If you’re a new student going to college in Houston or if you just aren’t that sports-aware, you may not know about the many sports teams we have in Houston. As a student, there are often discounts for tickets to sports events around town, so why not take advantage of that? Although the majority of the most popular teams are male-driven, our women’s soccer team is great, and I encourage everyone to get out to see other teams not mentioned here, too. Let me introduce you to our major teams:

1. The Astros

Our baseball team, the Astros, was once a top team in the nation, but have fallen down in the ranks in recent years. Last season was promising for the fresh team, but this year the Sports Illustrated curse has affected the Astros. Baseball games are still fun, though, and you can tell if someone is a true Houstonian based on their affinity for the Astros, bad season or not.

2. The Texans

The Texans are the professional football team in Houston, AKA the team that the best defensive player in the league, J.J. Watt, plays for. NRG stadium, where the Texans play, has one of the biggest screens in the country. Houstonians go crazy for the games, packing the stadium in navy and red.

3. The Rockets

Our basketball team, the Rockets, have done well in the past, but have been in a bit of a funk recently. James Harden is the Rockets’ claim to fame, and Houstonians love the beard and his weird “cooking” motion that he is famous for.

4. The Dynamo

Our men’s soccer team is called the Dynamo, and they play at BBVA Compass Stadium. The main color for the Dynamo is orange.

5. The Dash

This list would be far from complete without mentioning the women’s soccer team, the Dash. One of the stars of the national women’s soccer team, Carli Lloyd, plays for the Dash. The team also plays at BBVA Compass Stadium.

6. The Aeros

Maybe a little less known, the Aeros are our hockey team. Hockey isn’t as big in the south as it is in other parts of the country, but the Aeros are great about inviting schools and children’s teams (basically, lots of little kids) to games. I went as a girl scout when I was younger and had a ton of fun. Hockey is an aggressive sport, and extremely fun to watch.

There you have it — the big 6 in Houston, in terms of sports. We also have tons of minor league teams (especially for baseball) that are great, too. And if you like college sports, we have Rice University, University of Houston, Texas Southern University, Houston Baptist University, and Prairie View A&M University sports, all in Houston. Pick for yourself!