I have been playing in this league for many years. Some of my best friends I have met through playing softball and they will be my lifelong friends. Nothing is better than getting together and playing sports with friends, both old and new. I am really thankful I learned about S3 and look forward to fun times for many years to come. read more

I've played kickball and matball for years. I've only played with my team, that usually signs up as a group, but we've taken independents a couple of seasons too. Usually that just makes our team grow for the following season :) Ben is really accommodating and our regular umps have been awesome - shout out to Marc (and Bob). I would recommend to anyone! read more

Friends told me this was the league group to join and I can't believe it took me so long so do it. Everything was organized from beginning to end and I made some great new friends to top it all off. Kudos S3 for running the best league experience in town! read more

The best rec sports leagues in Chicago without question. Ben organizes, creates camaraderie and delivers effective games and bar sponsors. I tried to sign up with a competitor recently cuz S3 leagues got full and they couldn't field a team cuz I think Ben put them out of business. If you play with S3 you will understand why; he is in a league of his own. read more

S3 is great. This is a great opportunity to both be active and meet new people whether you are new to the city or have lived here for a long time. I met two of my best friends through this league and continue to sign up because of the great people I meet. This is also the lowest priced league in Chicago without loss of quality! I can say this as I have tried the other more expensive leagues in Chicago and met no friends from those leagues, yikes. Lastly Ben, the owner of S3, is very accommodating and understanding. He ensures that everything is done to provide the best experience for each player. I would 100% recommend S3 to anyone looking to make amazing friends in Chicago while playing sports socially. 10/10 from me. read more

If you are looking for a great mix of sports and social... consistently getting outside to play casual sports while meeting new people and enjoying the social element, this league used to be it... sadly no more. The softball and kickball leagues started out ~40/60 sports/social, and now it is more like 10/90 with the sports being an administrative afterthought. As the softball and kickball leagues expanded, the coordinator clearly was in over his head... at least administratively. Multiple forfeits in a single season (including back-to-back), multiple games called halfway thru for darkness (yes - foreseeable and predictable darkness), forfeits from poor communication due to last minute schedule changes, and even field location changes... all of these things actually happened in S3 leagues. Early seasons went smoothly, but the later seasons not so much. The players are also more inconsistent with attendance in these leagues, so when all 20 show up you will bat only once, and when 4 show up it's a forfeit and go to the bar. If you don't care about the sports side at all and just want to pay to meet new people and have your beer drinking coordinated to make new friends, these leagues do offer a great social element and do still have their place... even as they have deteriorated. If however you want a nice mix of sports and social, my personal experience is that there are multiple better options in the city. (Note: This review is based on participation ~a half dozen leagues with S3, and another half dozen plus with competing leagues in the city) read more

Don't waste your money. There are several other leagues that are run better and allow you to actually play sports, as opposed to having drunk bros hit on you and then start yelling when you aren't impressed that their dad owns a dealership/they're a TKE/whatever. (Someone on my team actually started yelling at a poor chick who had the misfortune of not finding him instantly attractive) I had the misfortune of playing in a Sunday summer softball league through S3. Due to weather, scheduling issues and numerous forfeits our summer league ended up running almost two months into football season. The original sponsor bar was also a bar for a certain crappy AFC North team that was always scheduled for early games on Sundays. Out team was initially told that we should send a teammate or two up to the bar at 11a to hold a table until after our softball game ended. S3 ended up swapping sponsor bars after this holding of tables was deemed quite the unpopular option. We also had a constant issue with females showing up to play. As in none of the females on our team would routinely show up. Usually when this happens the team is able to rally and pull in subs, but due to the horrific attitudes of the bros on our team and in the league, the subs we were able to wrangle would never show up again. One of my teammates mentioned this to S3 and the answer was... radio silence. I have the season-long email chain saved in my inbox and we actually had one game where 14 out of 19 people weren't showing up! This 14 included 2 people that had never shown up to a single game. read more

