This Blog is the online home for members of the WAKA Kickball leagues in Tampa, Florida. Players can come here to view the latest information on the division, make comments and talk trash to their competitors.
OK so we are a little behind with the game recaps but a crazy travel schedule and a weekend without any sleep at all and then trying to catch up with everything will do that to you. So here we go to bring you up to speed on what's been happening in the Breaker league.
Our first game of the night was between Barbara Ballters and Sit on My Base. By all accounts this game was just ugly. I asked both teams how the game went and they both said the same thing, sloppy. Its clear that the ladies were not impressed with either team. It was a high scoring affair but that was more due to bad defense than good offense. Barbara Ballters narrowly won in this slop fest, 7-6.
Our other early game of the night was the "marquee" matchup between Blast and Asstastic Balls. This was supposed to be a battle of the defeateds but Asstastic blew that up in week 3 by beating Sit on My Base. It was still Blast's best opportunity to win a game this season. Sure enough, in the first inning at 7:08pm, Blast was able to get their first runs of the season up on the board. Just 7 minutes later they lost the lead, only to retake the lead in the second inning. The Men (and Women) in Black were feeling pretty good about their chances but Asstastic had a stirring motivational speech on the sidelines, reminding the team that even though the Blast ladies are clearly awesome, they aren't a very good kickball team and proceeded to erase the memory of any lead that Blast had. Asstastic Balls won 3-2.
Field A saw a key game between 99 Problems and Guttersnipes* in the late slot. Guttersnipes were hoping to maintain their status as the only undefeated team in the league but they were definitely in for a battle. 99 got off to an early 1 run lead but the lead soon evaporated behind Guttersnipe* team captain, Seth. He was a 99 slayer going 3 for 3 with 3 runs kicked in. 99 had their backs against the wall in the last inning facing a 2 run deficit but were able to mount a rally to score one run and then loaded the bases with 1 out. Bryan had a well kicked line drive into right field that allowed the tying tun to score and the potential winning run rounding third. The resulting play could only be described as Matrix like. The Guttersnipes threw the ball at Ty who had just started a slide and the ball traveled just inches from his face as he scored the winning run of the game. 99 Problems won this one in stunning fashion 4-3.
Our final game of the night was between Cleats and Cleavage and the Seminoles. While Cleats and Cleavage got out to a great start on the season, they were trying to reclaim some momentum after losing their first game against the Guttersnipes* in week 3. It was a what could have been and what should have been game for the team in green. Post game the sideline was abound with talk about injuries (Gordon had a hurt foot, Jon had a bad oblique and Matty B had a strained hair follicle) and how the offseason labor disputes and lockout shortened season contributed to their injury woes. The play of the game was definitely the home run blast by Salty on the Seminoles. From field B he kicked the ball over the bleachers and into the woods with 1 bounce. The Seminoles were victorious 5-0.
Name: Marla League: FL Bayshore Team: Pick Me Up Jersey Color: Kelly Green Age: Not so sure you should ask a lady. ;) Seasons Played in WAKA: Since the 2nd season of Bayshore, maybe 8 years? Relationship status: Engaged! Cleats or Sneakers? Definitely Cleats! After slipping and sliding for a couple seasons (including splits to stay on the base), it was time to invest in some cleats.
Favorite thing to do when not playing kickball? Going to concerts & sporting events (Go Bucs, Rays, & Lightning!). Hanging out with friends at outdoor bars and restaurants.
Favorite Kickball moment? Favorite is hard to say, but most memorable - Oh boy. That would be sliding into 2nd head first into another player's shin and breaking my nose. Yes, I actually broke my nose. Not my favorite, but something I will never forget! My favorite would have to be back in the beginning playing at Al Lopez field around the trees, planning the parties & making connections, meeting some really awesome people, and winning the season or tournament.
What made you first sign up for WAKA kickball? 2 girlfriends and I joined to meet more friends. Plus what a better reason than kickball to go out on a work night. I have to say we did meet lots of great people, including their 2 husbands and my fiance.
If you could have one celebrity on your kickball team, who would it be? Hmmm.. Chris Pine, Chelsea Handler, or Mark Wahlberg.
If you could have one pro athlete on your kickball team, who would it be? David Beckham, hands down!
What do your co-workers think when you say that you play WAKA kickball? 1-They always ask if they can play. 2-If I look tired, they know why. 3-They ask if I can bring any leftover jello or pudding shots to work, which I have!
Any other interesting things that you would like to say about your involvement in WAKA kickball? There's so much to say. It's the only place you can run around like a competitive 5th grader while drinking (like a 21 year old) and having fun with friends and strangers. Then followed by a fun bar atmosphere. It's a great place to meet friends and those that may be more. I would do it again in heartbeat! Glad my girls and I had the guts to join back then. Not to mention all the money we've raised over the years for great charities and had so much fun doing so.
This Thursday yours truly will not be at the fields because I'll be off getting ready to participate in an amazing event. WAKA Kickball will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record for longest kickball game in Naugatuck, CT. The current record is held by a high school in Ohio at 51 hours. We hope to smash that record.
This event isn't just for the honor of holding a world record. It is an excuse to help raise money for a great cause. WAKA has teamed up with Cure Search and Kick-It for this event to raise funds to help find a cure for children's cancer. Our original goal was to raise $20,000 but as of today we have already raised over $32,000 and now we hope to hit the $35k mark.
