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    8 Women’s Semi-Professional Sports Teams in Columbus

    There are several dozen options for playing club sports in Columbus, especially recreationally. From softball to rugby, basketball, and ultimate, there are a variety of ways for experienced and inexperienced athletes to get a friendly game going in central Ohio.

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    But for women looking to compete nationally, the following teams regularly accept women and women-identifying players with a variety of experience levels. Whether women’s or co-ed, check out eight semi-professional and amateur sports teams for your consideration:

    Ultimate/ultimate frisbee

    Columbus Pride

    As part of the diversity-driven Premier Ultimate League created in 2019, Columbus Pride is geared toward women and women-identifying players. The team says its mission is to increase the visibility of local players, inspire young athletes and compete at high levels.

    The team invites cisgender and transgender womxn, non-binary and intersex people ages 18 and up to participate. Tryouts have taken place as early as mid-February, with a regular season taking place in the spring through early summer. Find more information at columbusprideultimate.com.

    Rival Ultimate

    Rival combines players from two ultimate programs, the Ohio State Fever and the Michigan Flywheel. The competitive club appeared in the U.S. Open Club Championships, 2018 U.S. Open Club Championships and USA Ultimate National Championships in 2018.

    Tryouts for the team take place in multiple cities — including Columbus — during the spring. For more information visit the Columbus Rival Facebook page.

    Roller derby

    Ohio Roller Derby

    Ohio Roller Derby is Columbus’ women’s flat track roller derby league. Previously known as the Ohio Roller Girls, the league dropped the gender-specific title in favor of a more inclusive name that accurately represented its members. Ohio Roller Derby made its first appearance at the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) World Championships in 2013.

    The Ohio Roller Derby is made up of two competitive teams — the WFTDA-chartered All Stars and its B-team, Gang Green. The league also has recreational leagues, recommended to skaters looking to test the waters and prepare for tryouts. All tryouts are open to women, nonbinary and gender nonconforming persons 18 and over.

    Find more information at ohiorollerderby.com.

    Photo via Columbus Eagles’ Facebook page.

    Soccer

    Columbus Eagles

    Central Ohio women’s soccer club the Columbus Eagles debuted in the Women’s Premier Soccer League — the country’s largest in terms of number of leagues — in 2014. The Eagles’ roster includes college and post-graduate players who in recent years have broken personal records for wins, points, and goals scored.

    The team’s regular season typically occurs between late March/early April to early July, and opportunities to try out for the team can be requested online. For more information, visit columbuseaglesfc.com.

    Football

    Columbus Comets

    The Columbus Comets are a women’s full contact tackle football team. Founded in 2003, the team is part of the Women’s Football Alliance. The team has won multiple WFA regional conference championships and took home a national conference championship in 2010.

    The team holds pre-season training camps throughout the winter, while their regular season begins in the spring. All home games are played at Huffaker Community Sports Complex, 4470 Hoover Road, in Grove City. For more information visit columbuscomets.org.

    Columbus Cats

    The Columbus Cats are an Australian rules football team and club. Under Australian rules, the sport incorporates elements of basketball, football, rugby and soccer.

    The Columbus Cats and the Columbus Cats Women both appeared in the U.S. Australian Football League’s national championship in 2018. Their regular season often takes place from April to mid-October, with open practices happening year-round for athletes of all skill levels.

    For more information, visit columbusfooty.com.

    Photo via Columbus Comets Facebook page.

    Speedskating

    Columbus Speedskating Club

    The Columbus Speedskating Club is a short track speedskating club accepting skaters as young as 4 years old. Led by retired, national-recognized skaters Buddy and Rachel Gurr, the team has traveled to competitions around Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, New York and other states. The team boasts a North American championship, two national championships, several state championships and several nationally ranked skaters.

    The club offers a four-week “Learn to Speedskate” program multiple times a year, and interested skaters are encouraged to attend one of the biweekly practices. To get more information on attending a practice, visit columbusspeedskating.org.

    Rugby

    Columbus Women’s Rugby Club

    Formerly known as the Scioto Valley Women’s Rugby Football Club, the CWRC was founded in 2001 as a competitive rugby club in the Midwest Rugby Union. The team has won several division titles, the last of which was in 2017. The team was the national runner-up in 2007.

    The team has fall and spring regular seasons and welcomes women of all ages and experience levels. For more information visit the Columbus Women’s Rugby Club website.

    What amateur or semi-professional sports teams do you know of? Leave a comment below!

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    Taijuan Moorman
    Taijuan Moormanhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Taijuan Moorman is a former reporter and social media specialist for Columbus Underground and The Metropreneur who covered civics, arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and business news and features.
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