This is NOT your little brother's kickball...

I was asked as a favor to shoot the 2010 Southwest Florida Regional Kickball Tournament. I accepted the challenge, not because I have never had the pleasure of photographing kickball, but because I haven't seen a kickball since the 6th grade! What really drew me in was that this was kickball for adults.

I had flashbacks to 6th grade, remembering my "special spin" I would put on the ball. I remember kicking with all of my heart, only to fall flat on my butt and never even touching the ball. I remember silently praying to not be the last pick and grinning from ear to ear when I wasn't. I was nervous. I was picturing the people on past teams, now grown up, pointing and laughing at me...still!

I thought about what kind of insane person would want to "go back" and play kickball? Obviously all the athletic guys and tomboys that made it look so easy. People that couldn't possible make it in real life that they felt they needed to succeed somewhere and kickball was it. Now I wasn't really sure what to expect.

When I arrived, I was relieved to see normal, healthy, okay somewhat normal people having a blast! Now, don't think they weren't competitive, because they were VERY serious about their kickball. They had rules and matching shirts and trophies...oh my!

At the end of the day, I found some of the nicest people I've met in Sarasota, who really can play some kickball and have a blast doing it. It was a great time, so great that I was rethinking my childhood failures at kickball and thought I might give it a go. There's always next year ;)