ONEN Kids Summer Kickball

21/07/2023

07/05/2022

Ready For A Blast?

Kids Summer Kickball (KSK) begins THIS MONDAY, May 9th, at 4:30pm. The usual crew in the usual location (2000 block of Tejon).

29/09/2021

ONE MORE TIME!!

Our proficiency with paperwork and excellent penmanship have yet again found favor with the THE MAN who's deigned to grant us another opportunity to put ourselves and our children in danger of speeding lunatics seeking medical care.

Yes, THAT'S RIGHT - its KICK BALL TIME.

We've been cleared for what will be our final KSK game of a rather eventful 2021 season, this,

MONDAY

OCTOBER 4th

4:30pm

We're starting earlier because the sun is setting earlier and we'd like to get at least one full game in on,

MONDAY

OCTOBER 4th

4:30pm

Same location as last time, the 1900 block of Tejon Street, same set-up with the street closed at both ends, same truculent pitcher, same sensitive, giving score keeper on,

MONDAY

OCTOBER 4th

4:30pm

And just like last time, they'll be ice cream after the game. Hope to see you there.

20/09/2021

Hugely Popular, Wildly Successful

The long awaited return of Kid Street Kickball to Tejon Street finally arrived last Monday (Sept 13).

To no one's surprise, it went off without delay, damage or demagoguery. No phantom cars speeding to the hospital over cones or kids, no broken sprinklers, no damaged property - just like always.

What was unusual was the turnout which included most of the neighborhood and many from well beyond. People pulled up porches, chairs and curbs to enjoy the warm summer evening and watch the fun. It was the largest KSK crowd on record and still well less than 50 (*coughcmdrolszenwskicough*).

Noticeably absent were riot-vested police or singular malcontents barking at kids to stop flinging rubber balls about.

The City's blessing required copious use of cones (just like we used to do), and adults directing kids on the safe way to play in the street (just like we used to do). It also required we close the street which the block party permit authorized from 9am to 9pm. That really wasn't in the spirit of the game so we limited restrictions to the two hours of play and didn't prevent locals from getting to their homes. Amazingly we were able to yell "car" and get everyone to the curbs safely (just like we used to do).

It was fun and there was ice cream.

13/09/2021

kickball, today (Monday, Sept 13th), 5pm on Tejon St.

See you there!

13/09/2021

It isn't clear the CSPD's full-court-tough-guy approach got the reaction it was after. As this video makes clear, it and the rational provided by Cmdr. Olszewski did not go over well with the parents.

The neighborhood has always been pro-police, especially given previous visits ended with officers giving kids toys and letting the game continue. After this…not so much.

It certainly didn't help that in the days following, the CSPD's talking points to the press were laced with complete falsehoods. It almost seemed as if a badge was a license to make up facts to suit behavior.

Several neighborhood kids who saw police quotes in the Gazette's original story were stunned.

Lesson learned.

A neighborhood street kickball game was shut down by Colorado Springs police on Monday night. CSPD ticketed two organizers for violating a city ordinance tha...

13/09/2021

We don't think the game's controversial so much as eight body-armored police threatening child abuse charges for six parents playing with 20 kids on the slowest street in the Old North End.

Call us radicals, but that seems excessive.

A large rubber ball will fly through the air again in the Old North End neighborhood in Colorado Springs on Monday night, as a controversial street kickball game resumes —

04/09/2021

WE'RE BAAAAAAACK!

Board up the house, take in laundry, hide the cat, Kid's Summer Kick Ball is back!

The chaos and destruction of young children kicking a ball in the street as parents look on is returning to North Tejon,

5pm

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 13th

Having pleased the permit God's with our burnt offerings of $375 in permit and barricade fees, we've been granted a block party permit for the 1900 block of North Tejon for,

5pm

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 13th

It may be howitzer to kill a house fly but in the absence of Police or City discretion there's apparently no alternative to a permit that allows us to close the block from 9am to 9pm, host a bad 80's metal band and remove all street parking for a 2 hour game of kickball. As always, we've no desire to inconvenience folks so we're skipping the band, limiting the closure to 5pm - 8pm (ish) and leaving the cars where they are,

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 13th

As always, Joe will be pitching and Ed…well, it isn't clear what he does other than yell but he'll be there, doing what he can.

The sun's setting earlier these days so we'll start at 5pm INSTEAD OF 6pm and go until we lose the ball in the dark on,

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 13th

We're required to use barricades to prevent child abuse but don't let those stop you if you'd like to join in. Best to arrive a bit early for the rigorous warm-up routine of bouncing a ball while talking.

And as always, it's free ice cream Monday for those willing to trek to Tasty Freeze after the game.

Hope to see you there.

30/08/2021

"Wait for it……"

Apparently the wheels of justice did a Brodie in the Municipal Court parking lot today and reset our hearing to September 28, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. That delays our date with The Man but doesn't alter our plans to get KSK back on track before summer ends OR tonight's installment of Free Ice Cream Mondays.

We may not be appearing in court today but we will be manifest at the corner of Tejon and Washington to lead all kids and parents on the not-so-long trek to Tasty Freeze for free ice cream.

And sprinkles.

See you there.

29/08/2021

"It appears to me that you want to skip the arraignment process, go directly to trial, skip that, and get a dismissal."

The wheels of justice are finally turning to the case of the Kickball Villains of ONEN this Monday at 1:30p. We'd like to say it's our big day in court but it isn't, it's simply an arraignment at which we plead guilt or not guilty.

We've had offers of legal help from a few attorneys including one from the neighborhood. Apparently they find CSPD's actions and threats of child abuse charges for kids playin street kickball with parent present as ridiculous as the hundreds of folks responding to our this page.

You're more than welcome to show up at Municipal Court (224E Kiowa) street, 1:15pm. We've no idea which court room we'll be directed to until we arrive as they don't assign them until the day of. We'd enjoy the support although we can't promise much action (this time).

27/08/2021

What's Your Take?

Apparently kids play kickball in the street resonates deep in the hearts of many Americans. It makes sense given it's a right of passage that stretches all the way back to the revolutionary war. We hear there's a direct link between the British magistrate preventing Bostonian kids from playing street kickball and the colonist rebellion. It's unlikely to go anywhere near that far this time given colonist had no vote and today we have a representative republic. If you'd rather not wait until the next election you can tally your vote and speak your mind at the Pikes Peak Courier. Editor Michelle Karas is soliciting opinions on the kickball kerfuffle.

For four years, residents of a Colorado Springs neighborhood enjoyed a weekly summertime pickup game of kickball ... until other neighbors called the police.