Do you play an unpopular/uncommon sport?

[Jenny Morris]

Hello,
My name is Jenny and I'm a fencer...
I'm an Australian currently on a working holiday around the UK and Europe. As part of my travels I was lucky enough to get to see some Fencing and Wheelchair fencing at the Olympics and Paralympic games. Unfortunately there were no Australian fencers competing. I know from experience that Fencing isn't the most common/popular sport in Australia, most school kids want to play AFL (Aussie rules football) or tennis or the like
Anyway, this got me thinking: What other options are out there? Do you play a different sport? How did you get into it? And what reaction do you get from friends or strangers when they find out that's what you do?

I started fencing when I was 17 after watching The Princess Bride pretty much all week. Finding a club was a simple matter of looking up the state fencing body online and finding a link to a local club's website. However when I rocked up at the club they seemed surprised that the website was still up.
I have made some fantastic friends and we have a great time stabbing each other with swords!
I have competed in a few competitions - needless to say that I wasn't fantastic, having started relatively late and only having time to train once or twice a week.

People always seem a little impressed when I say I fence (unless they are fencers and then, when I tell them I'm an Epeeist, they say "Why???")

Or they say: Oh cool, can you give me a hand? My dog keeps getting out.

I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences with different sports!

 

[Mr. Squirrel]

Wheelchair fencing

That sounds awesome.

OT: Not really, I play basketball which isn't terribly popular where I live, but globally it is quite popular, I believe.

 

[Jenny Morris]

Wheelchair fencing is pretty exciting! Anything with swords is! Two people sitting next to each other trying to poke the other one with a sword.

 

[purplecactus]

Kinda depends on what you're counting as a sport, but... I'm a slackliner (a terrible one, but hey). Most of the other sports/activities/whatever that I participate in are pretty established (here, anyway) and common enough.

 

[exessmirror]

i shoot for sports, in Europe that is pretty uncommon.

 

[Angie7F]

Field hockey was my sport in Australia, never saw it again after moving to Japan.

I enjoyed paintball, never saw it again in japan.

 

[Marter]

Indoor soccer is its own sport. And is far less popular/known than outdoor soccer. I play(ed)/coach that.

Maybe that counts? 'Cause otherwise, my answer is "no."

 

[Cazza]

Field hockey was my sport in Australia, never saw it again after moving to Japan.

I enjoyed paintball, never saw it again in japan.

I played Field hockey until study got in the way. I live in Perth. Hockey capital of Australia. Though it still felt like an uncommon sport.

I also tried paintball I loved it though my friends chickened out after the second go to laser tag. I thought about joining a club until I saw some pros shooting the shit out of some poor new guy. Still trying to get my friends to do it the odd time with a no from all of them every time.

Did track and field. I sucked at the field part. Was better then average at sprinting. When I was fit in early high school my PB is 13.01 for the 100m. Looking back I probably should have continued. I loved the 100,200 and relays. I can count on 1 hand how many people I know who did track and field out of school. All of which are in my family.

Archery as well. I lived in the country for a number of years. Got a bow one birthday. Never joined a club but I used it a fair bit. It was a favorite hobby until I moved. It was so easy to just go out the back and hit a few targets in the bush. Can't do that in the city.

 

[Angie7F]

Field hockey was my sport in Australia, never saw it again after moving to Japan.

I enjoyed paintball, never saw it again in japan.

I played Field hockey until study got in the way. I live in Perth. Hockey capital of Australia. Though it still felt like an uncommon sport.

I also tried paintball I loved it though my friends chickened out after the second go to laser tag. I thought about joining a club until I saw some pros shooting the shit out of some poor new guy. Still trying to get my friends to do it the odd time with a no from all of them every time.

Did track and field. I sucked at the field part. Was better then average at sprinting. When I was fit in early high school my PB is 13.01 for the 100m. Looking back I probably should have continued. I loved the 100,200 and relays. I can count on 1 hand how many people I know who did track and field out of school. All of which are in my family.

