Kickball league takes to the field

Delta Omega Omega's "Doo It Kick Crew" prepare for their kickball game at Townsend Park to kick off the Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation fall kickball league. An earlier version of this cutline gave an incorrect name for the chapter. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Suzi Parker)
Delta Omega Omega's "Doo It Kick Crew" prepare for their kickball game at Townsend Park to kick off the Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation fall kickball league. An earlier version of this cutline gave an incorrect name for the chapter. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Suzi Parker)

"Make sure you stretch," Kerri Williams said in the dugout.

Williams multitasked in the dugout on this sunny October Sunday afternoon, handing out T-shirts and organizing her roster.

"The number four kicker is the cleanup crew," Williams said. "We need a strong kicker there."

Her team looked concern at one point about their opponent, "The Almighty Kickers."

"We don't need to be worried about them," she said. "They need to be worried about us."

Williams was ready to play with her co-ed team. Not football. Not basketball. Kickball.

Yes, the childhood game with the big red rubber ball that kids played during recess and P.E. classes especially during the 1970s. For the past several years kickball has made a resurgence as an adult sport throughout the country.

Williams' team -- the "Doo It Kick Crew" -- consists of members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Delta Omega Omega chapter. They along with seven other teams are participating in the fall kickball league organized by Vincent Tate, athletic director at Pine Bluff Parks & Recreation, that runs from Oct. 3 through Nov. 13.

"Covid made us feel safe in the house," Tate said. "But it's time to get out. Kickball is a great adult activity that allows you to get active and you can bring the kids, too. It's part of our Get Active Initiative, and we want everyone to get outside."

On opening day, Janice L. Roberts, Pine Bluff's city clerk, threw out the opening pitch. She said kickball took her back to her playground days.

"This is like what we did years ago when I was a kid," Roberts said. "We weren't organized like this. We would just go play in the neighborhood or the ballpark."

Roberts is super athletic. She golfs and bowls. She played softball and basketball in high school and college. She won't be playing kickball, though.

"I can't afford to hurt my bowling hand," she said, laughing. "Seriously."

The camaraderie that kickball offers is something Pine Bluff needs, Tate said.

"We need positivity here," he said.

That sentiment was echoed by everyone who played kickball Sunday.

For the last three years, Shaven Franklin, who plays on the 4-10 Lounge team, has been involved with Tate's kickball league.

"It's good to get people when they are 18 involved and get them off the streets," she said. "This is family fun and adults can bring their kids out here and feel safe. We want to see our city turn around."

Two young boys sat with one kickball player who taught them how to work the scoreboard clock. Another young boy was riding a pedal scooter around the field as the teams' respective fans cheered on their friends. The game between the "Doo It Kick Crew" and the "All Mighty Kickers" was paused for a second when a toddler waddled onto the field.

"Baby on the field," someone yelled.

That's the kind of family and community involvement Tate wants to see in this league.

Baby aside, kickball may have originated as a kids' sport, but for adults it is serious business. Three umpires -- Sebastian Stargell, Robert Tate and Jessica Morgan -- were on hand to make sure the game was called properly.

"It can get competitive," Ontario Allee, the All Mighty Kickers coach, said. "But it's fun. We all play basketball together. This is another way we can be together, but we are very dedicated to kickball."

Kickball is played like baseball but with no bats.

Players kick the big red ball and run to bases. It began in the early 20th century in Cincinnati and was called "kick baseball." It was created to more easily teach kids the rules of baseball and softball.

During World War II, even soldiers played kickball, but its popularity dropped until the 1970s when Generation X kids adopted it as a playground sport.

In 1998, the World Adult Kickball Association began. The sport has become more popular over the last 20 years as more adult leagues have formed throughout the United States.

But kickball isn't as easy as it looks. The sport has rules, outs and fouls. Players can't just stand in the outfield and look at the sky. They have to be focused to catch an out, and a bad puff of wind can whip the ball right from a fielder's hands. The competition is real.

"Oh, yeah, we want to win," Allee said.

So did all of the teams including the Pine Bluff Fire Department who took on the the 4-10 Lounge. The Fire Department defeated 4-10 Lounge.

Ultimately, the Doo It Kick Crew beat the All Mighty Kickers 5-4 although the Kickers made a strong comeback attempt.

The kickball league takes a break next Sunday to celebrate the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff homecoming weekend.

Players return to action on Oct. 16 when the Booters take on the Chiefs and RawFit plays Friendship School. On Nov. 13, players compete in a one-day tournament when all teams compete for winner rings.

Long-time kickball player John Proctor plays on the Booters. He came out Sunday to monitor the competition. He said that kickball gives people a chance to build friendships and meet people who they may never meet in day-to-day life.

"We're building a community," Proctor said. "That's important because as adults we settle into routines and they forget to have fun. This way they can bring their kids out, meet new people and get some exercise. Age doesn't matter. It's about having fun."

  photo  Pine Bluff City Clerk Janice L. Roberts rolls out the first pitch to kick off Pine Bluff's fall kickball season. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Suzi Parker)
 
 

Upcoming Events