As the weather starts heating up in Santa Fe and the sun starts beating down on us all, joining a sports league might be the best thing you can do to encourage yourself to come outside and make some new friends. Even if you’re not the most athletic person, all the sports leagues and other athletic recreation groups in Santa Fe encourage newcomers and won’t leave their beginners in the dust. While the spring/summer leagues for baseball and softball have already begun at the CNM Slowpitch league (registration typically opens at the beginning of the year and closes around March), there are still plenty of sports and other groups with room for casual new members available.
Bicycling
Since April 7 this year, instructor-led, 90-minute bicycle rides have opened up on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Mondays, cyclists meet up at Genoveva Chavez Community Center (3221 W Rodeo Road), and on Wednesdays and Fridays meet at the Fort Marcy Recreation Complex (490 Bishops Lodge Road). Those interested in joining can make reservations at least 24 hours ahead of scheduled bike rides by contacting Jen Bransford.
Phone: (505) 955-2607
Email: jxbransford@santafenm.gov
Fencing
Anyone interested in learning how to fence can do so year-round with the New Mexico Fencing Foundation located at 1306 Clark Rd, which offers beginner and intermediate classes for $145 per month. Newcomers are required to take two hour-long private lessons in order to begin fencing at NMFF (with a cost of $100). In addition to the classes, the foundation hosts open bouting at 6 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at 9:30 am on Saturdays. En garde! More information is available at nmfencing.org.
Phone: (505) 660-2440
Email: jstafurik@earthlink.net
Flag Football
Although this sport is mainly for the fall season, not beginning until August, the Santa Fe Adult Flag Football League’s registration for the 2025 season will be open until July 21. This flag football league, with teams for both men and women, is open to all skill levels. Some of the men’s teams include Venom, the Scooby-Squad, Skol and the Spartans, and some of the women’s teams include the Royals, the Outlaws, Show Me Dem TD’s and the Mean Machine.
To register, send an email to the league with your first and last name, phone number, email address and the team you would like to join. All players pay $100 to participate, and returning or new teams also pay a fee (of $50 for returning, and $100 for new teams). Payments can be made through the league’s Venmo or Cash App accounts (both under the username SFAFFL).
Phone: (505) 382-6447
Email: santafeadultflagfootball@gmail.com
Frisbee
While Santa Fe Ultimate Frisbee will not be running its summer league this year due to declining interest and cost, according to organizer Jamal Yusof, pickup games are still open every week for you to join in on at the soccer field at St. John’s College. On Sundays, pickup games begin at 4 pm, and Tuesday pickup games typically begin at 5:30 pm—but, it’s advised to check the website (santafeultimate.com) in case of any last-minute changes to game times. Dogs are not allowed on the fields, so leave your furry friends at home. Those playing are expected to bring both a light-colored and dark-colored shirt, as well as cleats if you have them.
Email: santafeulti@gmail.com
Pickleball
The Santa Fe Pickleball Club, which runs pickleball courts at several locations that include the Fort Marcy Recreation Complex, Romero Park, the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, the Santa Fe Community College, Salvador Perez Park and the Santa Fe Tennis & Swim Club, charges only $35 for an entire year’s membership, and they also offer options for family memberships and alternate forms of participation. At Fort Marcy, the Pickleball Club offers play, drills, round robins, lessons, workshops and more that can be found on their website calendar (at santafepickleballclub.com). The club also aids in maintaining the facilities at the Fort Marcy courts, as well as the Genoveva Chavez Community Center.
Email: info@santafepickleballclub.com
Rugby (Men’s)
The Santa Fe Rugby Football Club hosts regular season games every Saturday, and all are welcome to attend and/or practice with the team at the Santa Fe Youth Rugby Fields near the city’s Municipal Recreation Complex on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The club hosts a Men’s Division III team in the Rio Grande Union that competes throughout the state, as well as Colorado and Texas. More information can be found at santafelossantos.com
Phone: (505) 629-5941
Email: contact@santafelossantos.com
Soccer
While all of the spring recreational leagues already ceased at the end of May, the Santa Fe Adult Soccer League will continue to host open scrimmage games through the end of the year at the Nina Otero Community School. Registration is available to anyone aged 16 and up. There is also a separate scrimmage league specific to those aged 45 and older (with an age limit of 98). Both leagues require registrants to pay a membership fee of $36 for the year, plus a transaction fee.
Email: santafeadultsoccer@gmail.com
Tennis
In addition to its programs for children, the Santa Fe Tennis & Swim Club offers a wide variety of options to adult players, including private and group lessons, fundamentals clinics for those new to the sport, fast-paced live-ball clinics for the more experienced, USTA team matches and tournaments. The calendar on the website (santafetennis.net/tennis/adult-tennis) shows upcoming clinics and tournaments. The cost for members at these events is $40, and non-members add a $24 guest fee to that price.
Phone: (505) 988-4100
Email: club@santafetennis.net
