Is Kickball a sport? This is the question that has everyone from high school coaches to city officials wondering what to do about this activity and how to label it. One can very easily dismiss it as not being a sport because it is a non traditional activity. One can also dismiss it because it is a game that is played, or was played in an non-organizational type of way. But rather than focus on why it is not a sport, I intend to focus on the similarities that Kickball has with other "sports" and point out why it is a sport. Here are some undeniable facts about Kickball. And in the interest of simplicity, I will also list the commonalities that Kickball has with other sports.
Now granted, this is an incredibly abbreviated list, but if I list more "sports" and their similarities, my table would probably not fit on this page. So where to begin? How is Kickball so similar with other "sports" yet can be easily dismissed as not being one by so many professionals in the sports profession? Maybe a lack of vision? Maybe a reluctance to accept change, after all, accepting change is one of the most fundamental reasons why so many people become confrontational in the first place, their inability to accept new things. We need to stick to the facts and avoid the whole issue of arguing without facts, then and only then do I believe that we will be able to advance Kickball. 1. Financial responsibility - Kickball has a tournament every year around the state of Texas that involves leagues from as far north as Fort Worth all the way south to the Rio Grande. This tournament brings in a significant amount of revenue to the local economy of the host city. For example, Brownsville Riverside just hosted the tournament this year, and by some very basic calculations, the tournament brought in about $250,000 into the local economy. I will not go into the details, but when you factor in hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and local supermarkets all benefitting from these teams shopping there, the numbers speak for themselves. 2. Officiating - Kickball has the required refs and umpires that most of the other sports have, it is not some game that is played for the sake of being played. Kickball has a very strict enforcement of the rules from their "Official Rulebook" just like any other sport. Umpires in Kickball Leagues have to be certified by attending training sessions and pass certification exams in order to be on the field during official games. 3. The Rule Book - It is written and published just like any other rule book for any other sport. There is no mystery about the rules of the game, they are in black and white for everyone to see and follow. 4. Organizational system - The teams are broken down just like any other sport and league. There are age divisions, and then player selections based on tryouts. Teams are then assigned a coach and an assistant coach. There has been some speculation about the qualification of the coaches in Kickball, on whether or not they are qualified to coach. I have heard this argument mainly from High School Coaches who believe that because Kickball coaches do not have a coaching certification they are unqualified. My answer to that is very simple, Little League coaches. Most Little League Coaches are the parents of young players on their teams. While some have Coaching certifications, in my experience, most do not. Why not raise a fuss about them as well? What about soccer coaches and so many other coaches out there that do not have certifications yet do a phenomenal job in those positions with little or no pay? 5. The Fields - Kickball has to be played on fields that must meet certain specifications. Just like baseball, football, soccer, softball and any other sport. Before games and tournaments, these fields are measured and tried for accuracy. If they do not meet the required measurements, they are modified to meet them or are not played on. It is that simple. There are no exceptions to this rule during official games and tournaments. 6. Bases - Scoring, how does a team win in Kickball? Just baseball and softball, players advance to each base until they reach home and score a run. The team with the most runs, wins the game after a certain amount of innings played, just like baseball and softball. 7. Kicking and throwing - The lack of physical activity in Kickball is often called into question because of the nature of the game. You pitch a ball roughly the size of a basketball to another player waiting to kick it. Sounds easy enough, but like baseball and softball, pitchers don't just throw the ball softly and easy enough for anyone to hit it, or kick it. These pitchers have skill and power that can cause the kicker to miss badly and strike out. Yes, there are strikeouts in kickball! Sounds unlikely, the sheer size of the ball almost guarantees you'll hit it if you just get in front of it, but believe it or not, pitchers, just like in softball or baseball, can determine the outcome of a game. The players on defense have to now move and position themselves to make sure that no runs are scored. All of this is both mentally and physically demanding on all the players. 8. Outdoors - Kickball is played outdoors. It is played in the rain, the sun, and just about any other condition you can think of mother nature can throw at you during spring and summer. There can be rain outs, postponements and cancellations. But just like baseball, softball, and soccer, as soon as the fields are ready, we play ball. 9. Day and night - There are no time constraints, games start as early as 8:00 am and can continue as late as 10:00 pm. Lights on the fields enable leagues to hold games all day and night long as long as the league has all the resources necessary. During tournaments, it is not uncommon for a team to play during the early morning hours and then again late into the night. 10. Uniforms and ages - Kickball has strict rules about uniforms, everyone on the same team must have the same one! It is that simple. Other sports have rules about what players can wear and what they cannot. Kickball follows the same pattern on this topic. Teams have lost games because of this. Forfeiture of games is strictly enforced and very carefully monitored by teams and officials alike. And finally the age divisions, all the athletes are playing with their peers. The divisions are set up to make sure that not one athlete is playing with others that are to old or to young. The rules are set up to monitor and prevent any unfair advantage or disadvantage for players and their teams. So there you have it, these are simple yet very powerful facts about the comparisons with Kickball and some other sports. If we can just get past some personal biases and look at the facts so we can start to give Kickball a chance. Besides, as adults we are constantly advising the younger generation to: develop teamwork, develop social skills, go outside, stay out of trouble, get into shape, be a part of the community, be responsible and accountable to your team. These and many other positive attributes are what organized sports bring out with competition. Does Kickball not do all these things and many more? If it does, then why is it not a sport like all the others? Well, maybe, just maybe this helps in answering that now infamous question, Is Kickball a Sport? - Marco C. Lopez Please email your questions, comments or concerns to: ML7607@gmail.com |
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Is Kickball a sport? |