Like any other Seattleite in desperate search of spring, I’ve done everything I can to jump-start the process: purchased garden starts that are languishing in the grey, reloaded Cliff Mass’s blog every 30 minutes, and even taken out my shorts and started at them longingly. No luck yet. But spring will come eventually, and with it, a chance to return to the sporting fields of Seattle.

Your kickball glory days might have ended in elementary school, but many others are just now reaching their peak. While there are several different companies that organize kickball leagues, Underdog Sports is the biggest, boasting games almost every night at nearly 40 locations throughout the Puget Sound region. Sign up is simple and easy, and can be done as a team or individual.

While Underdog does keep score, the main aim at this league is definitely to make friends and have fun, with three different levels of skill and competitiveness allowing players and teams to find the environment that’s right for them. Underdog has become a magnet for newcomers to the city for that very reason, as explained to me by Elianna Fred, a Seattle kickball player. “I’m not from this area, and so finding friends can be a little challenging at first,” she says. “Kickball especially helped me expand my friend group and helped me create an even more abundant social life in Seattle.” The post-match Sponsor Bars probably help a bit with the socializing as well.

Compared to kickball, the origins of organized dodgeball in Seattle are impressively organic. A decade ago, Seattle Dodgeball organizer Lucas Boyle was merely a Seattle University student watching a casual pickup game of dodgeball at Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park. Now he runs leagues, tournaments, and pick-up games throughout the city.

“Growing up, sports were always a way to be social for me,” says Boyle. “I could connect with the neighborhood through sports.” While the pickup games might have sufficed in the beginning, Boyle was far from satisfied with that alone. “People were excited about playing dodgeball, but there were no offerings,” he said. “So I just started creating events that I wanted to participate in.”

In 2012, Boyle launched a dodgeball league with the goal of making the game more accessible to newcomers. After several years of dedicated play, the weekly pickup games had simply gotten too good, so a new format was needed. Teams are now drafted each season, with the goal of keeping them evenly matched. All dodgeball games are also co-ed, with a heavy emphasis on fun rather than fierce competition.

Indeed, while athletic competition is a key element of both kickball and dodgeball, the biggest selling point for both leagues is the opportunity to forge new friendships. While your feelings on the “Seattle Freeze” may vary, there’s no doubt that as our city grows, it’s increasingly important to create settings for newcomers and longtime residents alike to meet new folks. It’s an appeal that Boyle knows well. “Originally, the pickup game was definitely an alternative-culture social experiment, while with the league we’re seeing more of the recreational sports crowd,” he says. “Yet one thing that has been pretty common throughout is that people are interested in meeting people and making friends. That’s held true throughout my time in the dodgeball community, whether with Cap Hill hipsters or South Lake Union tech bros.”

Whether it’s kickball, dodgeball, or one of the many other options in the Puget Sound, if you’re looking to get outfitted for the car to the court, or street to the field, Champs Sports at Bellevue Square equips you with all of the latest gear. Some of this season’s best sellers are the Nike swoosh tee’s and shorts, and the Nike Hurrache Run. After all, spring is bound to arrive one of these days, and it’s time to prepare.