Kickball in the movies: Left Field

There is a documentary on kickball based on a Chicago kickball league making the rounds at Film Festivals across the nation. I don't think this means kickball has made the mainstream, but its at least made the tributary with a chance to become part of the river. The movie is called Left Field and the trailer is below.



The movie focuses on the kickball counter-culture with a lot more attitude that you see in NorCal kickball, but it is a movie which means you have to dress things up a bit. It really hits on some key kickball points about kickball being an outlet for stress, a chance to reconnect with your inner youth, and a chance to bond deeply with other adults in a non-adult environment. One of my friends who recently broke up with his kickball girlfriend was upset that she got to keep kickball in their divorce.

One kickball note, I really like how they use a smaller ball in Chicago. A smaller ball means it can be kicked farther and thrown better, which makes for a better game.

If Left Field is in town and you are hung over from a game, maybe its worth checking out.

Kickball rule variations in SacTown

I got a message from Nick Berruezo of XOSO Sports in Sacramento. He runs a kickball league up there with some really great rule changes that are definitely worth discussing in this forum.

From Nick:
The first big change is the boy/girl or girl/boy lineups. You have two lineups, one for men and one for women and they alternate. If one team ends up with way more men than women that's a huge offensive advantage without the alternating lineups. With alternating lineups, this removes that advantage. With 6 men and 4 women, each female on the team gets to kick more often than the men in order to balance things out.

I really like this rule. A softball league where I play has a rule that you have to be x% girls both on the field and in the lineup, which I like, but I like this idea better. Its much more fair in that your team has to be productive with both sexes to be successful. I'm a firm believer that in order to have a great kickball experience, everyone has to feel they contribute and this is a great way to achieve that.

Nick's other major rule change:

"We have a bunt line, which is about 20 feet in front of home plate. All kicks must cross the bunt line in order to be fair. If a fielder can stop the ball before it crosses the line it's a foul ball. This helps minimize bunting slightly. A well placed bunt down the third base line is still a great way to get on base though."

I'm more against this rule (but I've yet to see this played). I think that bunting is the advantage that a lot of women need to be contributors. I'm suspicious that this punishes women unfairly. Furthermore, I find that extremely short bunts favor the fielding team as the catcher can make the put-out.

So if you're in the Sacramento area and looking for a kickball league, be sure to check out XOSO Sports! Plus they have some very awesome team names (Alcoballics and Kick Backs). They also have indoor kickball (what sport isn't better indoors) and dodgeball (my favorite college IM sport).

Infield Fly Rule Abuse

In our league, the infield fly rule is almost never called and catching flies on the infield is unreliable enough that perhaps it shouldn't be called. This leaves open the opportunity to take advantage of this.

For those of you not familiar with this concept, there is a detailed Wikipedia blurb. But at a high level in situations where there are two or three runners on base and there is a easy fly ball on the infield, the batter is automatically out and the runners advance at their own risk. This is to prevent someone intensionally dropping the ball and taking advantage of the runners being forced to run and not knowing if the fielder is going to catch or let the ball land.

In kickball, this works best around second base. If you get a pop fly right at second base with runners at 1st or 2nd, let it drop, then step on second and hit the runner going from 2nd to 3rd with the ball. Its a bit of an art form, but if you know what you are doing its a fairly safe play if you can avoid making two long throws. I think this could technically work around 3rd base if the bases are loaded, but I've never seen that (you don't tend to get a lot of popups to 3rd). This play could probably be done from the buck-short position as well. If its around 1st base, and you catch a popup always be ready for a quick runner at second to advance.

The Rocky of Kickball

Ran into this video and for those of you who haven't played kickball, it gives you a really good taste of what a game is like. It captures the speed, the bunts, the drinking, everything.

One real take home is the play of the catcher on the blue team. He plays the position about as well as I've ever seen.

Warning to children: Contains harsh language and racist innuendo frequently found on the internet.

Team Naming: Battle of the Shockers

Related to my previous team naming post, its clear that some names are much more popular than others. Its amazing that teams from across the country could come up with the same names :). Much like there are many youth baseball teams called the "Yankees" there are a lot of kickball teams called "The Shockers".

Breaking some of them down:

Can you really be the Shockers and look like you are sponsored by General Mills?

I think having foam fingers puts them ahead of the first Shocker team. However they seem very suburban given their manicured field. I'm not sold on the slogan, "lets kick some balls" as it really has nothing to do with "shocking".

Very intense pose by the girl with eye black making the double-handed Shocker in the picture. The guy wearing jeans in the front is decidedly less enthusiastic, but I think these guys are truest to the name. Add the fact that they are playing the the dark reminds me of fall kickball. These guys look like a real team. Rock on kings of the Shocker!

Kicking through the winter

After a tough playoff loss and with darkness and winter approaching, it can be tough to keep playing kickball! While probably better off the the rest of the nation, NorCal kickball's hardest season is the fall one as a lack of lights means really early kickball games. The games start out reasonably starting at 6 or 7, but then when its dark by 7:30 and then 7 itself, it can make for uncomfortably short games and quick trips to the bar. The frustrating thing is that the days get shorter so if your game got cut short in one week, its going to be about 7 minutes shorter in the next one. At least it never rains here :).

Then comes the empty season of winter, 6 months of no after outdoor work activities. No wonder I always get depressed this time of year.