Post AP Kickball Lifts School Spirit
A kickball game won by Mrs. Park’s fourth period classes, photo credit: Aekagra Sondhi.
Every May, as soon as AP testing is over, AP students and teachers join outside to play in a kickball tournament. This year’s three week tournament has different AP class matchups every day, from which friendly rivalries form. Teachers can opt into this unique CCHS tradition, choosing to participate as a class during the last few weeks of school. And as more students look forward to these fun and competitive games, kickball has become an increasingly important part of school culture.
Kickball is a relatively simple game. It shares the majority of its rules with baseball, and its simplicity makes it accessible and fun for many students. No student has to be incredible at kicking or playing in the outfield to have fun. Most importantly, it encourages students to work together and encourage one another.
Ms. Grasso, a Heath and AP Environmental Science teacher, brought the idea of the tournament to Culver City High School. After returning to in-person school after Covid, Ms. Grasso noticed that students seemed especially sad, in a way she hadn’t ever seen in her twenty two years teaching. Wanting to figure out something fun for students, Ms. Grasso introduced the idea of a kickball tournament. Kickball seemed like the right choice to her, as anyone could play and have fun with it. In the competition’s first year, only six teachers joined. By this year, all but one AP class participated.
In addition to fostering friendly rivalries and competition between AP classes, kickball also leads people out of their comfort zone and encourages camaraderie between teammates. Ms. Grasso says that, “what typically happens is people who are resistant [to play] end up laughing and smiling…[and] I hardly ever have to say, ‘Put your phone away.’” This genuine excitement to participate in games gets students having fun outside, away from technology and drama. It also promotes classmates supporting each other, as teams bond over the activity.
Sophomores Amani Mehta and Rae Low also see this activity as a nice way to end the year. Mehta says that “[kickball] is something that everyone can look forward to.”. And while both enjoy the tournament, they have ideas on how to improve the game for following years. One thing they would like to see implemented is a more structured bracket. With a more structured bracket, matchups would be more competitive, but would also generate more excitement from each team. Low also thinks that teachers should organize activities that aren't kickball. She says that “because some kids aren't very sports motivated, I think it’d be cool if we had some things like art on the blacktop.” This diversifying of the options available to students would increase the inclusiveness of post-AP activities. However, beyond these new ideas, both Rae and Amani consider the current tournament a positive part of school tradition
Both students and teachers view this tradition as a positive example of school culture, and are in full support of the continuation of this tournament. Especially because of the rigor and pace of AP classes, the year up until May can be extremely challenging and stressful for many students. Many experience lots of academic pressure, but after the weight of the tests lift, the classes can finally slow down. Kickball and the tournament are an effective and fun way to relieve academic tension and promote social and emotional wellness. Students can play together outside, laugh, and relax after a difficult and stressful stretch. Most importantly, this competition furthers inclusivity and teamwork.