The Wake County softball players are used to running the bases and fielding fly balls but on Saturday afternoon, May 17, the team went to play without their bats and without their gloves. The team had signed up to play in the Cary Kickball Classic sponsored by Mac’s Tavern in Cary. In total, eight teams, most representing Cary businesses, played in the tournament fundraiser to benefit Special Olympics North Carolina.

The Wake County athletes wore Hurricanes team jerseys but were a mix of members from three Special Olympics Wake County softball teams that will all compete in the 2008 SONC Summer Games. Most of the players in the tournament including the Special Olympics athletes had not played kickball since grade school but everyone was excited to give it a try.

The Classic started off on a high note when Special Olympics athlete Keith Esbenshade got the honor of the first kick and sent the red ball soaring over the head of pitcher Craig Pippert, the Classic’s competition director.

It took some members of the Hurricanes a couple of innings to get used to kicking the ball rather than swinging at it. Coach Brian Philpot, Special Olympics Wake County local coordinator, urged his team to keep their eye on the ball just like they do in softball.

“At first I heard complaints that softball is much easier,” said Philpot. “Eventually everybody got into the groove and was making contact with the ball. They all just had a blast! Some of my team even asked when kickball would become an official SONC sport.”

The Hurricanes finished the double-elimination tournament with a 1-2 record but were by far the hit of the day. The other teams enjoyed interacting with the Special Olympics athletes and cheering them on too. The Mac’s Dynamics team was the tournament winner with a 3-0 record. They were especially proud to show off their trophies which were red Special Olympics kickballs autographed by all of the Special Olympics athletes!

“The best part of the Classic was that everyone wants to make this an annual event,” said Sheila Ryan, SONC and Mac’s Tavern staff member. “If I heard it once I heard it 30 times and that makes the whole day worthwhile.”

The Cary Kickball Classic raised $2,500 for Special Olympics North Carolina and recruited several new volunteers for the SONC Summer Games as well.

View more photos of the Cary Kickball Classic in the photo gallery!

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