Playing sport

So you want to be the next David Beckham, or maybe you want to win a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics? It can happen if you try hard enough. All the sports stars had to start somewhere.

Playing sport is great fun. It can help us feel good and stay healthy. Are you mad keen or laid-back about sport? Find out your sporting personality – test yourself on the Sport-o-meter.

If you know what sport you’d like to do, use the London sports directory to find a class or club near you.

If you’re not sure what you’d like to do, check out the ideas below:

Football Whether you want to join a local team or simply start playing in your back garden or park, football is one of the easiest (and cheapest!) sports you could take up. Find your nearest community club. If you just want somewhere to play with your friends, check out the pitch finder. If you have any more questions about getting into football near you, the Football Association can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the beautiful game.
Cricket Like football, all you need is some space and equipment to start playing cricket. If you start getting serious about the game, there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved in London. Search for a club near you.
Tennis If you’re fed up of watching English players lose at Wimbledon, try your hand at tennis and maybe one day you’ll make the country proud. Lots of the London parks have tennis courts and if the weather is terrible you should be able to find a court in your nearest leisure centre. Find tennis facilities near you.
Gymnastics If you want to try your hand at gymnastics there are over 70 different clubs in London that will help you learn more. London Gymnastics can tell you where to find your nearest club.
Rugby Union If England’s triumph in the World Cup sparked an interest, find a club near you in London.
Rugby League Although lots of people think of Rugby League as something played more in the north of the country, it’s quite easy to get involved in the game in London too. Here’s how.
Martial arts Stop playing martial arts on your computer and start doing it in real life. Find your nearest Judo Club or take a look at other Martial Arts.
Swim Swimming isn’t just for summer. Lots of local leisure centres have pools you can splash around in. If you’re not sure where you nearest pool is look on your local borough council’s website. If you can’t find the information you want on the website, there will be a number you can call.

If this sounds too tiring, you can always watch some sport instead.

See our Healthy body section for ideas about different kinds of exercise and keeping healthy.

Links to other sites.

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Issue zone Being safe Get healthy Get active Playing sport Watching sport Get creative Be green		Playing sport So you want to be the next David Beckham, or maybe you want to win a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics? It can happen if you try hard enough. All the sports stars had to start somewhere. Playing sport is great fun. It can help us feel good and stay healthy. Are you mad keen or laid-back about sport? Find out your sporting personality – test yourself on the Sport-o-meter. If you know what sport you’d like to do, use the London sports directory to find a class or club near you. If you’re not sure what you’d like to do, check out the ideas below: Football Whether you want to join a local team or simply start playing in your back garden or park, football is one of the easiest (and cheapest!) sports you could take up. Find your nearest community club. If you just want somewhere to play with your friends, check out the pitch finder. If you have any more questions about getting into football near you, the Football Association can tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the beautiful game. Cricket Like football, all you need is some space and equipment to start playing cricket. If you start getting serious about the game, there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved in London. Search for a club near you. Tennis If you’re fed up of watching English players lose at Wimbledon, try your hand at tennis and maybe one day you’ll make the country proud. Lots of the London parks have tennis courts and if the weather is terrible you should be able to find a court in your nearest leisure centre. Find tennis facilities near you. Gymnastics If you want to try your hand at gymnastics there are over 70 different clubs in London that will help you learn more. London Gymnastics can tell you where to find your nearest club. Rugby Union If England’s triumph in the World Cup sparked an interest, find a club near you in London. Rugby League Although lots of people think of Rugby League as something played more in the north of the country, it’s quite easy to get involved in the game in London too. Here’s how. Martial arts Stop playing martial arts on your computer and start doing it in real life. Find your nearest Judo Club or take a look at other Martial Arts. Swim Swimming isn’t just for summer. Lots of local leisure centres have pools you can splash around in. If you’re not sure where you nearest pool is look on your local borough council’s website. If you can’t find the information you want on the website, there will be a number you can call. If this sounds too tiring, you can always watch some sport instead. See our Healthy body section for ideas about different kinds of exercise and keeping healthy. Links to other sites. Go to top of page		Get involved Have your say about London

Playing sport

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