Kickin' It Old School In Adult Kickball Leagues

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Some people just can't let go of their schoolyard days when recess spelled freedom and glory came from the ability to send a red ball sailing over the blacktop. It is these people, big kids still trying to back up their blacktop smack talk, who are the people contributing to the growth of adult kickball leagues all across the country.

In the St. Louis area, there are a few kickball leagues that are stable and have a substantial amount of participation. The largest of these leagues is run by Big Ball Kickball. Ted McCluskey is one of those big kids who is happy he returned to the schoolyard for a few more "at-bats" with the red rubber ball.  McCluskey started the Big Balls Kickball league out of Tower Groves Park in the fall of 2007.  The first season he had about 236 players participating.

"You can imagine the looks I got when I told family and friends I was quitting my job to start a kickball league," McCluskey said. "Honestly, it's been a lot of work, but even more fun. It's been a blast for the players too, because they keep coming back and keep recommending the league to their friends."

Apparently the word-of-mouth recommendations worked. McCluskey has built his league up to be the biggest in the Midwest and the 4th largest in the entire country.  In terms of participation numbers, the league has seen a 1,200% growth since it started and now expects over 3,000 players and 162 teams in this year's upcoming summer session. The organization of the league surpasses anything you could have worked out during the thirty-minute elementary school recess period.

McCluskey sites two big ideas as to why adult kickball leagues are growing in popularity. First, there is a surprise factor incorporated with being a member of an adult kickball league. Just try explaining how you scraped up your knees diving into third base during a particularly intense game. "What? You play kickball?" Most people won't be able to get beyond that idea, let alone the idea that you attempted to slide into third base. Second, kickball is also  "damn fun" since there is a huge social network tied in with it.

"It's coed, you don't have to possess all star talent, and it's an excuse to go hang out and have a beer with your friends in the park. The teams come out, bring their coolers, watch other teams play and go visit the local bars afterwards." McCluskey said. "Big Balls Kickball has established many great relationships with locally owned bars and businesses, especially in the Tower Grove area."

While most of the divisions within Big Balls Kickball are completely recreational, McCluskey has seen quite a demand for competitive play. Big Balls now offers competitive and intermediate coed divisions in addition to all the recreational divisions.

"Watching these kickballers play is intense." McClusky said. "With diving catches and sliding plays into home you feel like you're watching ESPN replays right there in Tower Grove Park."

Maybe soon we will be watching kickball on ESPN. The Big Balls league has a traveling professional team aptly named the "St. Louis Big Ballers". The Big Ballers got their start in October 2008 and have already competed in Fort Lauderdale and won first place in the Iowa City Tournament. Later this year the team will head to Little Rock, Chicago, Columbia and New York. With competition expanding everyday, the team has just begun to see where their kickball skills can take them.

The summer league's opening day is June 20. For more information about Big Balls Kickball go to http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=stlbigballs and also check the site to learn about the charity work the league does and the fundraiser tournaments it plans to host.