Fun and games

LAKEWOOD RANCH — After Chris McComas graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2009, he was ready for a new challenge. Having played golf and baseball for the Volunteers, he began looking for ways to fuel his competitive spirit.

McComas joined an intramural city sports league in Knoxville, Tenn., where he played flag football, softball and basketball. 

His good friend, Rich Monhollon, approached him about playing kickball, because he needed a substitute for his league.

McComas hesitantly agreed. After all, wasn’t kickball an elementary school sport?

But after spending the next couple hours belly laughing while chasing around a red ball, McComas was hooked.

“The people made it so much fun,” he says. “It was my kind of organization, and from then on, I just kept playing.”

Now, McComas and his wife, Jessi, hope to get others hooked on social sports with  MVP Sports and Social, a co-ed adult sports league they created to give local residents an opportunity to get exercise in a fun and social environment.

After moving to Lakewood Ranch in June, the couple noticed the abundance of families and young professionals in the area, and they saw an opportunity to combine their passions for sports and socializing.

“A lot of  leagues are either for kids or highly competitive,” says Chris McComas. “We’re trying to bridge that gap. This is for those adults who like to be social but are maybe sick of going to festivals. This is a chance for them to mingle and go back to being themselves, but not in a highly competitive way.”

The league, which kicks off Oct. 12, will offer kickball, soccer and softball, and the couple plans to eventually expand the league to offer everything from bowling to dodge ball.

“It’s the ultimate equalizer,” Jessi McComas says of kickball. “It’s just competitive enough.”

“It’s a fun, adult good time,” Chris McComas says. “It’s an opportunity meet new people and get some exercise. Even if kickball is not your thing, it’s a lot of fun. You will enjoy it.”

The McComases have also been working with local restaurants, such as Erbelli’s, to help sponsor the league by offering food and drink specials to players on game nights.

The couple also plans to begin organizing social events for members, such as dinners or a trip to a Tampa Bay Rays or Tampa Bay Buccaneers game, among others, and offering giveaways.

“It’s really endless,” Chris McComas says. “We’re trying to build a network through social sports.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].

SIDEBAR

Kickoff time

MVP Sports and Social will hold a kickball kickoff party Oct. 5. The regular season is scheduled to begin Oct. 12. Registration for kickball, as well as the other sports, is now available on the league’s website at mvpsportsandsocial.com. Fall kickball registration will be available through Oct. 11.

Kickball will be played year-round, with soccer and softball scheduled to start in January. 

Cost is $55 per player and includes a team shirt. Players can sign up as free agents, with a group of friends or as an entire team.

Kickball teams will play a seven-game regular season with the top teams advancing to the playoffs. Games will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays, at the Heritage Harbor soccer fields. Each game will last an hour.