This is no small undertaking and we have the full support of the town with many businesses making donations to keep the players going. I'm sure there will be lots of need for that Dunkin Donuts coffee that will be handed out. I will be there to help out and act as an official witness but the players are amazing. They will be playing for as many innings as they can starting early Friday morning and running on through to Friday evening. If the weather holds and we can break the record, expect to see us on ESPN's top 10.
You can be a part of this too. Help me and donate today to help us fight for the kids. Also feel free to call me during the event to talk to some of the players on the sidelines to offer them some words of encouragement. They will need all of the support they can get as they battle through the fatigue to help out a great cause.
What a week it was in the FL Breaker League. Lots of action, lots of excitement, and a few surprises.
Our first game of the week was between 99 Problems and the Seminoles. Make no doubt about it, this is a rivalry game. Mostly because in the last few seasons this game is pretty much a coin flip and the game is always tight. This one was no different. 99 Problems took the early 2-0 lead but the Seminoles were able to counter with a monstrous 2 run home run in the 4th. The Seminoles were able to barely squeak out another one in the 6th for the win. Now if you saw the end of the game, you might be slightly confused. This was a week 3 matchup between 2 teams that had 1 win and 1 loss each. The celebration that ensued was slightly more than what you would expect. Seminoles won 3-2.
Here is actual video of the Seminole's celebrating their week 3 victory:
Also at 7pm was the premier matchup of the night between our only 2 still undefeated teams, Guttersnipes* and Cleats and Cleavage. Ok so the matchup was premier but the game may not have been. According to Gordon of Cleats and Cleavage player, "I couldn't carry the team single handedly for the whole season". The play of the game had to be an aggressive defensive play by Gordon who had charged in on a bunt, picked it up and threw a perfect strike to first base. It would have been a clear out, except that the right fielder, rather than backup the first baseman, decided to intercept the throw just inches from the hands of the bewildered first baseman. Guttersnipes* won 5-0.
At 8pm Asstastic Balls took on Sit on My Base. Asstastic and Blast had struggled doing anything in the first couple of weeks and we were all wondering which team would be able to score first. Beast took over as acting captain and was seen still trying to figure out what the lineup would be halfway through the first inning. Whatever he did, the debate of who could score first was answered at 8:25pm when Dmitri kicked a sac fly to the outfield that scored Beast. That wasn't all though as the pink team was able to put 3 more on the board. Their defense held strong too, led my Mary Hall who pretty much closed down the Sit on My Base offense in the final inning by herself. Asstastic stunned the league with a victory 4-2.
Our last game of the night was between Blast and Barbara Ballters.This game was, shall we say, less than premier as the Ballters manhandled the team in black. Blast did threaten to score in the 5th inning with a runner on 3rd but failed to drive the run home. When the third out of the inning was made you could hear a collective sigh of disappointment from everyone witnessing the game, including Ballters. On the plus side for the black team, their ladies are awesome (I may or may not have been instructed to say that). Barbara Ballters won this one 8-0.
In related news, here is some video of one of the Seminoles beating a handicapped child in bowling on a Wednesday night.
In case you weren't quite sure what the commotion was prior to game time this past Thursday, you may have missed the engagement of Phil and Heather on I'd Hit it. A little bit of rain wasn't going to stand in the way of a perfectly executed kickball proposal (and some fine camera work if I do say so myself). Its not determined yet if the couple will invite the whole kickball league to the wedding but if they do, we highly advise against having an open bar. I mean we definitely would generally recommend an open bar but have you seen this group drink? Dear Lord! Anyways, in case you missed it, here is what happened:
WAKA loves love. There is no shortage of milestones in relationships happening at WAKA Kickball fields. I remember hearing that a couple of years ago now a couple played for a team that qualified for the Founders Cup in Las Vegas. They decided that they would get married in Vegas and she played in the tournament with a veil. After their team was eliminated they went to a chapel to get married. Rumor has it that another "couple" thought that looked like a great deal of fun and decided to try the same after knowing each other for about 24 hours. Word is that that new groom's live-in girlfriend was less than impressed when he got home from Vegas.
Of course, if you aren't ready to take the plunge yet, we always have the WAKA Shame Hookup Waiver.
You asked for it, you've got it. This week will be a theme week for Bayshore. We asked for some of your suggestions for themes and now you get to vote to decide what our theme will be on Thursday. The Poll will close at 4pm on Wednesday so that should give you plenty of time to vote and prepare your costume for Thursday.
Even if you are in costume you should have your WAKA Kickball t-shirt with you. Bonus for incorporating it into your costume somehow.
The Candidates are 80's movies, Golf Pros and Tennis Hos, Camo Theme, and Superheros.
80's movies is an undervalued candidate but there are so many options. The 80's were chock full of epic movies with amazing characters. The sky may be the limit on this one.
Golf Pros and Tennis Hos is always a favorite. Its especially entertaining when you have a few guys who come out dressed as the tennis hos.
Camo Theme could be trouble as we may not be able to see anyone actually playing.
Superheroes is another fun one but it does come with its consequences. If you wear a cape it is an extension of your body so if the ball hits your cape while running the bases you are out. Just ask Erik about that one. He's still bitter about being called out 3 years ago.
The poll will close at 4pm on Wednesday and the result will be displayed on our facebook page. The theme will be voluntary but highly encouraged so have some fun with it.
Name: Katie League: FL Bayshore Team: Gettin’ Kicky With It Jersey Color: Dark Green Age: 21 Seasons Played in WAKA: 1st Season Relationship status: Single Cleats or Sneakers? Cleats, I want to limit slipping and busting my ass in public as much as possible.
