While I can't say this winter was especially brutal, cold, snowy, or long (Global Warming, anyone?), I can say that his certainly felt like forever since our bright yellow balls were getting kicked...

Let me rephrase... Four months without any NYCSSC Kickball just seems like much too long!

Thankfully, though, the temps are on the rise, the blacktop is clear, and the balls are ripe for the kickin'.  And with the addition of our Saturday afternoon league, teams are able to get out there and enjoy the sunny summer afternoons... not to mention get an early start at the bar.

Check out some of our teams enjoying their very first day on the black top.

That Pitch Cray (Black) was prepared for the sun.  This team that hails from the South knows how to look cool with some 80s style shades:

Kicking and Screaming (Orange) was able to rack up some runs in their very first game, and celebrated at home plate with some high fives:

New Kicks On the Block (Sapphire) brought their very own cheering (and sometimes heckling) section.  Check out these fans getting a little too into the game...

...so much so that our ref, Justin, couldn't believe his eyes

But, it's ok, in the end, all is right in the world.  Kickball is back!

Looks like we should start selling tickets to our games!  Check out the cheering section for Tuesday's Indoor Soccer Championship match:

What do a Ninja Turtle, a Moustached Gentleman, and a Tiger have in common (That's not the start of a joke, that's a serious question)?  Well, the answer is: they all play indoor soccer!

From the looks of these pictures, you'd think that Tuesday Soccer team Pommes Frites (Orange) was participating in our Halloween Costume Contest.  But, you'd be wrong.  Considering that, well, it's March.

No, rather, this team just loves having fun and spreading laughs; something that helped them secure the prestigious title of Bar Champs too!  A big congrats to Pommes Frites!  Keep those laughs coming!

It turned out to be a good season our two Monday Football teams named after NFL Players, Tebowed! (Gold) and You Got Gronk'd (Military).  Tebowed! came away with second place in our Yeti league while You Got Gronk'd secured the Sasquatch gold.  Both teams played wonderfully in our Monday Playoffs, but their names - both of which reference famous TD celebrations from this past NFL season - reminded us of some of our favorite football displays.

Here are our top three...

3.  Prime Time - Deion Sanders

Let's just ignore the fact that this happened.  Neon Deion was a true showman and we love anyone who knows how to bust a move like he did.

2.  Multiple Entries - Chad Ochocino

It's hard to pick just which one of Ochocinco's ridiculous antics would be his best.  Before he was looking confused with the New England Patriots, he was riverdancing, playing golf with pylons, and pleading with the NFL not to get fined...

1.  The Lambeau Leap - LeRoy Butler (and followed by many)

It's hard to come up with a celebration more iconic than the Lambeau Leap.  Replicated by many in the nearly 20 years since it was first done by LeRoy Butler after a fumble recovery, it's the one celebration that the NFL doesn't seem to mind.  Maybe it's because it demonstrates some deep connection between athlete and fan; a single act that says "I trust you, I need you, I rely on you."  ...Or maybe it's just way too much fun:

Tuesday's Indoor Soccer championship game was one for the books! Just one week prior, Socc Puppets (Daisy) and Real Ale Madrid (Black) faced each other in the final game of the regular season.  Real Ale came away with a 4-3 victory and, once the seeding was established, it became clear that the championship game would be a rematch.  Both teams entered the finals with gold on their minds.  But only one would emerge victorious.

After being down 0-2, Socc Puppets were able to stage a comeback and tie the game in the second half, sending it to overtime.  When a perfect assist rolled right in front of the goal, all the Puppets needed to do was chip it in, and their victory was sealed.

So how does one celebrate a perfectly executed overtime goal in a championship game?  Observe:

Step 1:  Put arms up

Step 2:  Jump up and down

Step 3:  Hug it out

Step 4:  Pose for picture with medals and bar tab

Congratulations to all our Indoor Soccer teams on a great season!  Hope to see you all in the Spring!

I can hardly believe it.  As we all know, this past winter was long, snowy, and cold.  I know I thought it would never end.  Do you guys remember when we got that huge blizzard back in January?  I thought the whole city would shut down!

...Oh wait.  I forgot.  Winter didn't exist this year.

While skiiers and 'boarders are probably bummed that the Groundhog turned out to be oh-so-wrong, our social athletes couldn't be happier.

In fact, in the last day of our Winter 2012 Season this Monday, our footballers were spotted ditching their under armor and playing in shorts and short sleeves.  And - could it be? - It is! - SUNLIGHT!  Maybe it was the beautiful weather and clear skies that helped these Tebowed! (Gold) players make such a huge play...

Now I'm sure that all this Spring weather will inevitably lead to a late April snow storm, but for now it sure is nice to see people itching to get out and play.  Let the countdown to Spring season begin!

As if having balls thrown at your torso at breakneck speeds wasn't scary enough, our Wednesday Dodgeball teams added a level of scary with some creative fashion choices at playoff night.  Take, for example, this Monsters Inc (Lime) dodgeballer, who decided to live up to his team's name and channel his inner Monster...

And, no, you're not seeing things.  This is actually a Centaur playing Dodgeball; Even though I'm pretty sure it's usually the other way around; you know, head of a man, body of a horse instead of this...

So thanks for the nightmares, Incrediballs (Daisy).  For some reason this horse head thing is especially terrifying.  Maybe beause it reminds of that scene in The Godfather...

In any case, well done to both teams who struck so much fear in the hearts of their opponents that they were able to get Second Place and Bar Champs (respectively).  Congrats!

Everyone knows it's great to win.  Being the best at something is quite a feat.  And don't get me wrong, the combination of a bar tab, medal, and place in the Hall of Champs is hard to beat.  But this season, we at NYC Social are majorly upping the incentive for being a true socialite on and off the court/field.

You can't win 'em all.  Maybe you can't even win some of 'em all.  But that doesn't mean you can't show up, have an awesome time, and enrich the experience for your fellow players.  That's why this season, the reward for Spirit Champs is, well, pretty freaking awesome!  Just ask Midnight Sausage Bandits (Heather Cardinal) and The Headhunters (Texas Orange), our dodgeball teams who were among the first to receive the new and improved NYC Social Spirit Champs SWAG BAGS!

As you can see, these teams got to relive the childhood experience of going home with a goody bag.  Crowns, shades, and snacks?!  Color me jealous.

And what did our teams think of this new prize?  Well, Action Weekly was able to grab this extremely eloquent and informative quote from one Midnight Sausage Bandit player:

'HOLY S**T, FUN DIP!!!!!!!!!!!!"

...Let the sugar highs commence!!