TheBulletin.ca Journal of Downtown Toronto
Teresa Fazari —
Bike polo, underwater rugby, axe throwing. Unconventional or “weird” sports are picking up steam in Canada. By combining favourite elements of ‘traditional’ sports to create new sports, Canadians are finding new and unique ways to get active.
Whether weird or traditional, participating in sport of any kind is a great way to ensure that we meet our daily physical activity requirements, and break up our bouts of sedentary behavior. According to research conducted by ParticipACTION, Canadian adults spend an average of 9.5 hours per day being sedentary, while Canadian children and youth (ages 5-17) spend an average of 8.5 hours per day.
In a recent poll conducted by ParticipACTION, only 17 per cent of Canadians have tried a “weird sport,” but nearly half said they would like to try one. Sport is a powerful reflection of Canadian culture, and there are plenty of weird and wonderful new sports available to us, right in our own communities.
To honour the Year of Sport in Canada, which highlights the powerful role sport plays in enhancing the lives of Canadians, ParticipACTION has pulled together a list of ten Toronto-based weird sports to help Canadians try something new, and get moving.
- Underwater Rugby – More intensity, way less grass stains.
- Toronto Underwater Rugby Club
- Equipment needed: Basic swimming gear (trunks or suit, plus a towel), swimming fins, mask, snorkel, swimming cap.
- Price: First game is free!
- Skill-level: Games are available in all skill levels from beginner to advanced
- Location: Ryerson University Recreation Centre
- Bicycle Polo – Palpable peddling, minus the posh
- Toronto Bike Polo
- Equipment needed: Only a bike is needed. Spare mallets will be provided to new players.
- Price: First game is free!
- Skill-level: Games are available in all skill levels from beginner to advanced
- Location: Dufferin Grove Park hockey rink
- Archery Tag – For the urban Robin Hood in all of us
- Scarborough’s Archery District
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: $25 per person
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: 770 Birchmount Rd, Unit 22, Scarborough, ON
- Bubble Soccer – It always gets better when the bouncing begins
- Canada Party Crew’s Bubble Soccer
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: $30 each
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: Bubble Soccer Toronto, 15 Viking Lane, Toronto
- Underwater Hockey – Snorkel, shoot, swim & score
- Toronto Underwater Hockey Club
- Equipment needed: Basic swimming gear (trunks or suit, plus a towel), swimming fins, mask, snorkel, swimming cap.
- Price: Information on pricing available upon request
- Skill-level: Beginner to intermediate, and intermediate.
- Location: Beginner to intermediate game at Ryerson Pool and intermediate game at Trinity Bellwoods
- Table Hockey – Miniature size, massive fun
- The Toronto Stiga Table Hockey League
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: Information on pricing available upon request
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: 535 Queen Street East, Studio 6
- Toronto, ON
- Axe Throwing – Why should lumberjacks have all the fun?
- Backyard Axe Throwing League
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: $40 per person
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: 213 Sterling Rd or 33 Villiers St., Toronto, ON
- Quidditch
- Quidditch Canada
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: Individual memberships cost $20; development team memberships are $50, and league team memberships are $200.
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: Quidditch teams in Toronto play at a few locations including
o 27 King’s College Circle
o 350 Victoria Street
o 790 Queen Street West
- Unicycle Hockey – A balance between passion, performance & a peculiar pastime
- Toronto Unicyclists Hockey League
- Equipment needed: A unicycle. The rest of the equipment will be provided on site
- Price: Information on pricing available upon request
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: St. Mary’s Catholic School, Toronto, ON
- Trampoline Dodgeball and Basketball Dunking – Become the bounce
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park
- Equipment needed: All equipment provided on site
- Price: $20 including socks
- Skill-level: All skill levels
- Location: 45 Esandar Drive, Unit 1A, Toronto ON
