Now's the time to find your inner Beckham

Ahhh, David Beckham.

The ladies love him.

The men love to look like him.

With all the magazine covers, gossip headlines and fashion ads, it gets easy to forget what really gives Becks his appeal (and his fab physique): soccer.

Since spring is finally here, that means local soccer leagues are now going into full swing. And this is your big chance to join the ranks of that British sports icon -- or at least have some fun and get a heck of a workout.

With more than 20 leagues (and hundreds of teams) in the Illinois Soccer Association, scores of suburban residents ages 19 and older are already boosting their speed and endurance in games that can burn up to 800 calories per hour, according to the American Council on Exercise.

And depending on how competitive each team is, members sometimes even train on their off-days.

Sam Ionta, captain of the Naperville Strikers in the Northwest Suburban Soccer League, said he and his teammates hit the pavement (or treadmills) on days they don't have practice or games.

"You've got to train a little bit, since our team plays 12 months out of the year," he said.

Of course, the Strikers are a competitive team who play for trophies and prize money throughout the suburbs and the Midwest.

But plenty of suburban park district teams and Illinois State Soccer Association Leagues welcome women and men who just want to shoot some goals.

No matter what skill level players come with, Ionta says they'll always find a physical challenge in mastering technical skills while trying to keep up with soccer's fast pace.

"It's a combination of gaining the technical skills of ball control and understanding the game, since positioning is key on the field," he said. "But the overarching demand is your fitness level, since you're going to have to run for 90 minutes up and down the field."

If you're looking to channel your inner Beckham, find a league and team near your hometown by visiting the Illinois State Soccer Association at www.illinoissoccer.org or the Northwest Suburban Soccer League, which is now seeking new teams in all divisions, at www.nsslonline.com.