Kickball knows no age and kickball knows no gender.
Apparently kickball does know how to start a party and create some exciting fellowship though.
On July 10 the first-ever Urban Methodist Youth Camp Co-ed Kickball Tournament drew almost 75 people to Southfield and UMYC leaders have already dubbed it “the annual kickball tournament” and more inviting events are just around the corner.
Teams made up of church members, friends, pastors and other clergy from Detroit churches Conant Avenue UMC, People’s UMC and Second Grace UMC shared lunch together and created wonderful memories geared around the old sandlot game. But it wasn’t just for fun — it was for bragging rights as well.
Led by soccer enthusiasts like UMYC counselor Tito Kromoh and United Methodist Youth Foundation President Charles Boaye, Second Grace took home the title, downing Conant after Conant beat People’s UMC 10-2.
Leon Hayes of People’s UMC, the event’s de facto director, said it was required that each team had at least four males and four females. Second Grace showed up with a roster loaded with physically fit males, so Hayes let the people take judicial action on the matter.
“They could either represent their church and a church could take the trophy home or we could go boy, girl, boy, girl and the winners get the trophy and it could be held at the Urban Council,” Hayes said.
“People voted unanimously, ladies and all, that they wanted to represent their church. They wanted to have a trophy that churches play for every year and it really turned out great.”
People’s UMC pastor Rev. Carter Grimmett said the event set out to prove the UMYC is not simply about two weeks of urban camping at Judson Collins campground in the summer, it is about trying to unite people from all over the Detroit East and West Districts.
