A Recap of the 2011 Ad2Orlando Kickball Tournament
Yes, this tournament really happened. Working advertising professionals really did dress in ramshackle holiday costumes. They kicked giant red balls with genuine effort. They made grunting faces. And they fell down, a lot.
But don’t worry. Very few people – other than the players – saw the Fourth Annual Ad 2 Orlando Kickball Tournament take place on Sunday, November 6 at Red Bug Lake Park.
Those who were on hand for this athletic showcase saw a fierce mini-tournament of hot kickball action, consisting of five teams designated by color and holiday costumes:
–Â Â Â Â Â Â Red, individuals as Fourth of July
–Â Â Â Â Â Â Light Blue, Ypartnership as Columbus Day
–Â Â Â Â Â Â Yellow, Interns and Students as Mardi Gras
–      Green, Push as St. Patrick’s Day
–Â Â Â Â Â Â Orange, individuals as Thanksgiving
Subs, wraps, chips, water and sports drinks were supplied by Ad 2 Orlando and its sponsors, much to the delight of participants. And at around noon the action began on a balmy early-November day in Central Florida.
Actual gameplay consisted of a whole lot of what’s called “bunting.” It’s the least manly way possible to safely get on base. You just kind of sashay your leg out and barely tap the ball, then run to first screaming like a baby, hoping you don’t get pegged in the back. The only dignified method of reaching base is to boot the ball low and hard (that’s what she said) through a gap in the infield. Hence, your headline. As it turns out, some teams were better than others at this bunting and line drive business, and eventually a championship game arose from the clutter.
Left standing for the title match were the Red Fourth of July Team and the Green Push Team. It was an intense bout. Fourth of July scored once in the top of the first inning, while Push managed to sneak two across in the bottom half of the same inning. That was it for scoring. The last five innings resulted in a competitive, defensive battle with Push coming out the victor, 2-1.
There you have it. Push won the tournament, but in reality Ad 2 Orlando and all of its members won a little something that day. Players won a chance to act like children, dudes won a chance to collide full speed with chicks at first base, and old rivals got another opportunity to laser-tag each other with red rubber. It was a victory for all. Yet a humbling one. And it’s something, everyone would happily do again.
Art Hardie
Copywriter, YPARTNERSHIP