What sport have you always wanted to play?

What sport have you always wanted to play? 

This week, Age-defying Athletes is experimenting with this Notes format on Substack. However, since it’s unclear whether regular readers will see Notes, I am reproducing the post here.

Please weigh in with your thoughts on the question du jour: What sport have you always wanted to play?

Several years ago, the In-House Critic (IHC) and I kayaked on Puget Sound.  It was terrific to be out on the water, observing many things we could not have seen from shore.  Plus, we didn’t drown!  (The IHC is especially keen to avoid drowning.)

Shortly thereafter, we moved to a place which doesn’t have a lot of water, so there went kayaking. 

Kayaking might be my choice for a sport I have always wanted to (more regularly) play.  But see caveats below.

Kayaking has a couple of downsides.  First, kayakers sit for extended periods of time, with little opportunity to shift.  Plus, it’s primarily an upper body sport, as opposed to rowing which relies heavily on leg-work as well as arm-work.

OK, if not kayaking, what else?

Soccer is appealing.  A fast team sport whose players are in profoundly excellent shape.  However, there’s a lot of running, and they seem to celebrate by sliding around on their knees.  Plus, I don’t know about bounding a ball on my head.

Lawn bowling is elegant, and I have always wanted to be elegant.  Played outdoors, usually in civilized settings.  Refined, but competitive.  And, perhaps, scotch to keep the bowlers energized?

Badminton, anyone?  I know that Americans view this sport as something more appropriate for six-year-old birthday parties, where  Dad ereceted a net in the backyard.  But our Neighbors to the North play badminton as a blood sport.

How about for you?  Presumably, there’s some sport of which you do not currently partake.  What have you always wanted to play?