Russian Kickball

How To Play Russian Kickball

A fun twist on traditional kickball: Divide youth into two co-ed teams. Youth leader is "all-time pitcher." Played just like regular kickball except, only 1st and second bases (and home plate). Bases are place roughly where they would be in normal game (so run from 2nd to home is twice as long as from 1st to second. Bases should be taped out squares about 1'x1'.

There are no foul kicks. Anything kicked is in play, which means kicker can kick the ball anywhere, even behind themselves. Fielders may place themselves anywhere in the room to field the ball when kicked. Outs are achieved if someone kicks the ball and it is caught (even off walls or ceiling), ball is fielded and thrown to first before runner reaches base (same for second if someone is running from 1st to second), runner is tagged, or hit, with ball, and, finally, if a base runner passes another base runner who has kicked before them (this is where it gets really crazy!).

As a team "bats" and gets people on base, runners do not have to advance automatically. In other words, you can load each of the bases with as many people as you want. The catch is that if some or all do advance to the next base, they must run in order of the batting order. If a runner passes another runner, or advances out of order, they are out.

Also, to help keep the game quick, line the kicking team up along the wall, and let them know that as soon as the person in front of them kicks they are up to "bat." The pitcher may pitch as soon as soon as he gets the ball back, whether or not the next kicker is ready. A ball that is rolled by the pitcher and is either not kicked or is miffed (i.e. kicker fails to kick the ball in any sort of fashion - a tapped ball counts as a kick) counts as a strike. Three strikes on a kicker counts as an out. Three outs in an inning.

We try to keep the batting order the same, and try to make it every other person who kicks of the opposite gender, just to even things out a little. You can play as many innings as you wish, though nine works just fine for about a 45min-1hour game, though the amount of fielders and size of playing area does make a difference.

One other important note - there are no home runs! So no matter how hard they kick it, its still played.

Added by
Joel
on 19 January 2008