Queer Sports Leagues in San Francisco

The San Francisco Gay Basketball Association (SFGBA) is the nonprofit organization behind the Castro Basketball League, the oldest gay basketball league in the world . Founded in 1986, SFGBA emphasizes diversity and inclusion: players of all genders, races, and skill levels (gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, etc.) have participated . The organization runs open gym sessions and seasonal fall/spring leagues to foster LGBTQ+ fellowship through basketball .

Different Spokes San Francisco is an all-inclusive LGBTQ+ cycling group that organizes regular group rides in San Francisco and the Bay Area . The club welcomes riders from beginner to professional levels (and invites straight allies) to join diverse routes, fostering a supportive and fun cycling community .

The San Francisco Gay Flag Football League (SFGFFL) began informally in 1998 and became an official organized league in 2010 . It welcomes players of all skill levels, from novices to experienced athletes, and serves as a community fellowship for LGBTQ+ players and their allies to enjoy flag football together .

The San Jose Pride Hockey Club is an LGBTQ-affirming hockey team formed in 2023 to expand access to ice hockey in Silicon Valley . A "Bigger Than Beer League" team, it aims to subsidize league fees and equipment costs and to develop learn-to-play programs for LGBTQ+ youth in San Jose .

OutLoud Sports – San Francisco is a recreational league organizer offering multiple sports (kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, etc.) with seasonal play. It is explicitly LGBTQ+ friendly and inclusive: players of all skill levels, genders, sexual orientations, shapes, and sizes are encouraged to participate in a fun community .

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco Fog Rugby Football Club was the first gay-inclusive rugby club on the West Coast . The Fog actively recruits players from underrepresented groups (people of color, gay men, women) and welcomes anyone of any experience level . The team competes in Northern California Rugby Union (Division III) and regularly fields squads at the international LGBTQ+ Bingham Cup tournament .

BayLands FrontRunners (BLFR) is an LGBTQ+ running and walking club serving the Palo Alto/Silicon Valley area (Santa Clara & San Mateo counties) . Founded in 1991, BLFR welcomes men, women, families, friends, and their pets of all fitness levels, and is part of the international FrontRunners network for LGBTQ athletes .

San Francisco FrontRunners & Walkers is the founding chapter of a global network of LGBTQ+ running and walking clubs. It welcomes runners and walkers of all abilities and provides a fun, social, and affirming community for fitness and exercise .

The San Francisco Gay Softball League (SFGSL) is the city's long-running LGBTQ+ softball league (dating back 50 years as of 2023). It now fields many teams across divisions, including women’s+, trans, and all-sober teams . League organizers emphasize that SFGSL provides a safe, fun, and inclusive environment where anyone can play regardless of skill level .

The Silicon Valley Gay Softball League provides organized softball for the LGBTQ+ community and allies in the greater San Jose area. It was the first league of its kind in Santa Clara County, offering athletic, recreational, and social opportunities through softball competition .

The San Francisco Track and Field Club (SFT&FC) is an inclusive club for LGBTQ+ athletes of all skill levels in the Bay Area . Founded in 1982, it hosts weekly training sessions and social events, and organizes the annual Pride Track & Field Meet at San Francisco State University, attracting athletes locally and nationally .