Cheers! It’s KVKL’s 21st Birthday

by | Mar 7, 2023 | From the Board

Registration is open! Submit your roster by April 12.

https://kawvalleykickball.com/league-information/team-registration/

Hi, I’m Lauren and I play for Jazzhaus. I’m the 2023 commissioner of the Kaw Valley Kickball League. I never imagined I’d be at the helm of a 36-team sports league, but I’m honored to help plan another fun summer for us.

There will be some big shoes to fill with Ethan Fincham and Ben Hutnick retiring from the board, but we’re ecstatic to announce the addition of Elizabeth Karr and Shawn Meredith. Let’s keep this crazy thing going!

I became aware of the cultural phenomenon that is Game of the Week while I was a KU student back in the late 00s/early 10s. My friends and I would walk through east Lawrence to Hobbs park to take it all in: the (“hipster athlete”) fashion, the Jell-O, the comedy of rubber ball physics. Incredible. Where do I sign up?

Like others, I sometimes wish the league was still a little more ironic, and a little less serious. But really, there’s room for everyone here, and it’s no surprise that some of you have gotten very damn good at the game. In an attempt to please people on both extremes of the kickball spectrum (competition vs fun), we put a lot of effort last year into how we schedule games. You’ll now have more games against teams that are like yours, but there’s still a chance to meet up against any team in the league. We plan to improve this model even further this year, with a “marquee matchup” in the last week of the regular season, where we can hand pick games that the league wants to see before the playoffs.

In other news, the city has increased field prices after many years of telling us that was coming. We are adjusting league fees accordingly, with the new price to register a returning team being $320. League fees will remain as close to “cost neutral” as possible — this money is intended to cover the price of the field rentals only.

Last, I just want to shout out anyone and everyone who was part of our fundraising efforts last year. We were able to give over $14,000 to charitable causes. We’re currently looking for our 2023 charity, so please reach out if you have a nomination.

Now, here’s the dates! Can’t wait to see you out there.

April 12 Registration closes, payment due for returning teams

April 30 Spring Charity Tournament

May 1 Registration fee due for new teams

May 6 Spring Charity Yard Sale

May 7 Captain’s Meeting and Rules Clinic

May 21 Season starts

May 28 We WILL play Memorial Day weekend

July 2 We WILL play before July 4 holiday

July 30, August 6, August 13 Tentative tournament dates, barring any rainouts