It’s summertime, which means spirits are high and schedules are busy. What better time than now to join a social kickball league? Here are a few pointers to ensure you have a fun, successful season.
Team Name: The first thing people will notice about your team is the name and as they say, you only get to make one first impression. The perfect name will be funny, witty, and hopefully bring a little intimidation to your competitors. Some of my favorites include “Sons of Pitches”, “Don’t Stop Ballieving” and if you want to stay trendy, “Pitch, Don’t Kick My Vibe”.
Location: I know most major cities have social sport leagues, but I have to rep where I stay on this one. Let’s be honest, you can’t beat playing on the National Mall, cushioned between The Capital and The Washington Monument. If you live in the DMV area, it’s worth the trek from the suburbs to play in the DC leagues (compared to Arlington, Bethesda, etc.). Standing in the middle of the Mall, with the sun shining is guaranteed to remind you your life is pretty awesome.
New Friends: Social sport leagues are a great way to keep in touch with your friends. A specific block of time set out each week to kick back and hang out with your favorites is reason enough to start a team. But to get the most out of a social league, leave several spots empty on your roster. Give your team the opportunity to accept a few ‘randos’ if you will. Nothing creates new friendships better than a little friendly competition, especially when you’re on the same team.
Walk on Songs: So far, my team is the only one I’ve come across that has individual walk on songs (hashtag humble brag). Everyone submitted their choice of song, I cut it down to 30 seconds, and I bring my Jambox to every game. This is a surefire way to get everyone pumped up and excited to play. It may or may not cause more runs to be scored as well; the study is still underway. My favorites this season include “Express Yourself” by Diplo, “Jump Around” by House of Pain, and “Swing” by Savage.
Sunday Funday: The cherry on top to joining a kickball team is actually the easiest part of joining a kickball team (or rather, any social sports team). Each league has a sponsoring bar and that sponsoring bar lets players drink at a discount. And sometimes for free. And I’ve always heard that the occasional (interpretation up for debate) Sunday Funday is good for the soul. Or Monday, or Tuesday…
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