Archery as well. I lived in the country for a number of years. Got a bow one birthday. Never joined a club but I used it a fair bit. It was a favorite hobby until I moved. It was so easy to just go out the back and hit a few targets in the bush. Can't do that in the city.

Yep, I am from Perth too
No wonder we both play hockey. I seriously did not know about ice hockey until I was older.

 

[Jenny Morris]

Field hockey was my sport in Australia, never saw it again after moving to Japan.

I enjoyed paintball, never saw it again in japan.

I played Field hockey until study got in the way. I live in Perth. Hockey capital of Australia. Though it still felt like an uncommon sport.

I also tried paintball I loved it though my friends chickened out after the second go to laser tag. I thought about joining a club until I saw some pros shooting the shit out of some poor new guy. Still trying to get my friends to do it the odd time with a no from all of them every time.

Did track and field. I sucked at the field part. Was better then average at sprinting. When I was fit in early high school my PB is 13.01 for the 100m. Looking back I probably should have continued. I loved the 100,200 and relays. I can count on 1 hand how many people I know who did track and field out of school. All of which are in my family.

Archery as well. I lived in the country for a number of years. Got a bow one birthday. Never joined a club but I used it a fair bit. It was a favorite hobby until I moved. It was so easy to just go out the back and hit a few targets in the bush. Can't do that in the city.

Yep, I am from Perth too
No wonder we both play hockey. I seriously did not know about ice hockey until I was older.

That's funny, I'm from Perth too. I live up in the hills and have a few friends that do archery.
In fact, one of them (a farrier's apprentice) likes to get on his horse and ride around shooting at targets. Love the hills

 

[Cazza]

Yep, I am from Perth too
No wonder we both play hockey. I seriously did not know about ice hockey until I was older.

That's funny, I'm from Perth too. I live up in the hills and have a few friends that do archery.
In fact, one of them (a farrier's apprentice) likes to get on his horse and ride around shooting at targets. Love the hills

Perth the place where we all play weird sports.

Damn ice hockey. Seems like every time sports comes up on the internet I need to correct everyone I talk to who assume ice hockey when I say hockey.

I should really get back into a sport. Is fencing expensive? I heard about it as a kid and thought it looked fun though my mother didn't like the idea. Beats me how she let me do archery I bet that's more dangerous.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I used to fence before it became geographically prohibitive...

Currently I play Dodgeball in a recreational league, so I think that counts as uncommon enough.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I play badminton which isn't enormously popular where I am. I believe I'm playing in the local league this year, so I'm looking forward to the competition and presumably learning some things the hard way.

Rookie gonna get schooled.

 

[Jenny Morris]

I should really get back into a sport. Is fencing expensive? I heard about it as a kid and thought it looked fun though my mother didn't like the idea. Beats me how she let me do archery I bet that's more dangerous.

Fencing is awesome. It's sometimes talked about as "physical chess" - so some parents' assumption that it's dangerous/violent is not completely true (and then we get out the daggers and go at it with two hands!)
Most fencing clubs are very reasonably priced and all will provide all the gear you need - my coach often lends me jackets and breeches for competitions.
The killer is the price of buying your own gear - my epee was $200 and mask was $180. Competitions aren't cheap either - I did one that was $60 per weapon - as there are 3 different weapons/styles in fencing.

It has definitely improved my reaction speed - at least it does when I am in practice. As I said before, I'm currently travelling around and haven't fenced for aaaaaaaaaages! It's killing me!

 

[Cazza]

I should really get back into a sport. Is fencing expensive? I heard about it as a kid and thought it looked fun though my mother didn't like the idea. Beats me how she let me do archery I bet that's more dangerous.

