Stonewall Sports is a renowned organization that has made significant strides in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and community engagement through recreational sports. Founded on the principle of creating safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, Stonewall Sports operates across various cities, offering a diverse range of sports leagues and events.
From dodgeball and kickball to volleyball and bowling, Stonewall Sports provides opportunities for people of all skill levels to participate and connect. Beyond the competitive aspect, the organization fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and mutual support.
Through its inclusive approach, Stonewall Sports not only encourages physical activity but also champions diversity, equity, and social empowerment within the LGBTQ+ community.
Three of North Carolina’s largest cities — Charlotte, Raleigh and Wilmington — have their own Stonewall Sports leagues, each of which are gearing up for the spring and summer seasons of recreational sports.
Qnotes has created a guide to sporting games each Stonewall Sports league offers and how people can get involved. You can find more information on each area’s organization by going to their respective websites.
In Charlotte
Stonewall Sports in Charlotte is gearing up for its spring and summer seasons, with the Charlotte chapter offering six sports: kickball, pickleball, volleyball, bowling, cornhole and dodgeball.
Kickball and volley both have outdoor and indoor leagues, according to the website.
Some of the sports are already underway for the spring season, including bowling, kickball and pickleball.
The spring season for bowling started in February and will go until April at AMF University Lanes at 5900 N. Tryon St. Kickball will start at the end of March and will run through May at Veteran’s Park on Sundays. Pickleball is offered year-round but is split into seasons based on the time of year, according to the organization’s website. The spring season is already underway, but summer registration will open on May 6. The summer season will start in June and will conclude at the end of July.
Sand volleyball is also available over the summer and registration for that will open April 8. The season will take place through June and July in the form of four-on-four matches and six-on-six matches. Each match will be played as the best of 3 sets. The first two sets of a match will be played to 25 points. If the set score reaches 24-24 (or 14-14 in the third set), the first team to reach a two-point advantage (e.g. 26-24 or 19-17) will be the winner of that set. Matches are limited to 40 minutes of playing time.
Cornhole is also offered three times a year — in the spring, summer and fall. The spring cornhole season is already in progress, but summer registration will open on April 29. Cornhole is a game played with bean bags and boards, with players throwing the bags on the boards into the hole. Two players from each team stand across from each other in the same lane and pitch four bags each, alternating with the other team. All players will keep score at each frame during the game and report the final score result – win or loss – to the main scorekeeper.
For more information about each sport and when to register, go to the Stonewall Sports Charlotte website at https://www.stonewallcharlotte.org/.
In Raleigh
Oak City’s chapter of Stonewall Sports has several sports happening over the spring and summer. There are multiple teams already kicking off their seasons with Raleigh’s chapter, two of which are indoor volleyball and kickball.
Kickball started at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 at Chavis Memorial Park, where teams competed for the first time. Some of the team names for this year’s league are rather creative, with some of them including “The Cream Team,” “Social Poppers,” “The Gay Agenda” and “Shady Pitches.” Registration for this sport has already closed, but games will be on Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. every week until May 5.
Indoor volleyball kicked off its season on March 20 at the Halifax Center in Raleigh. Games take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. and continue until 9 p.m. The season opener took place over two days and featured 12 different teams, including “Bareback Sets,” “Need a Bump,” and “Serve and Slay.” Registration for this sport has also officially closed.
Softball season for Stonewall Sports Raleigh kicked into high gear March 23 at Millbrook Exchange Park. As the season moves forward, games will take place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the season will last through June 8, according to the organization’s website.
Bowling started for the Raleigh Stonewall Sports chapter on March 25 and is set to run through April 29. Games will take place on Mondays from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Penny Lanes at 1140 Parkside Main St. in Cary.
Tennis will kick off in the Raleigh area starting on April 19 at the Optimist Community Center at 516 Dennis Ave. This season the organization will allow up to 8 teams and each team may have 10 to 16 players.
Billiards registration opened March 24 and the season will begin on May 16. Games will start at 7 p.m. on Thursdays at Pantanas Pool Hall & Saloon. According to the registration page, teams must have a minimum of seven players but no more than 10.
For more information about registration or other details for any of these sports, visit the Stonewall Sports Raleigh website at https://stonewallraleigh.org
In Wilmington
Stonewall Sports Wilmington is slightly smaller than the other two Stonewall Sports chapters, but they offer just as many opportunities for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to come together and have a good time.
This spring, the organization will have tennis and kickball for people to take part in. Tennis has already kicked off for the Wilmington chapter, with the first games taking place on March 22. Matches will continue on Fridays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. until May 24. The matches will be at Empie Park in Wilmington.
Kickball is still allowing players to join the waitlist for the ongoing season. Games take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays at the MLK Center in Wilmington, according to the Stonewall Sports website. The season is expected to wrap up on May 19.
For more information about Stonewall Sports Wilmington, you can visit their website at https://stonewallwilmington.leagueapps.com/leagues.