I am a Public Preschool Teacher, I moved here last year with no contacts in order to work. I love my job and I feel so fortunate to have found such an amazing school system with amazing teachers and students. But, outside of work I really struggled. I wanted to be part of the community, but I didn’t know how. When I joined CASL, I had an activity to do every week. Even as it got colder and darker I could still look forward to having something to do. This year we all shared the first snow of the season at CASL. I feel very fortunate to have found CASL.

I’ve been coming to the Cape my whole life - as a kid, from as far away as Kansas and Louisiana; as an adult, even from Washington state and Arizona. Dennis has always been my summer place. And now I’m at a point where I can finally spend more than just a week or two. Since 2021, I LIVE here for about 5 months every summer. Life is good!

I’ve quickly learned that the Cape is a very different experience when you have time to be a resident instead of just a tourist! And for me, that means getting out regularly to play the sports I love. CASL has been a huge part of that!

My biggest love is soccer, so the minute I knew I’d be up here long term, I googled “Cape Cod adult soccer,” seeking (admittedly, with little hope) to find a way to get my fix. To my pleasant surprise, CASL popped up, and I’ve been playing with them every week since! Through some new friends I met on the CASL soccer field, I heard about kickball, and I soon joined a team in that sport. As the years go on, I’m excited to try even more CASL sports!

So, now I know the Cape is about much more than beach days, museums and mini-golf! Don’t get me wrong - I still love all that “touristy” stuff! But for my summer-long stays and, of course, for year-round residents, a regular assortment of fun, competitive and social athletics for adults is crucial. And for me, CASL provides exactly that. It has quickly become one more of those wonderful Cape experiences that makes me look forward to being here every summer!

Distinguished Selectmen, I write this testimonial not as a sports fanatic, but as a concerned citizen and proud participant in the Cape Cod Adult Sports League (CASL). This remarkable organization isn't simply about dodgeballs and kickballs; it's about community, well-being, and the very fabric of our town.CASL offers more than just athletic activities. It's a vibrant network where diverse individuals – from teachers to firefighters, business owners to lobstermen – connect, collaborate, and forge lasting friendships. The shared pursuit of fitness and friendly competition becomes a bridge across professions, ages, and backgrounds. Witnessing this camaraderie firsthand, I can confidently say CASL fosters a stronger, more cohesive Cape Cod.Beyond fostering social connections, CASL demonstrably promotes physical and mental well-being. Our active roster boasts improved fitness levels, stress reduction, and a renewed sense of joy. These benefits go beyond individual participants; a healthier, happier community leads to less healthcare costs and increased productivity – tangible returns on investment for our town.Currently, CASL operates in facilities that don't fully accommodate its thriving membership. Providing dedicated gym space would be a strategic investment in Cape Cod's present and future. It would empower CASL to expand its impact, welcoming more residents, fostering greater community engagement, and enhancing the overall well-being of our town.Investing in CASL isn't just

CASL has been a big part of my life for the last 8 years. I’ve met some forever friends and had the best time doing it. This league is so needed within this community. It allows people to get exercise, play games that many of us hadn’t played since childhood, and to make unbreakable bonds with others. Joining this league and it’s “family” is one of the best things I’ve done! CASL Strong!!!

I’ve been involved with CASL for 8 years and made some of my best friends through the group. It’s an excellent outlet for meeting new people which is especially difficult on the Cape year round.
It’s especially nice to join knowing people are there to have fun, so even if you’re not an expert at a particular sport, everyone is still very welcoming!

CASL is brilliant. Especially during the winter with the long dark days, I need the indoor soccer to keep me going. Great people and great competition!

I chose that particular picture for a reason… Im from Plymouth, my now wife grew up in Centerville and lived in Dennis when I met her. Moving down here, while not THAT far from Plymouth, was a big change. In my mid thirties (that hurts to type knowing Im now even older), it was difficult to meet people and this was before COVID. While I met some good people playing soccer, something clicked mid-COVID kickball when I met Lee and his girlfriend Rachel after they moved here from Virginia. We bonded over kickball, board games, and craft beer. Rachel and my now wife, Michelle, hit it off as well. We traveled together, we spent time together, and we all grew close.

After a hard fought night of kickball, the team went out to the Sand Dollar. There, I awkwardly asked Lee to be one of my groomsmen. He, also awkwardly, accepted!

Lee and Rachel sadly moved away because of her service in the Coast Guard. Since they moved, they’ve come back to visit and celebrate Christmas here at Michelle’s and my home. And I was lucky enough to be sent to San Diego for work for a week, which was conveniently for me where Rachel’s new posting was. I extended my trip to spend time with them in their new home.

We’re booked to Mexico in the new year to all get together. Without Shaun and CASL, this friendship would not have been possible. CASL fills an invaluable niche on the Cape - and Im forever grateful to Shaun for his friendship, and for facilitating my friendship with Lee and Rachel.