Favorite thing to do when not playing kickball? I usually end up at MacDits, or somewhere on Soho, in my free time. Basically just spending time with my friends and having a good time. I keep telling myself I’ll start to work out more, so I’ll add running so I don’t sound like a total bum.
Favorite Kickball moment? I’m going to predict the future here and say it will happen during Play Offs
What made you first sign up for WAKA kickball? My friends were starting a new team and I thought it was a great way to spend time with them and meet new people. Also, to have a reason to end up at Macdits every Thursday night.
If you could have one celebrity on your kickball team, who would it be? It’s a tough call between Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling. I’d pick who ever was willing to play shirtless.
If you could have one pro athlete on your kickball team, who would it be? David Beckham. 1) He’d get us homeruns every time and 2) Have you seen his H&;M ads??
What do your co-workers think when you say that you play WAKA kickball? When they found out MacDintons was our bar, they understood… and expect me to be looking rough Friday mornings.
Any other interesting things that you would like to say about your involvement in WAKA kickball? I am really glad I joined. I like everyone I’ve met so far, and it’s a nice break towards the end of the week to just have fun.
We've now completed 2 weeks of the Breaker season and in case you haven't already noticed, this is going to be a pretty competitive season.
Our first game of the night in week 2 was between Blast Nuts to Bunts and the Guttersnipes*. We love Blast Nuts to Bunts, they are some of the most fun people in the league but they aren't one of the 6 teams that are likely to win the championship. In fact they may struggle to win a single game this season but who cares as long as they keep it up the fun at MacDintons. After the game I asked how they felt about it and they said, at least it was better than last week. Unfortunately that is factually inaccurate as they lost by more in week 2 than in week 1. In fact, with an inning still left to play they decided "eh fuck it, lets just go to the bar". They claim they will be praying to Tom Cruise before next week's game and hope that gives them some extra luck. Guttersnipes* won this one 10-0.
Next up on field 2 was 99 Problems taking on Asstastic Balls. Now this used to be a bit of a rivalry game but it has cooled off a bit the last couple of seasons. 99 Problems was pretty shaken from their late inning collapse last week so they tried to bring a little zen to their game. Its unclear if it was the incredibly motivational pre-game speech or the 120 jello shots that were consumed before game time but 99 Problems was definitely a more relaxed team this week and AB had a hard time getting anything going. 99 Problems took the win 5-0.
Starting out the late games was Sit on My Base and Cleats and Cleavage. This game had a TON of action. Gordon was pretty explosive on the mound and made the Sit on My Base kickers look silly all night. The real action happened in the last inning. Sit on my base was faced with a 4 run deficit and were mounting a rally. After closing the gap to 3 and bases loaded, Gordon locked in as Jado came to the plate dreaming of glory. Those dreams came to a quick end though as he was called out on a double kick. Now the double kick is sometimes a confusing call. That's probably at least partly because there is no one rule that defines it. According to WAKA Rules rule 13.02f states: a foul ball is: a kicked ball touched more than once or stopped in the kicking box by the kicker. Now that is all well and good but what if the kicker is outside of the kicking box? Well once they are outside of the kicking box they become a baserunner. According to rule 14.02d states: an out is a runner touched by the ball or who touches the ball at any time while not on base while the ball is in play. Now Jado may disagree where he actually was when the ball hit him the second time but the ref's call was that the second time the ball hit him he was outside of the kicking box and thus the game ended. Cleats and Cleavage emerged victorious 6-3.
Our last game of the night was a epic showdown between the Seminoles and the Barbara Ballters. These 2 teams always play hard against each other and this one was no dismantlement. Barbara Ballters did their best to impress the ladies once again but the ladies they like love to score and the just simply couldn't against the strong Seminoles defense. Of course the Barbara Ballters defense was pretty strong too. One player took advantage during the defensive showdown to flex his muscle and tell the ladies what's up because he knew that chicks dig the long ball. Colby was able to kick one deep for a solo shot for all of the scoring that the Seminoles needed in this one. Seminoles came out on top 1-0 and the ladies were impressed.
Which team will score its first run of the season first?
Which team has the more entertaining identity crisis?
Every year, our friends at the D-10 Society put on one of the most fun parties you will ever see. Their Annual Red Neck Ball is all done for charity, all net proceeds go to Pasco Kids First. This year's event is this upcoming weekend on March 24th.
Here is the great news. One player from each team will be able to get a ticket for free for being their team's MVP. Bayshore captains should have already submitted their picks for their games last week and this week Breaker captains will submit their MVP picks after our games on Tuesday.
If you aren't your team's MVP, should you still go? Absolutely! Check out the details by clicking on the image below.
The Breaker League has started play and this is sure to be a competitive season. There are probably 5 or 6 legitimate contenders to walk away with the championship this season (sorry if you are that 7th and 8th team). Week one started off with some fireworks so lets find out what happened, shall we?
Our first game of the night was between Cleats and Cleavage and Blast Nutts to Bunts. Now Cleats and Cleavage has been around for a while so we sort of know what to expect from them. Blast Nutts to Bunts on the other hand was a complete mystery but we can be pretty sure no one was quite ready for "taint tickling Tuesday" as the ladies in the lime green knee socks called it. Cleats and Cleavage tried to downplay their performance in this game and claimed that they got off to a slow start. By "slow start" they mean that Gordon started out the first inning by kicking a home run. They never looked back from there as Cleats and Cleavage steamrolled over Blast. Its unclear which team had the most fun. Cleats and Cleavage won 9-0.