I joined S3's softball league even though I am pretty terrible at softball! The league was run pretty well with good communication. They also have other leagues like volleyball and bowling. You have to come in w/a good attitude and be willing to meet new people and make friends. This is not just a league to find a Significant Other....although it does happen. It's a great outlet to make new friends and enjoy playing rec sports and have a few beers. There's always a sponsored bar to meet up w/your team post game. The teams are mostly comprised of people in their mid 20-30s. They also have fun weekend trips in the summer! It's a fun experience! read more

If you ever looked into joining a sports league but realized that since you don't have an entire interested team then this is the league for you! My very first league was bowling and I was put on a team with 7 others. Everyone was super friendly and their attendance was pretty consistent. At the time I was new to Chicago and had trouble meeting new people. After bowling ended I started expanding into other leagues. I've done Softball, Whirlyball, Kickball, Matball, Skeeball and Beach Volleyball! On each team not everyone became my best friend but I do have a really large core group of friends that I now know and love through S3. After each game I highly recommend going to the sponsor bar. This is where you get to talk to your teammates beyond "Good Kick!" etc. You also get to meet other players from other teams. I have made some good friends that I've never even been on a team with but that I just kept seeing at the after bar week after week. If you join Bowling, Skeeball and Whirlyball since all of these leagues are actually inside an establishment with a bar you will probably drinking beer while you play. So these leagues tend to have more chatting DURING the play and then some people linger afterwards. As opposed to Kickball, Matball, Softball, and Beach Volleyball where you play and then you go to the bar. Ben is super organized and will send emails with all sort of info leading up to the start of the league. So if you are scared to try a new sport on your own for the first time he's emails are so detailed it doesn't seem as scary. But you can always join with friends as well. After I finish one league I usually send out an email to my former team asking if anyone wants to join for the next league. This helps with attendance too. I've always played on teams that had good attendance and a lot of heart. read more

Fun times! Would recommend the kickball and whirlyball leagues when we get through covid. 95% of the teams are there to have fun and relax and go to the sponsored bar afterwards to unwind and chat...there are always a couple of teams that take the rec league way too seriously, but everyone knows who they are. We actually won the kickball championship! A couple folks on the team had to put in too much effort to get the championship party at Joe's since they don't schedule when they have a concert....which was often since they're a concert venue...but it ended up working out. read more

I played in the S3 Thursday night Skeeball league a few times, and boy, was it fun! Not only was each team a blast to play with, but most people on other teams where very social as well. I'd still be in the league now, if my schedule allowed for it. Besides, isn't it great to have an excuse to play skeeball (and not be a kid at an arcade)? :) Bonus point: After the games, a dueling piano act plays. If you can manage staying out a little late on Thursday, it's the icing on the cake. read more

Been playing leagues with S3 for 2 years now (Beach Volleyball, Kickball, and Softball) and my team and I love the leagues! Definitely one of the better leagues out there and very fun to be a part of! read more

Great league! Very chill and fun. No one is too competitive. I signed up as a free agent and ended up on a great team with people close to my age. We always had fun after the games too either going to the bars or hanging out on the beach. Definitely recommend this league! read more

Great way to get out and meet people. Non-competitive and laid back, so don't feel bad if you aren't a great player! I played beach volleyball and our coordinator, Josh, was super friendly and always really helpful. I highly recommend supporting this smaller league and avoiding the big guys. You'll have an easier time securing a spot, and be supporting a smaller business that works hard to please! read more

