ori Topley isn't your average Bay Area mom.
Oh sure, she puts in several hours every day working for the city of Mountain View in the community service department, cares for her 2-year-old son and coaches her 8-year-old daughter's AYSO soccer team.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, though, Lori gets off the sideline and jumps on the soccer pitch in her halfback spot for her team in the Menlo-Atherton Adult Soccer League, where she has manned the midfield for the past 13 years.
For Ms. Topley and other adults looking to add a little spice to otherwise boring workouts, the independent MAASL, for women 25 and above, is one of many options available in the Menlo Park area in the way of recreational team sports. The city of Menlo Park's Parks and Community Services Department also offers a wealth of opportunities, including an adult basketball league and a slow pitch softball league.
The various leagues offer people like Richard Unsinn, a marketing manager from Burlingame and a 5-foot-10, 170-pound guard, a chance to turn back the clock and put off the effects of aging.
"Personally, it gives me a reason to stay in shape," says Mr. Unsinn, who at 48 is one of the oldest players in Menlo Park's basketball league. "The league is a big piece of that puzzle ... because I know I have to go out and compete once a week, running and jumping all over the court."
The Menlo Park basketball league consists of five separate divisions, ranging from the ultra-competitive "A" to the more laid-back "D" and "40+" divisions. For three 12- to 14-week seasons, making it essentially year-round, about six teams per division mix it up one night a week either at Burgess gym or Woodside High School's gym. With about eight to nine players a team, the league boasts a rather impressive total of 475 players in all, according to Recreation Program Coordinator Marc Nuckolls, who oversees the league for the city.
Mr. Nuckolls sees a clear reason for the league's success. "A lot of (team members) have grown up here, starting out in their 20s; and now they're in their 30s and 40s," he says. "They enjoy basketball and they enjoy the league. They've played on the same nights for a while, and it's become part of their lives."
Range of rewards
As Mr. Nuckolls points out, the leagues aren't all about keeping in shape. For many players, the social and mental rewards of playing sports are as attractive to them as the physical rewards, both for men and women.
"I've made some good friends in soccer," says Lori Topley, who has been in the MAASL for 13 years. "People who I've played with for 10 years. It's an opportunity to get out and be with a group of people who want to do what you do."
Jay Kruse, a 6-foot-5 engineer who doubles as an center on the team "Old But Slow" in the Menlo Park basketball league's "C" division, agrees. "We've had a lot of fun playing the Menlo Park league. Once you've been in it a while, you develop a real rapport and you make some good friends. Because it's a team sport, you get some camaraderie, which you usually don't get every day."
Mr. Unsinn's team makes games a family affair, heading over to their sponsor's restaurant after for pizza, sandwiches and a few drinks. "The games are only one aspect of (the league)," he says.
And even if the pizza and drinks aren't the ideal means to great physical health, after-game socializing can go a long way toward mental health.
And speaking of mental health, participating in amateur sporting events offers those who take part the chance to free their mind from the daily grind of work, and the tension it generates. Even as little as one session a week, let alone two or three, can prove invaluable in keeping a clear head, says Lalo Perez, a player in his 17th year with the Menlo Park softball league.
Mr. Perez says that benefit alone is worth the $650-per-team participation fee. "It's a de-stressor for me, because you can forget business and your personal problems," he says. "There's always something going on during the game, and you have to concentrate on that and think about what's going to happen next.
It shouldn't be surprising, then, that both the Menlo Park basketball league and the MAASL especially draw a large number of players from outside the immediate area looking for those social and physical benefits. The basketball league is composed of about 40 percent Menlo Park residents. The MAASL consists of about 30 to 35 percent Atherton and Menlo residents, but that percentage is shrinking as more and more people find out about the league, thanks to the World Wide Web. The league boasts players from as far away as San Francisco, San Jose, Fremont and Half Moon Bay.
"We're attracting more people with our Web site," says Ms. Topley, "especially in the 25- to 30-age group -- (those) who grew up with AYSO and youth soccer."
Would-be evening and weekend athletes who might be afraid to join up due to a lack of experience need not worry. Ms. Topley herself signed up with the MAASL when she was 26 and a self-professed "greenhorn," and now finds herself on the league's board helping to plan its future.
"If you're a beginner, this is a good league," she says. "We have great coaches who can teach you and not just throw you into the game right away." Those who want to join one of the league's six teams should be warned, Ms. Topley says, that the MAASL is a big commitment. Teams practice at least once a week and usually play two games a week, with one either on Tuesday or Thursday and one always on Saturday.
Injury risks
All that activity can take its toll, however, and even the most fanatical fitness buff isn't immune to the toll sports can take on his or her body. For people who have played in leagues for upwards of 15-20 years injuries are something that can be impossible to prevent. Ms. Topley, for one, is currently sidelined with a torn calf muscle, while Mr. Unsinn says his knees and ankles can't take much more abuse, and that he plans to go for only one more year.
"I've got to consider my options, listen to my body," admits Mr. Perez, who says hamstring pulls are the most common ailments in his softball league. "I used to play on three softball teams, and it put a lot of wear and tear on my body. As you get older, you get more passing injuries." Even with the possibility of injury, the benefits of joining a team seem to vastly outweigh the risks. Sports like basketball, soccer and softball can offer adults a fun way to get in shape and socialize, while getting people away from their TVs, computers, and couches.
"You learn to interact with people (who) have different personalities," says Mr. Perez. "We support each other, and we try to keep it in perspective and just have fun."
Team colleagues, he adds, "become your sports family."
