Summer sports in the snow

Climate change means more people are playing summer sports in December.
Concordia student Robin N’Dolo practicing with a frisbee in the snow. Photo by Danylo Perkov / The Concordian

I was recently invited to play frisbee outdoors in the middle of January — something I would have nervously laughed at a few years back, but not anymore, as our winters are unfortunately getting warmer and our summers, hotter.

With global warming being a major concern for the Earth, it feels like the severe cold temperatures, that now commonly hit the negative double digits, are occuring consistently later each year. With the first months of winter becoming progressively warmer, sports teams have continued practicing sports they’d have already stopped playing for the season or moved indoors at the end of October.

At the same time, more and more matches in the middle of summer are being cancelled due to heat waves and dangerously high temperatures. Extending summer or fall seasons into the beginning of winter helps regain the time lost, and playing outdoors in chilly weather is solved with layers of clothing, while no cheap and widespread solution to dangerous heat waves exists yet.

While playing summer sports in 0 C temperature with a few centimetres of snow isn’t the most optimal thing in the world, it is doable, and sometimes even pleasant if there’s enough dedication. After adding a few warmer layers, it’s usually pretty easy to find a field with close to no snow and kick around a soccer ball.

Another advantage of more people playing outdoors in the snow is cost. As most athletes migrate to the gym for the winter season in order to stay in shape, this presents a unique opportunity, as indoor playing space is limited and sells out quickly. 

Being able to go to the field or park where people usually play in the summer would give many the chance to practice their sport without paying indoor terrain rental prices and stay in shape without being crammed into a gym.

Most sports equipment, such as soccer balls or frisbees, also have an amusing interaction with snow, making the whole experience more fun. For example, frisbees spin on the place they land instead of sliding along the ground.

It’s unlikely that any official leagues will extend their fall seasons past November anytime soon. The temperature change isn’t yet consistent enough and could still have an impact on professional matches, with possible cold snaps in December.

Playing a lot of summer sports in the snow or on ice might also cause dangers to athletes. With less traction, there’s a high chance for people to slip and fall when pushing themselves to the limit.

However, it’s possible that in a couple of years, we will see amateur leagues all over Montreal extend their game dates further and further into winter, engaging in friendly matches wearing tuques and winter boots.

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