Kickball
American playground + adult league team sport combining SOCCER + BASEBALL. 9-11 players per team; batter KICKS PITCHED BALL + runs bases (like baseball). Invented USA 1917. Ubiquitous US elementary school PE + growing adult recreation leagues. Governing body: WAKA + Kickball 365. Simple, accessible, social.
What is Kickball?
Kickball is AMERICAN PLAYGROUND + ADULT LEAGUE TEAM SPORT combining elements of SOCCER + BASEBALL. Invented USA 1917 (Ohio) as SCHOOL PE ADAPTATION for teaching baseball fundamentals without complex bat/pitch skills. Ubiquitous US ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PE. GAMEPLAY: Uses BASEBALL DIAMOND (regulation kickball diamond has bases 18m apart — smaller than baseball's 27.4m). Team at 'BAT' (KICK); other team fielding. Pitcher ROLLS large red rubber KICKBALL (~25cm diameter) toward home plate. Batter KICKS the ball then RUNS bases (1st → 2nd → 3rd → home) scoring RUN on full circuit. Fielders catch/throw player out. 9-11 players per team; typically 9 innings in adult play, fewer in school. Fielding + out rules match baseball. RULES SIMPLIFIED — no complex pitching, hitting mechanics — hence accessible to all skill levels. MASSIVE US ADULT KICKBALL SCENE — WAKA (World Adult Kickball Association) founded 1998; hundreds of city leagues; often SOCIAL RECREATION with bar sponsorship. Also popular US SUMMER CAMPS + CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING. Kickball 365 (KB365) + Major League Kickball (MLK) also organize adult leagues. In Canada, called SOCCER BASEBALL. Considered ULTIMATE ACCESSIBLE TEAM SPORT — nearly anyone can play immediately.
Quick facts
Category
Playground Games
Type
Team sport
Players
8–11
Duration
~45 min
Where played
outdoor
Field / court
baseball-style diamond
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1917 Ohio, USA (Nicholas C. Seuss, school PE); WAKA founded 1998; Major League Kickball 2010s
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score more runs than opponent by kicking ball + running around bases.
Rules
Basic rules
Pitcher ROLLS ball toward home plate
Ball must roll (not bounce) into strike zone.
Batter KICKS ball with foot
No bat; foot-only contact.
Run bases (1st → 2nd → 3rd → home)
Score RUN on full circuit; like baseball.
Fielders catch or throw player out
Out rules match baseball.
3 outs = inning over; teams switch offense/defense
Baseball structure.
First-degree kickers OUT if hit with ball on run (thrown at)
Optional 'pegging' rule in some leagues (controversial safety issue).
Some adult leagues ban pegging for safety
Rule variations.
Scoring
1 run per player completing bases circuit. Team with more runs wins.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Full circuit around all 4 bases (RUN) | 1 run |
| Home run (ball kicked over outfield fence) | 1 run per runner on base |
| Team win | Season standings |
Win condition · More runs than opponent after regulation innings.
Playing area
Called
baseball-style diamond
Dimensions
bases 18m apart (smaller than baseball)
4-base diamond similar to baseball but smaller; large red rubber kickball.
Equipment
Kickball (large red rubber ball ~25cm diameter)
€10-25
4 bases + home plate
Facility-provided
No bat needed (players kick with feet)
Accessibility advantage
Strategies
Aim kicks — soft into gaps vs power kicks
Placement more valuable than pure power.
Team hitting order — put contact kickers early
Baseball-style lineup strategy.
Fielding positioning — infield vs outfield decisions
Match opponents' kicking tendencies.
Coed rules variation — teams often gender-balanced
Adjust strategy accordingly.
Terminology
- Kickball
- Sport name; large red rubber ball.
- WAKA
- World Adult Kickball Association — largest US adult league organizer.
- Pegging
- Hitting runner with ball to record out (banned in many adult leagues).
- Home base / plate
- Starting/scoring base.
- Kicker
- Player at bat position kicking the pitched ball.
Major competitions
WAKA National Championship
annual · USA · since 1998
MLK Kickball Championship
annual · USA · since 2015
Various city adult leagues (hundreds of US cities)
seasonal · USA · since 2000
Where it is played
Governing bodies
World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA)
Founded 1998 · Reston, Virginia, USA
Official site ↗Kickball 365 (KB365)
Founded 2015 · USA
Major League Kickball (MLK)
Founded 2015 · USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Kickball is recreational; no famous 'professional' players
- Some Major League Kickball features amateur stars
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Elementary school PE (US)
Most Americans learn kickball as children.
- 2
Join adult city league (WAKA or KB365)
Hundreds of US city leagues.
intermediate
- 1
Join competitive amateur league
Playoffs + championship.
advanced
- 1
Major League Kickball or WAKA National Championship
Highest-level competition.
Frequently asked
What is Kickball?+
AMERICAN PLAYGROUND + ADULT LEAGUE TEAM SPORT combining SOCCER + BASEBALL. Invented USA 1917 (Ohio) as SCHOOL PE adaptation. Uses baseball-style diamond (bases 18m apart, smaller than baseball); 9-11 players per team. Pitcher ROLLS large red rubber ball; batter KICKS + runs bases. Score RUN on full circuit. Rules simplified — no bat, no pitching mechanics — hence ULTIMATE ACCESSIBLE team sport. Ubiquitous US elementary schools + massive ADULT LEAGUE scene (WAKA, MLK, KB365).
How is Kickball different from Baseball?+
KICKBALL uses FOOT contact with LARGE RUBBER BALL; BASEBALL uses BAT + hard baseball. KICKBALL smaller diamond (18m bases); BASEBALL 27.4m. KICKBALL pitcher ROLLS ball; BASEBALL pitcher THROWS. KICKBALL simpler rules — no strike/ball complex mechanics; BASEBALL complex. Kickball 7-9 innings; Baseball 9. KICKBALL RECREATIONAL/PLAYGROUND; BASEBALL PROFESSIONAL. Both use same base-running + fielding rules — Kickball simplifies pitching + hitting mechanics.
Is Kickball a serious adult sport?+
YES — massive adult recreation industry in USA. WAKA (World Adult Kickball Association, founded 1998) has HUNDREDS of city leagues + hundreds of thousands of adult participants annually. Major League Kickball (MLK) organizes competitive leagues. Adult kickball often SOCIAL — team practices at bar, tournaments as social events. NOT a professional sport (no salaried pro players); NO Olympic recognition. But adult leagues thrive as low-barrier team sport for post-college adults. Popular with young professionals in US cities.
Sources & provenance
- WAKA — World Adult Kickball Association— WAKA
- Wikipedia — Kickball— Wikipedia