S3 was the biggest help when I was new to Chicago and looking for friends. Sports is my favorite way to meet people, especially when the entire league all goes to the same bar and you mingle/play flip cup with everyone! Every team I've played on (softball and skeeball) has bonded enough playing, that we planned team events (bbqs/karaoke nights/local concerts, etc) outside of the league. My best success story with S3 is, I've met my best friend for life through a mutual friend I knew from an S3 softball league, and another is, my roommate came with me to an event and met her current long-time boyfriend. I will take full credit (and give some to S3) when/if they get married! It works! You may or may not find a man, but you will find some solid friends along the way. Plus, the regular social events that are planned for all leagues (Halloween trolley crawl/river tubing trip in Indiana/ Nutz and Boltz singles event at Mad River, etc) are always fun! The fact that every person there has played some kind of S3 league is an easy ice breaker for talking to new people, and you also start to see old friends that you've met in the past but have lost touch with. Plus, you can't beat prices for drinks! I highly recommend joining, even if you aren't athletic. It's more about drinking and laughing than it is playing, and the price is great considering you get a couple beers every week included in that price, just for showing up that week. There are cute guys, funny guys, tall guys, athletic guys - whatever your type is - there is definitely eye candy! And I'm assuming the same is true for men looking for ladies. read more

I joined the winter indoor volleyball league with S3 Leagues. Every Wednesday we had a lot of fun playing a mini tournaments and then off to The Pony for our free beer! It was a super fun (not too competitive) time to relax and mingle with some new people! Highly recommend ! read more

I met my best friends on an S3 kickball league! Of all the leagues I have played in, S3 does the best job facilitating and encouraging players to socialize on and off the field. read more

I have been joining S3 leagues on and off for 10 years! I've been a part of softball leagues, dodgeball leagues, Family Feud trivia leagues, and skeeball leagues. Ben runs a top notch league. He always has sports leagues you can join and even sets up random 1 time fun events. I've met some of my best friends through these leagues. I rarely, if ever, have run into any issues personally throughout the time I've been a part of the leagues. In the event that I have had any issue, even if it's out of Ben's control, he will make sure to take care of it promptly and professionally. Since the pandemic, Ben has not been able to offer his normal leagues. Yet, he still came through with some fun activities. I joined virtual trivia and signed up for a 1 time virtual trivia night. I introduced new friends to this and they loved it too. Not only does he run a great league, I think his pricing is fair too. You can tell he truly cares about the league and the members that join. I would continue joining leagues and introducing it to friends as long as I can! =) read more

Been playing S3 summer and fall softball for ~7 years now and every one has been great. The league is super organized and management is very accessible and prompt at answering questions, helping out, etc. Unlike other leagues, S3 is a perfect mix of competitive and fun -- 99% of people who play S3 are good people and the league feels more like a family than some giant faceless softball corporation. read more

Ben does a great job running the leagues. I just moved to Chicago and I have already done 2 leagues (volleyball and kickball). The games are super fun and you get to meet awesome people. It has been huge for meeting new friends in a new city! read more

One of the best rec sports and social league! Join by yourself to meet new people or signup with your friends so youre on the same team. Super organized, ran by a great team of umps/coordinators, and there's always a sponsor bar nearby to get post-game drinks. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a fun social time. read more

I've played in a number of leagues - Wiffleball, Dodgeball, Trivia, and Skeeball - and they are all a great time and well run with good communication. This is generally a non-competitive league but of course it feels good to win so it helps if you can swing a bat or run without tripping over yourself. If you're looking for a way to meet new people then this is it. As long as you come to the games and go to the sponsor bar post-game, you will have friends and inside jokes in no time. If joining for the singles aspect of the league, my advice is to be patient. If the woman/man of your dreams is not on your team don't just stop showing up to games. Instead, make friends. Your future spouse may be on another team or it might even be a friend of a friend of someone on your team. read more

I love S3 leagues! I joined a bowling league 6 months ago when I was new to the city and met some incredible people. Plus, bowling was really fun! After that, I joined a softball team with people I met from bowling and met a whole other group of great people. I'm currently in kickball and volleyball (both are really fun) and now I'm joining football as a full team, all with on-going social connections that came from bowling. S3 is a good social network of people...if you come looking to meet people and have a friendly attitude, you will have a good time. Even if you are shy (which I am), because it is a social league, most people will help draw you out (the beers don't hurt either). I pretty much owe my whole social life to S3 and the people I was able to meet through the leagues! It's also fun to try new sports...I'd never played softball before and grew to love it. I recommend S3 to people all the time, it's definitely been worth it for me! read more

