Adults play just for kicks

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Luke Lareau prepares to make contact with the ball during the TurtleSlo sports league open kickball practice at The Dome in Crown Point on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Updated: November 16, 2011 8:51AM

Local participants of a start-up kickball league have many reasons for playing the schoolyard game, yet all they need to focus on are a few distinct rules and just one red (or sometimes yellow) rubber ball.

Part of the TurtleSlo Sports League, between five to a dozen players have been showing up to The Dome in Crown Point during recent Sunday evenings to be a part of open kickball. It’s an hour and a half of sports without pretense.

“This is something unique to do,” said Julie Novotny, 33 standing near the baseball diamond under the expansive air-supported Teflon roof. “As long as I can (make contact) with the kickball.”

Novotny joked around with her teammates about her need to focus on aiming her kicks.

One of the best things about the kickball experience, according to players like Joe Justak, 24, is how quickly newbies get acclimated to the rules of the game: if they know baseball pretty well, they posses 90 percent of the knowledge they need.

The World Adult Kickball Association maintains a plethora of information including game rules, tournament links and blogs at kickball.com. Complete with a verbose disclaimer, the “preeminent governing body,” states that kickball is a “simple game,” where the object is to drive home more runs than the opposition.

According to WAKA, there are 11 fielders, five innings, two base coaches, one base on an overthrow, and no head shots. For the Northwest Indiana players, however, rule No. 1 may be more of a positive right.

“I’m here to have fun,” Novotny said.

Even the most talkative pro baseball managers might become temporarily speechless at the fact that the “kids” say they are genuinely having fun.

“(Coordinating) this is my part-time job,” said TurtleSlo president Dave Reed, who retired in 2005 after 30 years working in the local steel industry. “It’s OK for me that I don’t get paid for this.”

Reed is the front office for his organization’s other offerings such as the flag football league that meets at The Dome, and the men’s open basketball league that holds court at Fuel Fitness Centers in Crown Point.

Early in their nascent season, TurtleSlo players have had to play some three-on-three games. Imagining eventually attracting many more players to form a kickball league, playerstalked about the benefits of making new friends through sports.

Eighteen-year-old Luke Lareau was home schooled and participated in the Dyer Kickers soccer program, as well as baseball. The tall kickball player and current Purdue Calumet student launched some of the longest kicks during their practice.

“We always did stuff outside of my house, in a neighborhood park, but this is the first time I actually have a place to do something like this,” Lareau explained.

John Benson said real kickball was more exciting than any virtual or sedentary types of sports entertainment.

“With (kickball) you get to run,” said Benson, 24, with his St. John neighbor Kevin Besa, 18, looking on. “On the Wii, you just hit the ball and stand there. ‘Oh, I got a double.’”

Reed doesn’t believe his leagues have to become a success overnight: just giving adults more a few more options to staying active is an improvement over his experience after he was a teen.

“I wish I was 18 again, but in the 70s there were not as many activities (for adults),” Reed said.

For more information about TurtleSlo adult recreational sports leagues visit turtleslosportsleagues.com. For information about booking The Dome, call 663-3663