Barbara Ballters faced off against Asstastic Balls on Field B in our other early game. This game pretty much played out the way we would expect it. Barbara Ballter's was peacocking and their aggressive baserunning was just too much for Asstastic to handle. Charlie was pretty enamored with a girl playing second so he took her out, hoping that might impress her. JR was trying to impress everybody with his completely unnecessary slide home, only to pull up over a foot short. If you missed it, don't worry. The good gentlemen of Barbara Ballters will be trying to impress the ladies all season. Barbara Ballters were victorious 11-0.
Our first late game took place between 2 strong teams, Sit on My Base and 99 Problems, who renewed their tradition of making rookies wear adult diapers during their first game. This game was mostly all about defense. 99 Problems was able to get a couple of early runs off of a home run by Brendan but other than that Sit on My Base mostly mowed down the whole 99 lineup with few baserunners in orange at all. 99 did the same to Sit on My Base. In the top of the 6th inning, 99 was poised for the victory with 2 outs and a simple soft liner right up the middle. Now here is the thing, since June 1st of last year, 99 Problems has only lost 3 times. In fact, in that time span they have a combined record of 18 wins, 1 tie and 3 losses. So as that ball was mid air, the 99 defense decided, "wouldn't it be interesting to see what its like to tie or lose?" And thus they did, parting like the red sea and allowed the start of a 5 run rally. Turns out losing wasn't as interesting as they thought it might be. Sit on My Base took this one 5-2.
The marquee matchup of the night was between the Seminoles and Guttersnipes*. The Seminoles had their infinite loop of FSU fight song remix playing and had their collection of trophies won in previous seasons out for display. If you think that is obnoxious, you might as well get used to it because that is just simply what they do. The new Guttersnipes* were ready for action after just having a practice against 99 Problems the Sunday before the season started (yes teams do occasionally practice more than just their flip cup skills). These two well matched teams had such an efficient game that they were tied after 6 but still had enough time left on the clock to get 8 whole innings in under the hour time limit. The deciding play of the game came from Guttersnipes* captain, Rachel who had an aggressive run towards the plate and dove head first to beat the throw. Not only could Rachel teach JR a thing or 2 about sliding home, she also clinched the victory for her Guttersnipes*. The Seminoles may be regretting their decision to cut out on practice on Sunday. They were so upset by their loss that only one was seen at MacDinton's after the game. Guttersnipes* emerge the victors, 3-2.
All of the teams who faced off against each other in week 1 will face off again in week 8 so it should be interesting to see which teams do better and which do worse in their rematches. One thing is for sure, with the 2 finalists from last season's championship game facing defeat in week one, don't expect the standings to reflect the same order for very long.
*Yes we know the Guttersnipes are now known as the Dirty Sons of Pitches but we prefer to call them the Guttersnipes so you are just going to have to get used to that.
What was the most stunning result of Breaker's Week 1?
One of the fun things about WAKA Kickball is the themes that people come up with. Camel Toes know all too well how much fun themes can be. We wouldn't be too surprised if every member of that team has a trunk full of costumes just for kickball.
Obviously, this week is St Patricks day so any theme we do have would likely be ignored in favor of lots of green and lots of beer. Not that that's a bad thing by any means. We love St Patricks day and hope everyone has a fun and safe one.
Next week, Mar 22, is a perfect date for FL Bayshore to do an official theme week but we want to hear from you to know what you think it should be. Comment on this post to make your suggestion of what the theme should be. On Thursday we will create a poll with the best suggestions and by Monday the top vote getter will be the theme of the week for Bayshore.
In case you haven't noticed it on the league webpages yet, WAKA has teamed up with Nike to create some pretty cool athletic apparel just for you. This is a limited trial so you have to place your order by Mar 13th to get your cool WAKA gear. There are technically 2 programs running during this time period, one for Texas and one for Florida but there isn't too much in either store that is specific to a region so check out both programs as they have some slightly different options.
This trial is being mostly directed towards Florida and Texas right now but you don't have to be from one of those areas to order. So if you are originally from the Great White North and have a friend who loves Hockey and WAKA kickball and lives in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, they can order something too. Now if someone is walking around Moose Jaw is kicking it in some cool Nike WAKA threads, aren't you going to feel like a fool for not taking advantage of the same offer?
Breaker is upon us, and that can only mean one thing, fun. Its been a long off season for the Tuesday night crowd and I knew of at least a couple of teams who have been practicing together because they just can't wait to get back to playing. So here is your run down on all of the teams this season.
99 Problems but a Pitch Ain't One - Orange
This bright orange team is a force to be reckoned with. They play together as a unit and travel in packs. Its hard to get onto this team because almost everybody comes back so they usually never have room for newbies. In the fall they only added one player. This Spring they are adding 3, which is a ton for them. When first founded they were not much of a contender but 2011 was a good year for them. They are still reigning champions from last Summer's Big Guava league and lost in a very close extra innings championship game for Breaker in the Fall to the Seminoles.
Asstastic Balls - Pink
This isn't exactly the same Asstastic Balls team you've become accustomed to. Sure they still wear pink and Erik is still the captain so that's a deep ball threat but a lot of the regular crowd decided to take this season off to stretch for next season. We don't really know what to expect from this new collection but they should be a fun crew.