Great league to play for. Very flexible with teams. If you and your team aren't able to play a certain week they'll figure out a way you so won't have to forfeit. Been playing for awhile and have met some great peeps along the way. Very easy way to make new friends and new experiences. Some of these peeps I've met I really consider good friends now. read more

S3 is a great league! It is inexpensive, and Ben has been more than accommodating and flexible in helping with getting my teams signed up every year. Solid competition, and you can't beat the bar deals--no other league I've played in offers them! read more

Time to finally review this! I was too busy hanging out with friends I met with S3 to make time to review it on Yelp. I moved to Chicago in 2011 for grad school and didn't know anyone in the city. For a year I didn't know anyone outside of my grad school and spent time roaming the city solo. I found S3 via an ad on groupon and ended up joining an indoor volleyball league. Through S3 the past few years I have met my entire friend group in some way or another, either directly through a league or then friends of friends I met in S3. S3 helped me decide to stay in Chicago more than just for the two years I needed to be here for grad school. Not to get overly sappy, but it changed my life. I feel grateful every day that I joined and met some friends that I know I will have forever. I haven't played in a while in the leagues but might get back into it soon to meet even more people. read more

I have played multiple sports through S3 and found it to be one of the premier organizations in Chicago, offering a wide variety of sports (skeeball, kickball, softball, etc) and fun events (float trips, Super Bowl parties, NYE events, etc) all over Chicago. It has allowed me to meet some amazing people and have fun at the same time. read more

S3 has been an absolute blast! I just joined my 9th league for various sports/activities and plan on joining more in the future. Ben (the founder) has created a really fun community of young and young at heart singles in Chicago. In some leagues you show up and play your activity for an hour or two and part ways till the next game, but Ben has created a true S3 "family" for people in Chicago. While the teams are always out to win, the emphasis is certainly on the "social" end of things. Games might last an hour, but socializing usually lasts much longer. Plus, once you're in with S3 Chicago recreational sports leagues, you have the inside scoop on lots of other fun events they plan like tubing trips to Indiana or ski trips to Wisconsin. Without S3, I wouldn't have met my group of friends in Chicago and would highly recommend them for anyone looking to get out and meet some new people, play some sports, or just have fun! read more

I joined S3 beach volleyball league based on my roommate's recommendation and a timely Livingsocial groupon. Overall it was an ok experience - the setup is based for you to play a little (like 1 hr) of beach volleyball then go out to a bar and drink to socialize. The experience is very team dependent. My roommate has joined previously and loved it. For the team I joined my teammates was ok but I did not connect with them. The enthusiasm for the sport itself is rather underwhelming (full disclaimed: I am not experienced volleyball player and I am not pretending I am a pro, but I do like to give a full go during the game). Furthermore, the social interaction mostly takes places in a bar. The season I signed up it was at Beer and it was too loud to have any good conversation. Most times you sit with your teams afterwards (as you gets points for how much teams ordered) so while you can meet other teams, most people stick with their teams. In otherwords, it feels like you are paying to drink with your teammates. Obviously I did not sign up for another season. I heard with teammates you click with it's a great experience, but I guess I could do that by going to a pickup game (which I am doing now) and having way more fun, and with people who actually care about the sports. I guess it's all luck dependent. read more

What a great experience! I've participated in players sports and chicago sport and social leagues, but s3 was by far the best. Great excuse to be active and meet new people at the same time. I'm planning on getting my company to sponsor our next league for employees to socialize outside the office too! read more

s3 league is the perfect mix of good people and fun times. I met my girlfriend through the league and and still go with her. We love that after there is an affiliated bar that we can all go to to have fun and unwind. Definitely try it out if your looking for that thing to do at night other than just going out drinking. The guy who runs it is one of the least douchey people I have ever met, although he doesn't run every S3 his hands are all over it so you know it's legitimately done and a blast every time. read more