CASL was one of the best parts of living on the cape. I was able to join this league back in 2015 and it was more than just adults playing games that we loved as kids, it was people meeting and making new friends but friends that would last a lifetime. We sang karaoke together celebrated holidays and birthdays together and it has been an amazing journey with amazing friends that I would’ve never met if it wasn’t for Casl and Shaun who put it all together. Meeting up weekly turned into staying in touch and making memories that will last forever. CASL is great for the cape where there isn’t much to do in the winter and casl gives us an opportunity to get out and do positive things within the community not having a place to be able to do these things would be a shame and we need to be able to find somewhere to keep the positivity a thing, I hope CASL stays for as long as it can and I thank Shaun and the league for everything…

CASL is the only way people ages 20-45 can socialize on Cape Cod. Cape is such a quiet place and it’s very tourist oriented, but CASL brings locals together and forges lifelong friendships. As someone who works from home, CASL, especially in the winter, is the only place I am able to go to get out of my house and have face to face interactions with other people. CASL truly strengthens the Cape Cod community, bringing people together in a fun and wholesome way. Playing the sports that I loved to play as a kid helps me destress, enjoy my evenings, and make friends just like we all did in grade school. It’s also a great way to get exercise and stay healthy. Everything CASL is about is just great and I really hope to see its offerings expanding in the near future!

The people I have met through CASL have become an integral part of my life, not only during the sport season, but year round. In addition to looking forward to seeing one another on a weekly basis to partake in friendly competition, we meet up at least once a month for game night, weekend getaways, sporting events, or beach days. CASL provides us the opportunity and motivation to stay active and stay young at heart. I have met more people my age through CASL than at any restaurant, bar, festival, or social gathering. The people at CASL are light-hearted, like-minded, fun, social, and varied members of the community. I have even referred friends from CASL for jobs, and hired fellow teammates for work around my house - to include moving services, lawn care, and wind cleaning. CASL provides a place for young and middle aged adults to connect in a fun, non-competitive, and relaxed atmosphere.

I’ve met all my best friends through CASL sports. It’s my outlet from every day stresses/ my therapy.
I’ve made plenty of business for my family business I run.
CASL is responsible for a ton of marriages! There are literally plenty of babies on this earth because of the league.
The other day my friend was so hurt over a breakup and I suggested joining the league to 1. Get out more and 2. See that there are plenty of other men out there and it’s an easy way to get to know people! And she hopes to join.
I believe there is genuinely only positives to CASL and it’s VERY important that we keep it going for the community!

I joined CASL about a year after my husband of almost 30 years passed away. I was hesitant and unsure of how I would be accepted. CASL and its participants welcomed me with open arms and judgement free. It’s like a whole other family. I have made numerous friends while playing and have had a lot of fun. Not to mention the exercise; more active, toning my body, and just feeling good all the way around. Being a part of this group has definitely made me more self confident, it has expanded my social circle, and has made me feel so good about myself. CASL has also played an important part of my grieving process. I truly believe that CASL has saved me in more ways than one. CASL offers a fun and friendly alternative to healthy competition amongst adults and provides positive role model behavior for children by showing good sportsmanship, teamwork, and helping others.

Wednesday nights are a great time because of CASL. It’s great exercise and lots of cool people. Shaun Conway does an incredible job running it. CASL is great for the cape and I enjoy the leagues very much.

I joined the Kickball league in Spring of 2022 and have really enjoyed it. Being able to have a consistent schedule of low commitment outdoor activities has been amazing. I have met a lot friends through both my team and the league overall. I even met my boyfriend through the league.

I moved to Barnstable 17 years ago and for the first 8 years I only knew my coworkers. I struggled to meet people I felt like I fit in with as it was difficult on the summer scene to meet people that weren't here on vacation and the off season wasn't any easier. I've been involved with different CASL sports for 9 years which keeps me active throughout the year, on the fields all summer and inside on the courts in the winter. I've since increased my contacts to a couple hundred like minded individuals that enjoy getting to know others while involved in gameplay as the main focus. I plan to continue participating as long as my aging knees and aching joints will allow.

I moved down the Cape during Covid. CASL is the reason I have continued to live on the Cape for the last 3 years. Moving to the cape as a thirty-something can be lonely and isolating, especially in winter. It is hard to meet people. CASL allowed me to stay active and meet new people. I look forward to Wednesdays! It is truly the highlight of my week. It is great for my physical well-being but also my social/mental well-being.

The people I have met at kickball and dodgeball have become great friends. We have gone on hikes, run 5ks, joined book clubs, and even traveled to other countries together. There are people from all walks of life who are part of the league, e.g., doctors, nurses, teachers, construction guys, engineers, landscapers, etc. Shaun and CASL create a community on the Cape for adults to be social and feel like they belong. This network of folks makes the Cape a better place to live. For example, when my car broke down, a friend from CASL helped fix my tire. Others have house-sat or dog-sat, picked up friends' children from school when they were working late, or watched the kids when they were sick. I have also done business locally and bought goods or used services from folks I have met in the league that I would have outsourced off Cape otherwise (e.g., moving company, surveyors, electricians, pest control, etc.). Truly, if it wasn't for CASL and the friends I had made down here, I would have moved back up to Boston.

