Is kickball the next pickleball? Sport grows in Erie with leagues in city, Millcreek
Could kickball become Erie’s next favorite recreational sport?
Flagship City Sports and Sips thinks it could.
Flagship City Kickball League, which kicked off in Perry Square on June 2, is the newest recreational athletics program under the operation of Erie Downtown Development Corporation. The league invites fun and friendly competition, and as the second of its kind in the area, creates a new way for locals to stay active during the summer.
“We’re hoping it’s energetic and exciting,” said Ryan Hoover, experience director at EDDC. “We encouraged all of our guests to wear costumes, whether they want to be silly or serious.”
Friday marks the second of six regular-season dates at Perry Square. After the success of curling in the winter and cornhole in the fall, Flagship City Sports and Sips sought a summertime installment of its recreational sport programs.
“We had no space for basketball, so we were standing in the park and said, what can we do right here in Perry Square?” Hoover said. “Someone said it was the perfect size for kickball and our eyes opened up. There was no market analysis or data. We just thought, that sounds fun, and we should do it.”
Filling the recreational gap
Recreational sports traditionally popular in Erie — such as softball and horseshoes — have seen declining interest in recent years, while others such as pickleball, a national recreational phenomenon in the last decade, have grown.
Flagship City is the second kickball league in Erie, joining the Millcreek Youth Athletic Association’s adult kickball league, which formed in 2016. Though only fielding four teams in its first year, the Flagship City League produced overwhelmingly positive feedback from its first play date, suggesting future growth.
Pitching indoors: Clinks, clangs ring out at Erie Horseshoe Club's new indoor home in North East
The MYAA league has consisted of seven to 10 teams each year since its inception, said Amanda Williard, who oversees the league as an at-large member of the MYAA’s board of facilitators. Williard started the league as a fundraising arm, drawing influence from a league she played in while living in North Carolina.
The MYAA league raises money for the Henry Fish Sports Complex near Yorktown Plaza at 2445 W. 15th St., which it uses for lacrosse and football programs.
“Everyone involved in the league has a full-time job and families, so we do our best with word-of-mouth, but other than that, we don’t do a lot of promotion,” Williard said. “We had been raising money for those fields trying to put a building up, including a fundraiser golf tournament each year, so thought the kickball would be another good fundraiser.”
Playing for glory and a cause
The MYAA league will play a seven-week regular season on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings beginning June 29 before playoffs on subsequent Thursdays. Flagship City Kickball League playoffs are scheduled for July 21.
“We have a wide range of teams. It’s somewhat competitive but it’s a lot of fun,” Williard said. “It is a nice night to go out, have fun and be a little social while also giving back to the community.”
In the news: He was diagnosed with cancer in April. Now, this Prep wrestler fights alongside his community
The Flagship City League, which tasked Q-Sports League, LLC with league management and scheduling, expects a similar atmosphere. It hopes to add a fourth recreational program in the spring.
“With curling, we got a range of folks who took the sport very seriously to those who just tried to show up and have some fun,” Hoover said. “I think we’re going to see the same for kickball — teams who take it very, very seriously and some who are trying to get out there and have a good time.”
Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter@realjuveino.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Kickball grows in Erie, PA area with Flagship City, MYAA leagues
