Adult kickball makes area debut

A big red rubber ball.

Eleven players on the field and four bases is all it takes for a rousing game of elementary-style kickball in south Fort Myers.

Derek Young, a regional representative of World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA), has brought the game to Southwest Florida and hopes it spreads as it has in 27 other states.

"It's the school game of kickball and incorporating the social aspect of it," said Young, who used to play WAKA Kickball in Washington until he moved to Florida in December.

The social aspect of the game is important to players, Young said, because many join not only to get fit but also to meet new people.

"It's fun because it's young adults and people from all stages of life on one field," said Laura Liebmana, 26, of south Fort Myers during the league's first pickup game at the Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreational Center.

The center will be hosting another WAKA kickball game for those interested in trying it out on May 22 at 6:45 p.m. WAKA will not charge for the game but it will be the last chance to sign up for the season that starts on May 29.

"It brings back a lot of memories," said Beth Godwin of Cape Coral, who came to cheer on her son Chris of Naples. "It's interesting to watch. The guys kill it and the girls barely touch the ball ... the girls always get on base."

Getting on base is still done the same way it was during the days of juice boxes and recess.

"You get 15 to 20 people on a team. Three outs per inning and only captains can argue calls," said Young to the more than 50 players who came out to try the game, which was so entertaining none of the mostly 20-somethings were on cell phones.

Each game lasts about an hour or five innings and the point is to have fun.

"We liked it! We are going to win the league," said an enthusiastic Kara Martin, 23, of south Fort Myers, about her predictions for the season. She joined WAKA because her brother plays in Fort Lauderdale. "They told me it was expanding and I had to come."