Barbara Ballters - White
Don't let the name fool you. Barbara Ballters is a tough team. They have been around for a full year now and are one of the hardcore teams that have played in both Breaker and the Summertime Big Guava leagues. Don't get too confused about the red football jersey, trophy and helmet that you may see a player wear. They've formed a little bit of a tradition that their MVP from their previous game gets to wear that stuff at their next game. They are tough to beat in the field and always show up in great numbers at the bar. The one knock on them... their games take too long and there is usually too much time in between pitches so if you want to get your whole game finished in time, don't doddle out to the field in between innings.
Blast - Blast
This is mostly a brand new team. So what do we know about Blast? Well, about as much as your typical frat boy knows about g-spots. Absolutely nothing. Now you could also read that to say that we don't care to know but we actually do. Judging by the showing at the pre-season party there are some pretty young ladies filling out the roster. (Hey Ladies, call me). Considering that they are so new, we don't expect much out of them on the field but that could mean they are a sleeper if another team takes them for granted. They are probably the most likely team to still be at the bar at closing time.
Cleats N Cleavage - Green
This is one of my favorite teams in the league. Its just a good collection of people. They used to be known as Balls N Dolls until they got tired about hearing that there was another team in the Bayshore league by the same name. These one time league champions have some moments of greatness but the rest of the league has mostly surpassed them in overall skill (but not overall fun). They are hoping that some of their new players will help bring them back to glory. If you are new to this team, rejoice. This is about as solid of a group of people as you will find.
Dirty Sons of Pitches Guttersnipes - Maroon
OK, lets be honest. We know that Guttersnipes was a weird name when we first heard it last season. We all had to do our little wikipedia search to figure out what the hell a guttersnipe was but they became the name, or the name became them, or, hell I don't know. In any event the name stuck so even though they officially changed it this year, its more than likely that everyone will just know them as the Guttersnipes. They are one of the tougher teams in the league, and have improved in the off-season with some key pickups. They play the Seminoles twice this season so watch out for both of those matchups.
Sit On My Base - Light Blue
Its a new name but they are not newbies by any stretch. Last Spring they were known as Suck My Kick and were one of the most successful entirely new teams we've ever seen. Don't let their assortment of supermodels fool you, they come to play. They are built for speed and party hard. They took some time off after last spring, presumably to spend more time partying and getting ready to crush opponents this Spring. We will see if they can shake the rust off in the new season. You have to love the awkwardness of the team name. At the pre-season party a couple of new players showed up and they weren't quite sure who their teammates were, prompting Erik to have to go around to random kickballers and ask "Sit on my base? No? How about you? Sit on my base?" That is kickball gold right there.
Seminoles - Gold
Remember what I said about Cleats N Cleavage? Pretty much none of it applies to the Seminoles. They are the most hated, despised and villainous team the kickball world has ever known. They offer to walk little old ladies across the street, only to ditch them halfway and as a teammate barrels down the road in an 18 wheeler. Of course none of that is actually true but's funny how the myth of the Seminoles spreads quickly. They are usually known as the most hated team in the league but a lot of that has to do with how good and competitive they are (they have the hardware to prove it and would he happy to show you all of their trophies) but what really has killed them historically is their poor attendance at the bar and at league parties. When they do come out I highly encourage everyone to say hello, they aren't as bad as the scary stories claim that they are. Rumor has it that they are finally hoping to travel to Vegas to represent Tampa at the Founders Cup this year (after qualifying in this past Fall season)
Ever wish you could learn a little more about your fellow kickballers without haveing to ask. We've got you covered. This week we want to introduce you to the beautiful and talented Jaclyn. Jaclyn is the captain of my old team from last season and she calls me a traitor so I try to be nice to her. Gentlemen, she's single and quite cute so be sure to ask for the digits.
Team: Your Balls My Foot (Captain) Jersey Color: Cardinal Red Name: Jaclyn Nickname: Jessica (huh?) Age: 27 Seasons Played in WAKA: 3 - I've now played kickball for a full year (with a slight break during the Summer League due to work) Relationship status: Single Cleats or Sneakers? Sneakers
Favorite thing to do when not playing kickball? Drinking at Yard of Ale and playing lifesize Jenga and other adult fun games J And I train for Flip-cup at MacD's when I can. Other than that I love running along bayshore. Not only is it a great place to run b/c of the scenic view, but a ton of hot guys run along there too!
Favorite Kickball moment? When we win! But also when we played against the pink team, Camel toes and had a slip-n-slide from home to first base along with water balloons.
What made you first sign up for WAKA kickball? I wanted to meet new people in Tampa, and kickball turned out to be a great way to do so
What makes you keep coming back? I just have a lot of fun and I meet tons of new people each season. It also doesn't hurt that since I'm the captain, my team forces me to sign up and set up our team group for the next season so they can sign up JK!
If you could have one celebrity on your kickball team, who would it be? – No question: Bradley Cooper. He is GORGEOUS! Plus he seems pretty athletic and would be good on our team. I may get a little distracted though and end up letting a few fly balls fall to the ground, oops!
If you could have one pro athlete on your kickball team, who would it be? Skip Schumaker or David Freese. Most people may not know who either of them are but they play for the St. Louis Cardinals (WS Champs!) and I'm a huge fan of both of them and the team. Skip would be great with the fly balls and David can really hit them out of the park so I'm sure they would both be great.
What do your co-workers think when you say that you play WAKA kickball? That on Fri they all get to go to Five Guys for lunch b/c I'm hungover and need greesy food.
Any other interesting things that you would like to say about your involvement in WAKA kickball? I have met way more friends than I ever expected and I can’t wait to see what surprises the future seasons brings.
