (May 9, 2010)- The Vancouver Sun Run is the 2nd largest timed 10K in the world. 55,858 Sun Runners celebrated the 25th year of the event in 2009. 

Scotia Bank Half-Marathon (June 27, 2010)- A scenic run from UBC to Stanley Park. Run for the sake of others by taking the Scotia Bank Charity challenge. 

Tournaments:

Play On! 4-on-4 Street Hockey (June 5-6, 2010)
Play On! is Canada's largest outdoor sports festival, with 16 events being held all across the country this summer.  Join in the action by entering a team or participating as a spectator.  The Vancouver event will be held over two days  at Metropolis at Metrotown, the largest shopping and entertainment destination in B.C.  Play On! Burnaby will include a celebrity game, hundreds of teams and many exciting sponsor and vendor activations! 

The tournament, presented by CBC's hockey night in Canada, includes divisions for all ages and skill levels, with the finalists from the Elite division in
each event going on to the National Championships for a chance to win the
prestigious Redwood Cup.

Register online at www.playon.ca.

Soccer Express/Umbro Beach Soccer Blast (August 7-9, 2010).
Held at Spanish banks, this tournament pegs itself as a faster, hotter version of the world's most popular sport. The soft sand surface is great for trying new tricks and fancy footwork. Competitive, recreational and co-ed options are available. 7-10 players are required for a team. Early registration ends June 11, but spaces typically fill-up early.