Sports for trans masc 9th grader?
My 9th grader goes to a school that doesn’t have sports teams, and he needs some physical activity.
Does anyone know of any non-competitive, gender inclusive sports teams that are open to beginners in the Berkeley/Oakland/El Cerrito area?
We found a lovely swim team, but he’s now 4 years older than everyone else on the team.
Feb 21, 2023
Parent Replies
We have had a really good experience with the Raptors running group that meets in Albany. Follow the directions on the link below to join the Facebook group to learn more.
the RAPTORS (runningraptors.com)
Hi, my non-binary 9th grader really likes the high school climbing club at Pacific Pipe. It is a very friendly environment.
Golden Lion Martial Arts Academy in Albany teaches Kung Fu and has a beginner class for teens. It's not a team activity but my daughter has made good friends at the school. Kids are supportive of each other.
The chair of the ECHS math department, Lawrence Pang, coaches the East Bay Rough Riders, a super inclusive dragon boating team, that is not affiliated with the high school and is open to all high schoolers. The team is always very diverse along every dimension imaginable other than age (high schoolers only) and Mr Pang creates an awesome atmosphere. Both of our older kids participated for a time -- one very athletic kid who didn't have time for a huge commitment and one non-athletic gender non-conforming kid who wanted to be outside and be part of a group. Check out their site for more info: https://www.eastbayroughriders.com/
My trans son enjoys being on a rec climbing team at Bridges Rock Gym.
This may not exactly fit since you asked for "noncompetitve," but Bay Area Disc Association (BADA) sponsors Ultimate Frisbee teams at various schools, including Oakland Tech, where our daughter goes. Since it's a club sport, there are lots of kids from other schools on the team. Importantly, BADA is extremely focused on equity and inclusivity, and totally welcoming to all genders and gender expressions. Also key to Ultimate is the "spirit of the sport" ethic, which minimizes competitiveness and celebrates everyone's successes. It's also amazing exercise. I know Berkeley High has a team as well but not sure if it's all BHS students. Anyway, thought I'd throw that out there as both my kids have had awesome experiences with Ultimate.