Can you believe we already have 4 weeks into the season? At the halfway point of the season we have definitely learned a lot about the players and teams in the league. Here are just a few of the highlights:
The pitcher for Balls N Dolls is the un-Holy love child of Zach Galifianakis and Kenny Powers. If you haven't faced him yet, good luck. When he's on, he's tough to beat. You're fucking out, bitches.
Pick Me Up claims that age is catching up with them. Sure, some of them started playing WAKA kickball when some of you may have still been in Jr High but WAKA is fun for all ages. They actually haven't been too bad this season except for a couple of unlucky breaks. In recent seasons they have definitely been one of the better teams but they just wish you youngins would be easier to beat. The way they put it makes it sound like they are seeking team sponsorship from Ben-Gay and Depends but I don't believe it. They still have plenty of life in them but their schedule doesn't get a whole lot easier.
Some young guns have come to play. Usually, new teams have some difficulty acclimating to the league but no so much this season. I'd Hit It is just crushing teams lately. They may have benefited from a relatively light schedule thus far so the second half of the season could be a better litmus test to see how strong they are against Pick Me Up and Balls and Dolls in their last 2 games of the season. Mark March 15th on your calendar as I'd Hit It faces off against Getting Kicky With It, another new team that has been turning up the heat the last couple of weeks. What's the secret to I'd Hit Its early success? Confidence. In week 2 they won in dramatic fashion in the last inning (and practically mauled one of their star players at the bottom of a pig pile in the process). In Week 4 they were riding really high and feeling quite good after beating up on Your Balls My Foot, because someone had told them that YBMF was the best team in the league. One of the most awesome teams in the league? Yes and they definitely have fun. Best teams? Sadly not so much. Only time will tell whether I'd Hit It can keep hitting it.
Where My Pitches At are really glad to have made the switch from Tuesdays to Thursdays. Now I'm not calling Bayshore a slouch but there is definitely a heavier concentration of tough teams on Breaker right now. Its not always like that as those sorts of things are pretty cyclical and it wasn't long ago that Bayshore was the tougher league. At this point in the Fall season, the old Where My Pitches At team was 0-4 with a combined score of about 853,201 to 0. Right now they are feeling pretty good about themselves with a win a loss and 2 ties.
The Camel Toes are crazy. OK so this is only news to you if you are new to the league but by now it should be quite clear that they are the most ridiculous team in the league and they love that fact. They show up every week in costume, are loud and obnoxious and have a blatant disregard for any team who takes the game too seriously. In other words, they are pretty awesome. In case you missed it, this past week they had some sort of red neck theme (I gave up on actually trying to keep up with their themes long ago). The lovely Carrie decided she was going to sport some padding that made her look pregnant. It made for a pretty fun time to watch the faces of random strangers around her when she would suck back a drink and light up a cigarette. Proceed with caution with this crazy crowd.
We love M&M bowls. No, I am not talking about the little candies that melt in your mouth and not in your hands (although they lie). I'm talking about the great scene at MacDinton's that we get every Thursday night. Think about it the next time you walk into the bar. I'm sure most of you have played with other organizations and after your game, whether its friendly or competitive, everyone just sort of goes their own way and maybe you join a few of your teammates at the bar. Not so with WAKA. We all go back to the same bar and have a great time together and lots of mingling between teams with different t-shirt colors. Now do you get the reference? If, by now you haven't facebook friended 5-10 new people from other teams, you are doing something wrong. So go out of your way and make friends with people on other teams. WAKA is all about creating a social atmosphere for you fools to meet, so do it already.
Hey kids, Bayshore now has 2 weeks in the books in the season and everyone looks to be having a great time. It is however time to do a little bit of a recap of the do's and don'ts of the league.
Reffing:
Don't:
Don't wonder off in the middle of the game to try to pick up members of the opposite sex. We appreciate your drive but that's what MacDinton's is for.
Don't talk or text on your phone. Please pay attention when you ref. The number one complaint we hear about refs is when refs are just not paying attention. You want refs to pay attention in games that you play so you should pay attention when you ref.
Don't congregate as a group. Besides not paying attention, when there are too many people standing around "reffing" it can make it unclear to the teams playing who the actual ref is. It happens more often than it should where 3 or more people are reffing 1st or third and on a close play there may be a couple of different calls made. If you ref 2nd base, sorry, you are on your own. Friends gathering out there just get in the way of outfielders
Do:
Download an app. If you have an iphone or android phone you can dowload an app that helps keep track of balls, strikes, fouls outs, innings scores and even game time. The iphone app is called iRef - Kickball and the android app is called Kickball Ref Pro. They are both 99 cents and they are both worth it. If you are on your phone during a game, it should be for using one of these apps only.
Read the rulebook. Kickball rules aren't terribly complicated. What's best is that they are available for free online. WAKA's website has the Kickball Rules and a Rules FAQ and everyone should read both documents. This is especially true for anyone who has come over from another league as different leagues have slightly different rules. There is nothing more entertaining than arguing a call with someone who is quoting a rule from another league. Keep in mind that in our league, since we have the luxury of extra time on the fields we play 6 innings, not 5.
Be on time for games. This one should be a no brainer but in addition to yourself being on time, its also good to try to get the game started on time and get the game pace picked up if its taking too long. Our lights automatically turn off at 9:30pm so if the early games gets delayed and pushes back the late game, its possible that the late game might have to be cut off. Be responsible and respectful.
On Field Stuff:
Don't:
Don't bring glass botttles. Glass bottles are a big big no no. If your team brings them, they may be confiscated and your team could face a forfeit.
