College Sports: So Much Fun!

People often argue that college sports are better than professional sports. Many find college athletes more entertaining to watch, with their youthful energy and fearless attitudes. The college crowds attending their school’s sporting events also contribute a spirited element to the atmosphere—painted faces and enthusiastic cheering can be contagious.

The liveliness of a college soccer game is no different, which is why the week of November 29th to December 4th should be an exciting one in Orange Beach. With 16 college men’s soccer teams running, kicking, and head-bouncing balls all week, there should be plenty of reason for energetic cheering!

Get Ready for Some Soccer!

November 29th through December 4th for soccer fans—and sports fans in general—in the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area. The 52nd Annual NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship takes place that week at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Sixteen NAIA soccer teams from around the country will compete single-elimination style throughout the week. The final championship game will take place on Saturday, December 4th.

Tickets are $8 per day for adults and $3 per day for children. Or if you want to witness the teams’ progress throughout the entire tournament, an all-tournament pass is available for $20.

Come root for a favorite team, or just check out all the action!

Fall: A Great Time for Sports and More

Fall is an ideal time of year for along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The weather is mild and inviting for baseball tournaments, soccer championships, golf events, marathons and various other sporting events. But sports aren’t the only activities to be enjoyed in the area.

If you like nature, we have plenty—from nature trails and preserves, scenic parks, and, of course, beaches. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo exhibits the natural habitats of more than 400 animals, and attractions like the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center, Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries and Sea Lab offer educational opportunities about the local ecosystems.

History attractions are another popular pastime. Visit Fort Morgan for a glimpse of history ranging from the Civil War to World War II; tour USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park, which includes the World War II battleship, a submarine, combat aircraft, tanks, and a Vietnam river patrol boat; and gain a glimpse into the 1930s at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, a 10,500-square-foot home built in 1935.

There are plenty of other attractions to be enjoyed: ride some rides and play some mini-golf at an amusement park, or take a ride on the Ferris wheel at The Wharf—the tallest in the southeast.

On Land and Sea

Plenty of sports action is taking place along the Alabama Gulf Coast this month, spanning from land to sea and covering activities such as boating, fishing, baseball, tennis and even a duathlon.

Between October 12th and October 17th, two water-based events will take place: Thunder on the Gulf and the IFA Redfish Tour Gulf Division Fishing Tournament. The speed-boat-racing fun of Thunder on the Gulf runs from the 12th to the 17th. Then on the 16th and 17th, anglers will compete with each other to catch “the big one” in the IFA Redfish Tournament.

Also on the 16th is the Hot to Trot Reverse Duathlon (where participants bike 9.2 miles, run 5.6 miles, and then bike another 9.2 miles) and the NSA Gulf Coast Fall College Exposure Softball Tournament, in which 36 travel softball teams compete for champion status.

Tennis fans will want to check out the Alabama State Senior and Super Senior Tennis Championships October 21st to the 24th. This event involves over 400 Alabama athletes competing at three different tennis facilities. Then finish out the month with the USSSA Monster Bat Halloween Beach Baseball Tournament, in which more than 20 travel baseball teams compete over the Halloween weekend.

It’s going to be an active month! Visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Sports Commission website for more information.