Teams are needed for “Kickin’ it for Kids Sake,” the first ever kickball tournament to benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Chattahoochee Valley.

“We wanted to have a fundraiser that would incorporate the children we work with,” said Angela Crouch, program manager.

The tournament is set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 17 at the George Harris Recreation Complex and children age six and older can play, as well as adults.

“We are looking for teams and sponsors,” Crouch said. “We have three teams right now, we’d like to have 10. We can have as many as 16.”

Registration is $35 a person or $350 per team up to 15 people, which includes a T-shirt. Big Sam’s Barbecue will be selling barbecue plates at the event for $9 each, which also will benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The winning team will receive a trophy and bragging rights, of course, for a year.

“All the money we raise stays local,” Crouch said. “We don’t get any state or United Way funding. We are funded through grants and fundraisers.”

Big Brothers/Big Sisters matches adults, or “bigs” with “littles,” children in the community who need a mentor. There are currently 28 children on the wait list and 51 matched bigs and littles in Troup County.

“These are at-risk youth with single parents or parents who are incarcerated or dead or not around,” Crouch said.

And she believes the program is making a difference. She recently received an email from a “big” who’d gotten his “little” into soccer. The 11-year-old hadn’t touched a soccer ball before entering Big Brothers/Big Sisters, but has since been to a state championship, two recreation league championships, was named player of the game three times at the Triumph Cup in Atlanta and now has a scholarship to play for the Troup Titans, Troup County’s select soccer team.

To register for the kickball tournament, call Crouch at 706-298-0589.