S3 is the way to go! We've played summer softball for a couple years now and it's always so much fun. All team members really look forward to it every week! The umps are top notch and Ben (the owner of S3) is really awesome to work with. He puts a lot of heart into the leagues and it shows! Definitely a more personalized experience compared to other Chicago rec leagues I've played in. Huge fan of S3 and will play for many more years to come!! read more

I joined the Skeeball league last year and had a wonderful time! Being able to drink beer, play skeeball and talk with everyone is great. I will say it gets a little crowded at the location but it's all part of the fun. If you want to meet new people while doing something as a team, go for it! read more

I've been playing in various S3 leagues for the past six years and S3 is by far my favorite social sports organizer. They take all the work out of organizing teams, finding sponsorships, and creating a social environment unlike a lot of other organizations. I've met some really great people playing in S3 and would highly recommend S3 to friends/family. read more

I am obsessed with S3 leagues! When I first moved to the city I joined and met all of my best friends networking through leagues. Fun to be active and be social. There are so many different leagues offered, you can find which ones are right for you! read more

This league has it all if you're looking for the best social league experience in Chicago. They're really organized and provide tons of info before, during, and after the season. I'm a 31 and had a few friends I wanted to play with but didn't have enough for my own team. With S3, you can just join on their site and you're guaranteed to get placed with your friends along with others close to your age. There are full teams that join too but they're usually pretty cool and fun too. If you're new to the city, your friends are moving to the burbs, and/or you like sports or just wanna be active but also like meeting people (the whole league goes to the same bar!) and having drinks, definitely try S3 out! read more

I have been participating in S3 Leagues for 4 years and they are simply so much fun! I've made some incredible long-lasting friendships, and they offer a variety of leagues and events! It's a great way to meet new people, or become closer with those you already know. Ben, the owner, really focuses on making it a customer-focused experience and is willing to go above and beyond to make customers happy. I haven't tried other sports leagues in Chicago because I haven't needed to! S3 is where it's at. read more

These guys are great!! I've joined multiple leagues and events with them ALL have been fantastic! Social leagues are all about having a good time and making friends a break from the norm, you get what you put in so join with a good attitude and you'll have a great time! read more

S3 is one of the newest options out there in terms of sports league and social events in the city. I probably know about as much or more about the various options so here is my informed thoughts on S3...If your goals is get out and meet people, have a good time, and make some new frieds S3 is 100% the league for you. They are small enough that the entire league at times feels like one big family. teams socialize amongst each other and themselves more then just about any other leagues I've seen. They organize some great social outings at very reasonable prices. The communication from league management to players is top notch. The only real drawback is if you are looking for good solid competition then S3 is not for you. The league are more fun and social. Softball for example you get as many fouls as you want, the rules declare there is no infield fly rule, games are 6 innings even if you finish early enough to play a 7th. Team sizes are large so at bats can be minimal. Of course some people will prefer that so it comes down to waht are you looking for? If the actual game play is secondary to getting out of the house and meeting people...go to S3 (It would be hard to find a better value), but if you are an athlete and you want to play ball you might find yourself disappointed or at the very least frustrated. Still the positives far outweigh the negatives here and they are worth giving a go. read more

S3 is a lot like any social meet up type group, it is what you make of it. I am currently in the summer kickball league and have enjoyed myself so far. The teams have 20 people on them, 10 male and 10 female. The cool part is, our guys show up and we want to to win a little more than we want to party. The bad part is, (No fault of S3) we are lucky if 5 girls show up to our games. (Not fun for us dudes) Since it is a single's league, this is a little disappointing, but we have fun anyhow. Your registration includes a t-shirt and 2 free pitchers of beer for the team at the bar sponsoring you after every game. Hanging out with the other teams is pretty fun too. I heard the volleyball league gets a better female turnout, so if you are a man looking for a woman, that may be your best bet. read more