Sports in ‘Nooga

Whether you are interested in playing sports yourself, or seeing professional matches, Chattanooga is a good place to be! Here’s a look at a few places Chattanoogans (and visitors) can get out and play:

Climbing gyms — There are three climbing gyms in Chattanooga: TBA (Tennessee Bouldering Authority) in St. Elmo, Urban Rocks on Appling Street, just off Riverside Drive, and Highpoint downtown. All three are good for beginners or experienced climbers. All three offer a football fieldvariety of classes.

Outdoor Chattanooga — Located in Coolidge Park, Outdoor Chattanooga offers all sorts of ways for residents and visitors to be active and have fun outside. Want to try stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, or climbing? This is the place. You can also rent bicycles, and learn about different classes and events.

Chattanooga Sports Leagues is for adults who love team sports — kickball, basketball, soccer. It’s a way to still play all the games you loved in school. They welcome both individuals and teams, so if you’ve been fondly remembering high school P.E. and all the fun you had, check them out!

The Chattanooga Flying Disc Club is for ultimate frisbee enthusiasts. They are always seeking new players!

If running is your thing, the Chattanooga Track Club has all the resources you might need. They have running groups, sponsor races, offer discounts, help people find running partners and much more.

There is no doubt we have left out some fun, interesting, and exciting ways for Chattanoogans to get out and play. Tell us what we missed! And stay tuned for next week’s post on where you can go to watch matches and games!

Play Games! Thoughts on Hosting a Game Night

Game night is a fun way to spend an evening at home — an appealing proposition for most people during the cold month of January!  Whether you choose to host a poker game with beer and chips, or a more family-friendly board game night, there is no end to the games you can play.

Even the youngest kids can play GoFish or CandyLand, and Trivial Pursuit or Scattergories are fun for most adults. If you prefer a

Even a simple game of cards can be fun.

Even a simple game of cards can be fun.

more high tech game night, something as simple as a WII bowling tournament can be exciting. Even a tic-tac-toe tournament offers a chance to laugh together.

There are endless Pinterest boards and lists of games online, but in the end, the games are not the important part of game night. Game night can be a great way to get to know your neighbors, or a way for parents of small children to enjoy some entertainment.

The point have fun together. Day to day life is stressful. Between work and school, relationships and housework, families are busy. Carving out time to play and laugh and relax together is important.

On New Year’s eve, I attended a party. The hostess had gotten a vintage Spirograph for Christmas — the kind with a whole bunch of pieces that will make about a gazillion different designs. As the clocked ticked down to midnight, a group of people sat around a coffee table choosing colors and laughing when the pen slipped.

In a completely unscientific, unstructured, and possibly unreliable online poll, I asked friends and acquaintances about their favorite games. Monopoly was the clear winner as an overall favorite. Apples to Apples and Scrabble got the most votes for word games, and people also mentioned Dominoes, Twister, and Clue a few times.

What about you? What are your favorite games? Do you do participate in a regular game night?

About the Author: Dava Stewart is a resident of Signal Mountain, freelance writer, mom to two adults, avid reader, and a fan of kids’ movies. You can contact her at dava@smilingtreewriting.com.