Kicking It In Woodbury

Think back to your middle school phy ed classes. Chances are there was kickball involved.

A number of Woodbury residents have been reliving their school-age experiences by taking part in an adult kickball league this summer.

The league is administered by the Southeast Valley Recreators, a six-city collaborative of Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, South St. Paul and West St. Paul.

The summer league is played at the Lamar Fields in Cottage Grove, and 11 of the 13 teams in the league are based out of Woodbury.

Sunday evening marked the regular-season finale for the summer league. The participants' devotion to kickball was evident, as they braved the sweltering heat of late. Players in the final game of the evening even played through a few cloudbursts.

Kickball is a more laid-back alternative to slow-pitch softball, said Doug Peterson, who plays for a team sponsored by of Woodbury.

“We used to play softball and that sort of fell through this summer,” Peterson said. “So, we said 'Let's play kickball.' It's something new that we're not used to doing. It's something I don't think a lot of us have played since middle school."

Peterson said the games have a fun atmosphere and it's nothing too serious.

"I'm a pretty competitive person, but we're out here more to have fun," he said. "Softball tends to be a little more intense.”

While the kickball league seems to be more low-key, both Peterson and teammate Michelle Percy mentioned that the number of muscles pulled and bumps and bruises suffered early in the season was higher than expected.

“We had a lot of pulled quads the first couple weeks,” Percy said.

“Imagine that from kick ball,” Peterson added.

Both also said playing the game brought back memories from their youth.

“I don't remember it being this hard, to be honest,” Peterson said.

Percy said that during her first game she thought she "was just going to kick and trip and miss the ball and strike out.

“But I don't think I've even done that once in the five weeks we've played," Percy said.

The games all have umpires, who at times are questioned or complained about. Won-loss records are kept and a championship tournament is held at the end of the season.

But at its core, the summer kickball league is all about having fun and socializing. Coolers were prevalent at all three fields where games were played Sunday night.

“We drink a little and come out here and have a good time,” Percy said. “It's just a fun way to get together. We always go out afterwards. It's nice to see the friends and have a time planned to come out and have a good time.”

Peterson said the fellow players are also fun to interact with.

“We drink some beer, hang out and play some kickball. We're out here to have fun. It's something fun to do for us," he said.

The Ray-J's-sponsored team has had such a good time, the group is planning to play in a fall league.

“I would love to play in the fall,” Percy said. “I think most of us would.”

The good news for Woodbury residents is that the fall league games are played at the .

For more information on the Southeast Valley Recreators' adult kickball leagues or any other adult athletic leagues offered through the city of Woodbury, call 651-714-3588 or visit www.eteamz.com/woodbury.

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