Found CASL through a friend who needed another teammate for dodgeball. Was amazed by the community environment that the organization brings out. Social activities on Cape have gotten so few and far between and CASL consistently delivers a healthy, affordable, safe, and fun setting for adults of all ages to get together to socialize and stay active.

CASL, gave me a community in my adult life. They have been patient with me teaching new sports, that I did not have the opportunity to learn in my childhood. I have made plenty of friends, and gained so much confidence

CASL has provided me with a fun night out to get exercise, socialize, and meet new people. I think it's been a great way to foster a sense of community with local people close to my age range that I normally wouldn't get to interact with otherwise. It also provides a great opportunity to socialize after the sporting events are over and to get to know my peers better. I am thankful for the organization providing fun nights and opportunities where I can go out and just have fun like I used to as a kid.

My Fiancee and I found CASL last winter when a coworker asked us to be on his dodgeball team. We joined and couldn't have been any happier for it! I played dodgeball in middle school and I have some great memories from it, and CASL dodgeball brought all those back and then some. Last winter Wednesdays were the best, I looked forward to two games of dodgeball every week and it never disappointed. I was very excited to get back at it this winter and was pretty sad when I heard the Wixon school was no longer an option. I was offered a ln engine maintenance class through work and one of the days it would be on was Wednesday nights. I had to tell my boss that I couldn't give up my dodgeball day no matter how beneficial the class would be towards my work! I hope that somewhere will let us lease some space for dodgeball because I was truly looking forward to it all fall!

CASL dodgeball was a highlight of my winter last year and I wanna get back after it! It was such a good experience and I hope that I will get to play in more than just one year of it!

Ben Sacco

I moved to Cape Cod not knowing anyone, and took a leap signing up for dodgeball. It was one of the best, most fun things I have ever done. I met the most amazing people, which also led me to sign up for kickball. Thanks to CASL for providing the best times with the best people!

Meeting other people the same age with similar hobbies when in the adult world is much more difficult than I thought. Add in the pandemic and moving to a new state, it was very lonely. Luckily through work I heard about CASL and landed on a team that got along well. Even at first without the social outings because of Covid, CASL provided a weekly release from the stress of work. Add in the social aspect in 2022 and our team became the adult friends I needed to make cape a place I could continue to live and work. It provided the social balance that was missing. We have since traveled as a group to concerts, ski trips, weekend getaways and a vacation out of the country. We often have dinners out and participate in activities around cape cod.
I haven’t even reviewed the romantic relationship aspect of CASL. Our team has had two romantic relationships come from it and the league itself has more than I am aware. While my focus of joining was to find friends, a boyfriend was an unexpected plus.
When new young adults join my work team I immediately encourage them to join a CASL event so they can meet people.
The winter is a time of decreased activity and worsening depression and anxiety. Even on a well established team we have already got swept back up into adulthood and bailed on several outing ideas since our Wednesday commitment to dodgeball is no longer. Having a weekly CASL commitment helps young adults make time for fun, exercise and a break from work.

Hello my name is Kevin Callahan and CASL has such a big impact in my life in such a short amount of time. Growing up as a sports fan and a avid sports player in high school playing competitive was always a way for me to let me self go from the real world and enjoy and compete for my self. Being much older now I lost the competitive edge due to well life. When I came across and sponsored ad for Dodgeball I was hesitant because I’m new to the cape and haven’t been in a competitive scene for quite some time. But I took a leap of faith not only was it one of the best decisions of my life. From meeting amazing and such kind people who genuinely want to make you feel welcomed so fast to also competing against people who went to bring the best out of you. Wether it’s kickball or dodgeball yes it may be a kids game but just getting that little taste of competition makes one like my self shut out the real problems one may have and just let loose and enjoy that hour you have with so many amazing people. So I ask please give us a place to show that side of us that we love to bring out for a short period of time let us be our inner kid while let us escape the day to day world that sometimes is hard for us. Truly appreciate the time.

I used to summer on the Cape when I was younger and I remember them being some of the best times of my life, because of this I decided to move to the Cape year round after college. What I found out shortly was that winters and summers on the Cape were totally different. The first couple of winters I had trouble meeting people my age and I didn’t have much of a social life. That immediately changed when I joined CASL. Through CASL I have made lifelong friendships and I can tell you that numerous people on Cape feel the same. I can even name multiple couples, who because of CASL, are now married.

The importance of CASL cannot be understated for young adults on the Cape, especially during the winter months where there are a lack of healthy activities. With the importance and emphasis of mental health in society I believe CASL has helped the mental health of my young adults, because of this, I believe the Wixon gym should be available for CASL.

Nick Philpott

I’ve been involved with CASL for 10 years being a cape native I have to say this one of the best things I’ve seen here in my life. I’ve been in other sports leagues too but CASL is a league for all. It’s great for keeping people busy and entertained all year long. . Shaun Conway works extremely hard to organize this and could use help from local municipalities .
Thank you
JL