City League kicked off Nov. 30, marking the beginning of a winter full of recreational basketball running through February. In large, City League basketball is a city-organized and student-led recreational league that anyone is welcome to join. Teams are formed by high school students and schedules are released accordingly. Each team can decide their own appropriate name and uniform, and will face off amongst other Lake Oswego City League teams. 

For many students, City League basketball allows for a casual and fun excuse to get together with friends while also getting together with friends. “Since none of [my friends] actually play basketball, it’s super stress free, unlike any of the other sports we participate in,” said senior Jovie Chen. This seems to hold true for most participating, as there are plenty of opportunities through the high school for more competitive play. Despite being a senior, this is Chen’s first season. “My favorite part of City League is just being able to spend time with my friends and doing something that I usually wouldn’t do,” said Chen. 

City League has relatively low commitment levels as well, encouraging all types of competitors to participate in the program. Each team can determine how much they want to practice, and teams have around 3-4 games per month, or approximately one per week. The season also concludes with a single-elimination playoff tournament, where eventually, a champion will be crowned.

The design of City League is to provide a fun and low-pressure environment to play sports in, encouraging community involvement and recreational sports. Even if you aren’t experienced when it comes to the sport of basketball, City League is a super fun way to spend time if you don’t have anything going on next winter. Being able to explore new activities with friends is a very cool experience, and if you are looking for something to do together without a lot of stress or pressure, City League might just be the thing for you.