Playing for Kicks

This is not your elementary school kickball game.

Kickball has made its way to a nationally recognized sport, where adults meet at Reston's on Thursdays (as well as all over the country this time of year) to  play with a big, red, rubber ball.

The World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) has leagues in more than 30 states. A WAKA kickball league contains between four and 16 co-ed teams – or around 100 to 400 players per league.

Joel Dusoe, customer service manager for the DC League, says kickball has been growing since the WAKA was formed in 1998. There are eight regular-season games and a championship tournament.

And each league has a designated bar, which makes it the perfect summer sport. The Dominion League, which plays at Lake Fairfax, meets up at in Herndon.

 Even though the WAKA games are meant as a way for adults to stay active and meet new friends, there are perks to being the best team in the country. More than $20,000 in prizes is awarded each year at the World Championship Weekend Founders Cup Tournament and Kickball Games in Las Vegas. This year's  tournament will take place  Oct. 7 to 9.

 “For Founders Cup, the more competitive tournament, a team must be the League Tournament champion, or League tournament runner-up, or have received a special invitation from WAKA,” said Dusoe.

Less-experienced players can join in the fun too.  They can take part in World Kickball Championship weekend in a relaxed, pool-play WAKA Kickball tournament held in Las Vegas on the same day as the Founders Cup Tournament. 

The Dominion League is in the midst of spring season, which ends in July. The fall season starts in August and ends in late October.

Interested in joining a team? Click here to find one nearby.