Wacky names highlight fun feel
of fast-growing new league
The upper field of the John Maccarone Memorial Stadium in Glen Cove is once again alive with the sights and sounds of LI-Kick, Glen Cove’s co-ed adult kickball league.
Glen Cove resident Sal Farruggia, 27, founded LI-Kick this past spring, in partnership with the City of Glen Cove’s Department of Parks and Recreation and its director, Darcy Belyea.
The new league had 130 players on eight teams and proved to be a great success. Farruggia and Belyea planned to expand the league to 190 players and 12 teams for this fall. By Tuesday, Sept. 3, the opening night of season two, 211 players had signed up and 14 full teams had been formed. Players range in age from 21 to 64 years of age and all teams are co-ed.
Several teams from last season have returned for round two. Kevin Christian, 29, of Farmingdale, is a member of the former Saved by the Balls, now re-named Swift Kick in the Grass. Christian’s team was not scheduled to play on opening night, but he came down to watch and to scope out the competition. “I love it,” said Christian. “I really look forward to coming every week and couldn’t wait for this season to start.”
Also waiting for the start of the season, but for a different reason, was Troy Buff, 50, of Garden City Park. Buff heard about the league in the spring and came down to watch a few games. He was hooked and began relentlessly recruiting family members and friends for the fall season. “It was all I could talk about. Everyone said I was nuts,” said Buff, “but here they are.” Buff’s team is named HP & C, short for Heating Pads and Cocktails, both of which he says they might need after this experience.
New to the league this year as well, are several teams organized by local residents. Samantha Famigletti, 24, of Bayville, who started the Spicy Meatballs, thought it would be “a good way to have fun and meet new people.” Mackenzie Keyes, of Glen Cove, summoned up an entire team of her 20-something friends to form The Sleaze Balls.
Also representing Glen Cove were avid softball players Beth Nugent and Beth Losee, members of the newly formed Great Balls of Fire. Nugent had come to watch a friend play last season for Kickin it Old School and thought, “This is a little goofy, but it looks like fun. Let’s play!” She recruited everyone she could think of. The team was a little nervous at first, never having played as a team before, but soon settled in. Although Great Balls of Fire was defeated in their first game by the Sleaze Balls, they still “had a blast,” said Nugent.
After the games, the festivities continued at the Downtown Café in Glen Cove for the first of many social events planned to help league members get to know each other better.
LI-Kick games are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 8:30 p.m. in the upper fields of John Maccarone Memorial Stadium in Glen Cove. Spectators are always welcome. For further information or to register, visit www.LI-Kick.com or call Glen Cove Department of Parks and Recreation at 516-676-3766.
