Often times when you think of playing some sort of winter sport, you think of skiing, luge, snowboarding, and all those other hard to play games. (That is, hard if you're not an Olympian.) For those of us without any skill when it comes to those hardcore athletics, there are other winter sports that are, shall we say, more accessible.

  • 1

    Ice Swimming

    You heard us right. Ice swimming is the surest way to wake up in the morning with a startling scream, and also prove that you aren’t afraid of anything. Find a hole, or make a hole in the ice yourself, and take a chilly dip. There are ice swimming clubs, also known as “polar bear” clubs all over the nation. Why not take advantage of this communal sport, and make a few “cool” friends while you’re at it? And yes, the cheesy pun was intended.

    Visit Finland, Flickr
    Visit Finland, Flickr
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  • 2

    Curling

    Ice curling is a bit like shuffleboard. You and your teammates slide a granite stone across the ice, and then try to sweep it into just the right place. This isn’t the fastest winter sport on the planet, but there is a lot of art, and patience involved if you truly want to excel. Curling associations can be found across the United States.

    ex_magician, Flickr
    ex_magician, Flickr
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  • 3

    Broomball

    Broomball is gaining popularity all over the world. In many ways, it’s like hockey, but instead of a stick, the players swing brooms as they slip across the ice without ice skates. And unlike hockey, there seems to be significantly less brawling going on during a typical match.

    vaudreuil, Wiki Commons
    vaudreuil, Wiki Commons
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  • 4

    Ice Boating

    Ice boats are sleek racing hulls that employ runners, allowing boating enthusiast to sail across the ice. Typically smooth ice is needed if you plan on achieving top speeds. This is a sport where you’ll have to invest in some gear before you get started, but once you do, you’ll marvel at how fast you’ll move.

    mafiozo, Flickr
    mafiozo, Flickr
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  • 5

    Ice Blocking

    You just know some drunken college kids came up with this “sport.” The rules to ice blocking are pretty simple: Sit or lie across an ice block on top of a grassy hill, then race down to the bottom. Everyone seems to fall off at least once or twice during a standard run, so it’s almost impossible to distinguish who’s been drinking and who’s stone cold sober.

    ecov ottos, Flickr
    ecov ottos, Flickr
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