By Jillian Locke

Let’s reflect for just a moment. Remember the glory days ~ you’re 10 years old and day- dreaming about recess. The bell rings and you spring from your desk like a rocket, the first to reach the freedom of the outdoors. You bask in the glory of the sun on your face, the sweet taste of freedom at your finger tips, and that most invigorating recess activity: kickball. Yup, the day just got WAY better.

Fast forward 20 years, and you find yourself longing for that same care-free feeling. What is the cure for the void? Look no further ~ the World Adult Kickball Association is in full bloom, right in your backyard!

“It’s a very, very fun sport that anybody can play regardless of skill level. It gives me the chance to play a sport I haven’t played since middle school,” says Greg Boyce, aka”The Commissioner” of the Worcester Adult Kickball League. With the help of grassroots promotion and by actively seeking volunteers and players, Boyce is now celebrating the league’s first official full year of operation.

The greatest pay-off for Boyce is simple ~ it’s all about the socializing. “The social aspect is great ~ knowing that you have that one night a week where you just go hang out, play kickball with your friends and have a good time. It brings back the childhood nostalgia; you get to relax from craziness of life and have a few drinks with some great people.”

Although WAKA is up and roaring, the league still faces their own unique challenges.

“The biggest challenge is being a relatively new sport. We are still trying to get folks to come out and play, and to get past the stigma of ‘adult kickball.’ We want to grow the league into as many as 8-10 teams. The challenge there is to not only keep people who are playing interested, but to get other folks who are already playing other sports interested.” With activities like “theme weeks,” which have teams picking themes and dressing in costume for the games (“In the past, people have dressed up as hip hop stars from the 80s and 90s, or in Mardi Gras costumes, Halloween costumes, and just fun stuff,” Boyce reflects), playing for charity (like this year’s event which will benefit the March of Dimes), and competing for the chance to play in the Las Vegas Founders Cup games, there’s no reason why YOU can’t rule the field this year!

Make the 2011 season one to remember! The 10 week Spring/Summer season begins on May 19 and runs until July 28. Registration begins March 23 and ends April 29. With registration, you will receive a team T-shirt, discounts at The Perfect Game ~ where team members gather after games ~ and free admission to season events and parties. Check out www.kickball.com/season/mapioneerspring2011 for more info, including events, the schedule for the Spring/Summer 2011 season, important registration deets, and much more!