For the past month or so, I've been trying to get onto a kickball team. About a year ago to the week, my cousin and I were in Central Park and we saw a kickball game in progress. It looked like fun. He suggested I try to get in a league but I couldn't find anything open. That was last year.
It wasn't until last month that I remembered to try to get into a kickball team. At first, it was a replay of last year: everything was booked. I did get myself on a free agent player waiting list. I decided to wait to see what developed. I waited. Waited. And waited some more.
By sheer chance, I was checking my email when someone (the lovely Liz as it turned out) sent a message to the free agent pool looking for players. I rattled off a reply as fast as I could get one off. She responded quickly. I was in. That was yesterday. Today I met the team: Team Peavy.
We met at Radegast Hall in Billyburg. The team was in its bye-week but decided to get together for some bonding time, particularly in light of gaining quite a few new team-members. It was a smart play. Some intros, bratwurst, and assorted beverages later, we headed to American Apparel to look for team uni colors. Right now we're undecided. Judging from the color combos being bandied about, we'll be colorful, to say the least.
After that, we headed out to McCarren Park. There are a lot of kickball teams out there: playing, waiting, hanging out. My first thought was: I need practice, STAT. (We're talking about practice.) We spent the rest of the evening meeting a couple of folks from the team, The People's Court, eating a couple of street tacos, and nursing a few discreet alcoholic beverages in Styrofoam cups (water for me).
Coming home, I'm ready to play. I am ready to play. Well, I'm ready to go out there and kick some balls in the park. I think I can say that much. But I am intimidated. There are teams out there, teams of people in tank tops with their names (or at least a name) and numbers on the back. These are top players. Top. Players.
Thursday is practice. I need practice. I am ready for that. Well, I think I'm ready. I'll say I'm ready. I can say that. I think.
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