Don't bring exposed cases of beer or leave cans on the ground. We shouldn't see any alcoholic beverage containers on the field.
Don't leave cigarette butts in the grass. This is a bigger problem for some teams than others. If you must smoke while playing, don't throw your cigarettes in the grass. Remember that the fields are primarily used by the Police Athletic League program's children during the day and they try to teach the kids that smoking is bad. Don't be a bad example for the kids by littering their field.
Don't go streaking. OK so maybe even bringing this up is asking for trouble but there is a good reason for mentioning it. I guess you might think its a good idea but keep in mind that sometimes the PAL building is rented out for kid's birthday parties. You don't really want to spend the rest of your life being court ordered to introduce yourself to your neighbors and warn them about yourself, do you?
Don't pee in the bushes. Gentleman, we know you that the good Lord has blessed you with equipment that allows you to go wherever you want, but that doesn't mean you should. The concession stand building has perfectly fine working bathrooms with real running water and we have a port-a-pottie for those of you near field B so you don't have to walk far.
Do:
Pour your sports beverages into non-see-through solo cups. We realize you can work up a thirst playing kickball and most of you quench that thirst by drinking a lot of apple juice or interesting new flavors and colors of Gatorade. Just keep it in the solo cups. We don't want to be showing off our favorite adult sports beverage brands to the neighbors.
Pick up your trash. Every season we have some difficulties with this with some new teams and players. Remember that it is a privilege to be allowed to use the PAL Fields. Leave the fields at least as clean as you left them. Keep a box of trash bags in the trunk of your car, just in case.
Be Respectful.
Fields in this town are hard to get and we've been very fortunate to have a great relationship with PAL. Always keep in mind that the field is used by kids everyday after school and during the day over the Summer months.
Pick up bases. If you team plays the late game and loses, make sure to pick up all of the bases, cones and ball and bring them back to the bleacher area. Don't forget the pitcher's strip. Many a strip have fallen victim to an undiscriminating lawn mower blade because someone forgot to pick it up the night before.
Help people remember the rules. We don't need you to be a NARC but this is a community so help your other communities to remember the do's and don'ts so they don't do something stupid that gets the rest of us in trouble.
At the Bar:
Don'ts:
Don't get into fights. This should be pretty self explanatory but if you were at the bar around 11:30 or midnight or so last week you saw a pretty epic battle royale between a couple of dudes(non kickballers thankfully). They were probably arguing about which one's girlfriend makes the dumbest looking duckface on her facebook profile pic but MacDinton's security is pretty professional and doesn't mess around.
Don't drink and drive. This is generally pretty sound advice even if not on a kickball night. Yes, kickballers do get DUIs, don't let it happen to you. Designate a driver, take a cab, stay at a friend's or move within walking distance of MacDinton's.
Do's:
Tip your servers. The staff at MacDinton's does a great job. Thursday nights are pretty hectic and they are running around like crazy behind the bar. Dollar beer night makes for a cheap night of drinking so try to tip based on the service, not just a percentage of your tab. If you are smart you will develop a favorite bartender who will eventually spot you in a crowd and take care of you quickly.
Meet other teams. This may be the best thing you can do overall so don't just limit it to your bar experience. In some sports leagues you meet only the people on your own team. With WAKA Kickball you have an opportunity to meet a ton of people from all different teams. Don't be shy, say hello. If you want to talk trash on the field, that's ok, just follow it up by sharing a beer and some friendly conversation at MacDinton's afterwards.
Well, for the most part week one went off without a hitch. We did have some trash issues though. Remember to pick up all of your trash at the field. Its usually a pretty smart idea to get a cheap box of trash bags and leave them in the trunk of your car for kickball nights. Our biggest trash issue last week was all of the cigarette butts that were left in the grass. If you are going to smoke, please make sure to dispose of your butts responsibly. Remember, the fields are utilized by kids during the day so lets make sure to leave the fields looking at least as good when we leave as they do when we show up. Thanks, everyone!
So tomorrow is Valentines Day. If you are looking for it, WAKA Kickball is a pretty good place to find someone for developing a meaningful relationship or you know... whatever. There are at least a few couples that met through kickball in our Tampa leagues. We have actually been to social events expos where dating services came up to us and loved the dating potential that kickball provided. So if you find someone special this season, congratulations and your welcome.
Of course, if you are looking for something a little bit more short term, we also have this important document.
The Thursday night Bayshore League has started play but we still have a little bit of time before Tuesday night Breaker starts up. We know that there are a lot of you procrastinators out there but we have to place our t-shirt order on Friday of this week, which means you need to be signed up by Thursday.
If you play in Bayshore and you had fun on Thursday, be sure to tell all of your friends and get them to play on Tuesdays. If you are a returning player from Tuesday and you haven't signed up yet...
The Bayshore League is back with 16 teams this Spring and we realize that it is impossible to get to know every team after just one week. Hell its probably impossible to get to know all 16 teams in just one season. So here is our slightly less than accurate run down on each team.
The Old Guard
These teams have been with us for what seams like forever, since before the dawn of time and recorded history (or at least for 2 years or more).
Balls N Dolls - Black
Balls N Dolls is always an entertaining team to have in the league. When they decide to show up they can be pretty dominant but they are also the most likely to forfeit. To many of their players are too busy doing Crossfit or P90X to be bothered with kickball. Without fail, during the playoffs they will have a couple of players show up who have hardly showed all season but look like finely performance enhanced atheletes, and an opponent will ask for a roster check to verify that they are in fact signed up for the team.
