Self portrait at Angels Stadium as I was on Kickabout

It’s been two weeks since the First Annual Worldwide Kickabout took place.  And in these last couple of weeks I have been trying to filter out all the information and insights that I learned from doing this event.  I’m going to attempt to bring you some personal insights as well as some global ones from what I heard from many of you.

First some stats.  A sampling of participants from around the world included people from Australia, Slovakia, Finland, The Netherlands, Austria, France, and the United States.  I was hoping that there would have been at least another half dozen countries participate, and was hoping for the China contingent to come in strong, but that will have to wait for next year.  I am totally stoked that there were probably over a hundred people kicking on that day, and as videos and comments came to our Facebook page, it was great to hear and see those posts and to be a part of so many people’s global kicking experience.  The one thing that I really would like to find is the mileage from all the people that kicked.  I am estimating that there were over 3000 miles kicked, or almost the equivalent of kicking across the United States.  Special recognition goes out to the Finns.  Shirts were made, and Markku Levanen took his son Joonas, out on the course.  (Joonas wound up kicking 13 km.  What a great example to the rest of us with kids.  Next year, my kids are going out too!)  Looking at his video of his day, it was beautiful, his opening scene was him scratching “Kickabout” into the frost on his car windshield.  He was kicking with tights on and earwarmers.  Up in Finland there are some hardcore kickers!  Congratulations.

When the day started, I was wondering who would start it all off, hoping that either the Aussies or the Chinese would “kick” it all off.  (Sorry for the pun, couldn’t help myself).  Bruce Cook reported in that he started at sunrise with a group of eight hearty Aussies in Brisbane.  What an awesome way to start the day.  He later wrote that he kicked a total of five hours with three different groups of kickers.  There seems to be a strong kicking community in Australia, and it would be great to go down there for a kicking tour.  Thanks to the Australians for starting us all off.

Other quick reports and impressions.  Heli Kuru in Finland wrote that she kicked 25 km and went through a totally new and different neighborhood on her kick.  In the true spirit of Kickabout, she, and I quote, “Boldly went where she had not gone before.”  Congrats Heli, on maybe finding a new venue for your training. Juraj Krajcirovic.   I have come to know him a little bit better through the Kickabout.  He kicked in Slovakia next to the Danube River.  And when we contacted each other after the event, he was up for the next adventure.  (stay tuned for the next kicking assignment).  I have found that he has a love for the sport  and that he’s a bit of a mileage chomper like me, loving to kick long distances.

Closer to home, Jeff Oakie had a near collision with ea senior citizen as he blitzed through a red light, later blowing a tire.  He finished the next day.  Sarah Cox and all her Utah kicking minions got together for a group kick.  I think many people around the world were envious that there nine of them kicking together.  Now for some of you in the Netherlands that may not be a big deal, but here in the States, that’s a HUGE deal!  They had three newbies kicking in their group, and Sarah was “kind” enough to break them in on hills!  Hopefully they will continue kicking.  Utah seems to be a hotbed of American kickers.  Among other Americans that I heard from were the legendary Bob Schutz, master of the American kicking video, the unstoppable Joe Jung.   I love Joe’s passion for the sport and his mechanical mastery, Joe being the creator of the indoor Kick Trainer.  There was Coloradoan Steve Lowe, newcomer Aaron Lin down in Louisiana, Melissa Walsh, in Portland who we thought left and just kept going because we didn’t hear from her in a while, Virginia Tegel, Bob Dymond, Lendyl of the Oregon Coast, and my friend Peter Hummers down in the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.  I am sure that I am only scratching the surface of kickers that were out that day, and apologize for those that I missed.

No doubt that the First Annual Worldwide Kickabout was a huge success.  Thanks to all of you around the globe that got out, kicked , saw some new parts of your world, and shared them with all of us.  I look forward to setting the date for next year’s event.  If you have comments about the event or any other stories or experiences that you would like to share, you can comment here or on the NoGearsNeeded Facebook page.