Fencing is awesome. It's sometimes talked about as "physical chess" - so some parents' assumption that it's dangerous/violent is not completely true (and then we get out the daggers and go at it with two hands!)
Most fencing clubs are very reasonably priced and all will provide all the gear you need - my coach often lends me jackets and breeches for competitions.
The killer is the price of buying your own gear - my epee was $200 and mask was $180. Competitions aren't cheap either - I did one that was $60 per weapon - as there are 3 different weapons/styles in fencing.

It has definitely improved my reaction speed - at least it does when I am in practice. As I said before, I'm currently travelling around and haven't fenced for aaaaaaaaaages! It's killing me!

I've seen more expensive hobbies. At least once you buy it you don't need to again. When I get some spare time next I will look into fencing in more detail. That's if I remember. I assume you can rent gear to try out the sport.

 

[Melon Hunter]

I row, which is unusual for most people However, I do go to university in Cambridge, where ~10% of the student population are involved in it in some way. Nevertheless, away from there, I've only met a handful of people who have ever participated in it. It's fun telling people about it, and the training regime, while brutal, is great for burning calories; I eat pretty much whatever the hell I want at university, and still get told I look like I've lost weight when I come back home. The biggest downside is cringing inwardly every time I see someone using a rowing machine at a public gym, because it seems that roughly 95% of the population have no idea how the damn things work.

 

[King of Asgaard]

(unless they are fencers and then, when I tell them I'm an Epeeist, they say "Why???")

Because it's the best, that's why.

OT: Hi Jenny, I also used to fence, before I got bogged down with work, to the point where leaving the house is ill-advised.
But it was a blast while it lasted.
So, to answer your question, no, not any more.

 

[Blazing Steel]

Equestrianism. Don't know if that counts as unpopular/uncommon, but I'm counting anything that isn't taught at school. Although being a guy that rides is normally what leaves people asking wtf rather than the fact I ride horses.

I've been doing it for 5 years, and I got into it cause my mum did when she was a child. I enjoy both dressage and show jumping, but I'm not a fan of cross country. I've also found that over the years it has kept me slim since it's an all body workout.

However I've recieved a whole fuck ton of insults throughout the year ranging from, 'lol you ride horses don't girls only do that?' to 'Damn that's fagy.' My friends had a little bit of fun when I told them but it's the whole 'Gay/Homo' insults that really piss me off.

 

[irmasterlol]

I should really get back into a sport. Is fencing expensive? I heard about it as a kid and thought it looked fun though my mother didn't like the idea. Beats me how she let me do archery I bet that's more dangerous.

Fencing is awesome. It's sometimes talked about as "physical chess" - so some parents' assumption that it's dangerous/violent is not completely true (and then we get out the daggers and go at it with two hands!)
Most fencing clubs are very reasonably priced and all will provide all the gear you need - my coach often lends me jackets and breeches for competitions.
The killer is the price of buying your own gear - my epee was $200 and mask was $180. Competitions aren't cheap either - I did one that was $60 per weapon - as there are 3 different weapons/styles in fencing.

It has definitely improved my reaction speed - at least it does when I am in practice. As I said before, I'm currently travelling around and haven't fenced for aaaaaaaaaages! It's killing me!

I think what you have might be a little bit more than your average beginner is going to need. I got a beginner's set with a dry foil, a mask, a glove, and a jacket for under $100 (with the club discount) when I first started.

On topic, I'm also a fencer and a member of the Epee master race, and I've recently taken to kick boxing/Muay Thai, but I'm nowhere near ready to compete in that. I also might follow up with my gym's Brazilian Jiu Jistsu club, but that's actually starting to get really poplar, so I'm not sure if it counts as unusual.

 

[irmasterlol]

Equestrianism. Don't know if that counts as unpopular/uncommon, but I'm counting anything that isn't taught at school. Although being a guy that rides is normally what leaves people asking wtf rather than the fact I ride horses.

What kind of Equestrianism do you do? My girlfriend is on the university's Western show team and taught me some basics.