Off Constantly - Royal Blue
This was my team for many many seasons. In the time I played for them we never had a winning season. The season after I left they went undefeated. I try not to take that personally. Last Spring they took a season off but came back soon after and are defending Playoff Champions. Their defense is solid and their offense is explosive
Pick Me Up - Irish Green
Some of the players on this team go as far back as the 2nd season in the Bayshore league. Back when they first started playing kickball they had't even invented the Android or iPhone yet and had to run 5 miles in between each base, uphill, in the snow, barefoot. Their experience shows on the field as they play smart.
Camel Toes 5.0 - Pink
The Camel Toes are easy to spot. They are loud and boisterous and usually in some sort of costume. In at least one game this season one person will be in a Gumby costume and no one will be quite sure who it is. If you are lucky enough to be on this team, we hope you have some sort of discount to a costume shop.
The Veterans
These guys have been around long enough to know the drill but not as long as the old guard.
1.21 Kickawatts - Light Blue
You may better know them by their old name, I Need a Refill. Ok so its not exactly the same team as they do have a lot of new people this season, a new name and a new captain but the core of the team is the same. In their previous form they were one of the toughest teams to beat but for some reason could never bring home the playoff championship.
Your Balls My Foot - Red
If history is any indicator, these guys do better when hardly anyone shows up and they just barely escape forfeit. They will try to distract you by leading off the first inning with some of the prettiest girls in kickball and then when you are too busy checking them out, Big Erik will kick the ball over everything.
Ballsagna - Navy
This was a brand new team last year, wearing bright orange t-shirts but this year they decided to change to Navy and hope to improve on their 4-4 record from last season.
The Converts
The players from these teams are mostly new to the Bayshore league but used to play (or in some cases also still play) in the Tuesday night Breaker League.
Gettin Kicky With It - Forest Green
Technically a brand new team but lots of veterans from Tuesday night's 99 Problems and Guttersnipes teams. They have a tough schedule so anything can happen but don't expect an easy victory when facing them. (at least I hope not since I'm on that team).
Where My Pitches At - Purple
They were new to the Breaker League last year and had a rough go at it. They started their kickball careers by losing by a combined 35-0 after 3 games. They made the switch to Thursday nights hoping that the Bayshore teams are a little easier on them.
We've got the Runs - White
Another team that decided that they might have better luck playing on Thursdays. Last season in Breaker they were 3-5 but rode a 2 game win streak into the end of the season.
The Rookies
Since they are new, we don't really know an awful lot about these teams other than their team names. We welcome them all to the league.
Don't Come on My Base - Charcoal
We will let the name speak for itself here.
2 Legit to Kick - Maroon
They are clearly a bunch of hard core MC Hammer fans. We can't wait to see them dance. The music hits them so hard, makes them say "oh My Lord, Thank you for blessing me with a mind to rhyme and two hype feet" (Yes I know that's a different song but, sadly, the lyrics to 2 Legit to Quit are as forgettable as MC Hammer).
Balls Deep - Orange
This is one of the most popular team names around WAKA Nation but we haven't seen a Balls Deep in Tampa in a few years. Ironically enough, the last manifestation of Balls Deep almost never kicked the ball deep and in fact, had difficulty scoring.
I'd Hit It - Ice Gray
Another blast from the past name not related to the old team by the same name in the Breaker League.
Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 News Team - Texas Orange
Love the name. We are slightly curious if the pungent aroma of Sex Panther Cologne can be an effective aphrodisiac at closing time at MacDinton's.
Lil' Moe With the Gimpy Leg - Gold
We are a little unsure of the name but we believe its an extremely obscure Home Alone 2 reference. If that is where they get the team name, we are slightly concerned about this team's obsession with Macaulay Culkin.
After a long hiatus, holidays, pirate fests and the rest, we are back in action and looking forward to our new seasons. If you haven't already done so, remember to like us on facebook.
We will try to keep you as up to date on what is going on in our seasons but to check the latest important dates, schedule and standings be sure to check out the webpages for our Thursday night Bayshore League or our Tuesday night Breaker League.
Field A saw a key game between 99 Problems and Guttersnipes* in the late slot. Guttersnipes were hoping to maintain their status as the only undefeated team in the league but they were definitely in for a battle. 99 got off to an early 1 run lead but the lead soon evaporated behind Guttersnipe* team captain, Seth. He was a 99 slayer going 3 for 3 with 3 runs kicked in. 99 had their backs against the wall in the last inning facing a 2 run deficit but were able to mount a rally to score one run and then loaded the bases with 1 out. Bryan had a well kicked line drive into right field that allowed the tying tun to score and the potential winning run rounding third. The resulting play could only be described as Matrix like. The Guttersnipes threw the ball at Ty who had just started a slide and the ball traveled just inches from his face as he scored the winning run of the game. 99 Problems won this one in stunning fashion 4-3.
Our final game of the night was between Cleats and Cleavage and the Seminoles. While Cleats and Cleavage got out to a great start on the season, they were trying to reclaim some momentum after losing their first game against the Guttersnipes* in week 3. It was a what could have been and what should have been game for the team in green. Post game the sideline was abound with talk about injuries (Gordon had a hurt foot, Jon had a bad oblique and Matty B had a strained hair follicle) and how the offseason labor disputes and lockout shortened season contributed to their injury woes. The play of the game was definitely the home run blast by Salty on the Seminoles. From field B he kicked the ball over the bleachers and into the woods with 1 bounce. The Seminoles were victorious 5-0.
