Family guide to winter spectator sports around Seattle

There may be a lull in the  headline-grabbing professional sports, but there's still plenty of action in Seattle for the dedicated sports fan. Winter is a fun time to venture onto campus for college basketball, Husky gymnastics and the beginning of baseball and softball seasons. You could also visit your local high school's website to see about catching basketball games there. There's also junior hockey in Kent and Everett, professional rugby in Tukwila. And the stadium-filling sports will be back soon. The first Seattle Sounders game is on March 2.

Basketball

University of Washington Huskies (Men and Women)

First-rate NCAA division 1 college basketball in an arena full of 10,000 or so college basketball fans. Ear protection advised for kids.

Seattle University Redhawks (Men and Women)

Seattle’s other NCAA Division 1 teams play the bulk of their home games in the 1,000-seat Redhawk Center this year (KeyArena, often the site of past Redhawks men’s games, is closed for renovations) so if you get seats, they’ll be good ones.

Seattle Pacific University Falcons (Men and Women)

Junior Hockey

Seattle Thunderbirds

Everett Silvertips

The teams consist of young elite hockey players aged 16 to 21. While there is a sizeable minority of Americans and a few Europeans, most are from Western Canada. Junior hockey is known for energetic, furious play and exuberant fans.

At Seattle Thunderbirds home games you have the option of sitting in a no-alcohol area.

Women’s Gymnastics

University of Washington

Take your aspiring tumblers to see collegiate athletes compete. The Huskies host four meets this winter: Oregon State on Saturday, Jan. 26, UCLA on Sunday, Feb. 10, Sacramento State and Iowa on Friday, March 8, and Southern Utah on Sunday, March 10.

Rugby

Seattle Seawolves

Starfire Sports

14800 Starfire Way, Tukwila

Best known in this country as a precursor to American football, this game has its own sweaty, grubby traditions. The Seawolves are a professional team, part of Major League Rugby.

Baseball

University of Washington

Seattle University

Baseball in winter? That’s right, the first college games are in February. Bundle up.

Softball

University of Washington

Seattle University

Another sport identified with summer that begins before the vernal equinox, women’s softball kicks off with a tournament at the University of Washington starting on March 8. Both Seattle University and the University of Washington participate.

Sounders FC

Seattle Sounders 2019 home opener is on March 2. Sounders crowds are fun to be part of.  They have earned a reputation for creating some of the most raucous home games in Major League Soccer. Between the brass band, the big supporters clubs with their flags and banners, and the stadium special effects, it's a party atmosphere, with nifty accessories. Ear protection might be a good idea. Some of the cheers use words that you might not want your six-year-old to use in regular conversation, but it’s usually not easy to pick out exactly what people are saying and singing.