Barefoot Inclined: Get Tribal! Tribesports.com Website Review

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Get Tribal! Tribesports.com Website Review

Ok... a few weeks ago I was approached to try out a new website called Tribe Sports. Initially I was a little reluctant because I thought "Do I really need another social media site to try and manage?" I probably spend too much time as it is on Facebook, Daily Mile, Pikes Peak Sports, Trail Runner Nation.. just to name a few. And yes, I do occasionally Tweet, and pin things on Pinterest.

I'm guessing I'm not alone in that respect.. it seems everything online today is linked to some kind of social media network, primarily Facebook. So, I was a little skeptical about trying out Tribe Sports, but I gave it a go anyway.

So...if you read the "About Us" on Tribesports.com.. it states the following:

"We’re going to make a bold statement. We believe that Tribesports will make you do more sports.

Whether you’re a novice or a pro, we think seeing your friends sports activity, and sharing yours will make you want to be more active and do more sports.

We think that you are probably sportier than you think you are, and maybe just sometimes you need that nudge to get out there to exercise."

First of all, I found it interesting to find a site that was dedicated to sports, and not trying to be a catch all replacement for electronic social interaction. Once you have set up a profile, you can peruse all these great "Tribes" which are essentially forums for a variety of sports or sports related topics.

Now, in addition to networking with other like-minded folks, the site awards medals for different achievements (a wide range), and also tracks your ranking among the 80,000+ members.. so of course, if you have any kind of competitive nature, you are compelled to move up in levels! In addition to this there are a ton of "Challenges" that you can take on the site that range across all fitness levels, and you can get credit for those challenges already completed.

Ok.. at this point you might think this just sounds a bit goofy.. and as I write this I realize I'm probably not doing it justice. But, I have found that I enjoy logging into the site... encouraging others in the challenges, participating in discussions (primarily in the Natural Running Tribe) and also getting a great opportunity to share my blog with others.

One of the key things that makes this site stand out, at least for me, is the true global make-up of the members. Here I'm "following" members from just about every continent and it is so great to see and share with sports/fitness minded people from across the globe.

So, I initially agreed to just "try out" the site, but I've enjoyed it enough that I'm sure I'll continue. I mean I'm ranked 2,828 on the site... so I know I can work harder!

Here's a quick video that shows some snapshots of the site etc... but, I think its worth the time to pop in, create a profile (you can link in via Facebook as well) and give it a go.. I'm sure you can complete the "Drink a cup of coffee before your run" Challenge... you know I did!