From Kent Barnes. Follow him on Twitter @KentBarnes. 

Summer is long gone and the temperature is dropping fast. And while you may be content to hunker down by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and wait for spring, there are plenty of opportunities within the District to embrace the frigid outdoor weather and be active.

DC has an abundant number of recreational sports leagues that offer more than just the opportunity to play sports. Many local sports leagues are just as serious about socializing as they are about the score of the game, and some are even tied to charitable giving.

Here are some local leagues to consider:

• Zog Sports offers a variety of co-ed recreational sport leagues to area athletes. Registration is now open for the winter seasons of football, outdoor soccer, indoor soccer, basketball and volleyball. Zog provides the balls, referees, and t-shirts and works with schools throughout the city to ensure access to quality fields and courts to play on. Like a lot of other rec teams in the area, Zog sorts players based on skill level so first timers aren’t taking on former college athletes. Every team picks a charity and the league donates 10 percent of its profits to the charities selected. (Plus, some local bars get involved and donate a portion of their post-game sales to your charity.)
• District Sports is running 12 different soccer leagues this winter, with registration opening 11/13. The league also fosters beginners and advanced players and holds games on fields throughout the city, including fields near U Street and Dupont Circle.
• Metro Sports Leagues offers both co-ed soccer and volleyball for interested athletes, with registration beginning December 7. Similar to the other leagues, games are held at a variety of schools throughout the city.
• Stonewall Sports: If you’d prefer to wait for warmer weather, try Borderstan’s own, Stonewall, a LGBTQ and ally community-based nonprofit that offers kickball and bocce. This league also participates in charitable giving, and its past beneficiaries have included Whitman-Walker Health, The DC Center (LGBT center) and Metro Teen AIDS, among others.

So whether you’re in it for the competition, the social interaction or the philanthropy, these leagues provide a great opportunity to get outside and stay active during this busy holiday season.

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