Kickball - Wow!

I went to a kickball practice last Saturday and can see why this would be a very fun league to join. The Kickball League of Bowie is an adult league for men & women, not necessarily singles, but a lot of the players are. Players have to be 21 since they are sponsored by Coors and have permits to drink during practices.




"It's like childhood again,"said Bernard Brinkley, who as it turns out went to Bowie High School with me. "I thought it was the craziest thing I ever heard of," Bernard continued. "When I got on the field, it was like 5th grade. It smells like fifth grade," he said of the red rubber ball. "Then you mix in the beer and oh my gosh."






Last spring was the first season for the league starting up in Bowie and drawing players from Crofton, Odenton, Seabrook, & Crownsville. They had 12 teams that played at White Marsh fields on Thursday nights before adjourning to Jaspers, their host bar.

Larry Wachter of Bowie said that his team actually won a game last season. He explained that their lone victory had been a grudge match with a team that required they forfeit for being short on the mandated 4 girls playing. "The donated girls didn't count," Larry explained. In the rematch, Larry's team won 18 to 1. "We definitely need some girls."

Sheila Austin-Holt of Seabrook challenged Larry's claim. "We were the worst team." Although I was told that some teams were serious about winning, none of them seemed to be at this particular practice.

Kurt Hoffman of Crownsville said this was the third kickball league he had played on and the best of them all. "It's run better," he said, alluding to the beer permits. "We have more fun."

Keith Frederick, known affectionately as "Coach K" led a team called the GPA's. I asked, "Is that because you are all smart?"
Keith grinned, "It stands for something else. Use your imagination. It's an adult league."

When I finally got another player to reveal the meaning, I might be able to argue about the use of the work "adult."

So if you are an adult who would like to take a night off of being a grown-up, this is the sport for you. The age range is wide and the serious is balanced with enough silly to make it addictive.