Kickball Tournament Brings Peekskill Together

By Journalist Dr. Ms. Jones

PEEKSKILL – Laughter, cheers, and the rhythmic thump of kickballs filled Depew Park on Sunday, August 31st as the Sixth Annual Noo Moves Entertainment Kickball Tournament brought together community members for a day of friendly competition, family fun, and hometown pride. The annual event is founded by former Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey, known in the music world as “DJ Noodle Noo.” After pausing for a few years due to COVID-19, the event returned in full force, becoming one of Peekskill’s most anticipated summer traditions.

“Kickball was one of my favorite games growing up and dodge ball and I decided to do a kickball event a couple of years ago. I told everybody that wanted to come out and play, ‘Let’s play!’ And everybody came out with their own teams. So that was the first year we did it. So, the second year I made it an actual tournament. And then from there, we just been going every year. Covid stopped us, of course, a couple of years, but we were able to bring it back,” Rainey said, mid-song while DJing from the sidelines. “It’s a lot [to DJ and organize at the same time]. It’s difficult, but everybody’s smiling… I deal with four kids every day and I got to make them happy even when I’m tired. So, this is something I’m getting used to!”

Rainey juggled the mic, the music, and the matchups, but relied on his Noo Moves Entertainment Kickball Team to “go to work” on the field. His team consisted of people in the entertainment arena. One of the leaders was Darren Williams who expressed confidence in his team’s winning potential after winning the first game.

“We ain’t losing! I promise you that… I ain’t playing! I’m in tip-top shape… We’re gonna keep winning. He said, ‘You stay ‘til you win.’ We ain’t losing!” said Williams, owner of Dee’s Dogs, who came ready to play. “This is my first time out. I’m very happy [to be a part of this tournament]. It’s great to come out and support… It’s good to come down here and compete [and] meet new people. It’s an honor.”

Each team played three games throughout the day, under the summer sun and to the beat of Noo’s tunes. While scheduling delays meant that winning team, Batcave, received certificates instead of trophies this year, the spirit of sportsmanship and connection far outweighed any disappointment. Other teams included B2A Hummingbird Life Insurance, Gullotta House, The Main Event Barbershop, Mt. Lebanon Church, United Methodist Church of Peekskill, The Peekskill Poets Collective, COPA Peekskill, Black Diamonds, and The Peekskill NAACP. The NAACP also had a vendor table where they passed out literature about their organization and the continued fight for justice and equity and being part of this tournament showed that joy and activism can go hand-in-hand.

“Today we are showing everybody that we are visible, valuable, and viable in our community… It’s just a day to be with the community [and] let them know we’re still here, they can come to us, [and] they can join our branch,” said Valerie Eaton, PR Chairperson, Communications Chairperson, Gala Committee Chairperson, and Co-Advisor of the Youth Council who is planning their yearly fundraiser Freedom Fund event which is going to be a Gospel Brunch on November 8th at Bear Mountain Inn.

The Peekskill Poets Collective brought creativity and charisma to the field. Lanice Kind, one of the creators, expressed excitement about participating in this community event.
“We’re all about community… So, we’re here today to support that.. This is my first time [participating]. I think it’s an amazing event. I’m so happy that we’re participating in it,” said Kind whose poetry group inspires young people and adults to be creative, write expressively, and express themselves through poetry and is thrilled about their next workshop on September 11th.

COPA Peekskill, a youth sports and mentorship program, brought a competitive edge. “COPA,” which means “cup” in Spanish, refers to a tournament cup and the team represented their brand well.

“This actually was very fun! Something new to try out. This group is made up of mostly close friends and cousins. We do soccer games. We also help with our community in Ecuador,” said Soccer Coordinator Samantha Pichasaca who shared how her uncles normally organize COPA Peekskill’s Ecuadorian Festival during the summer but cancelled due to the continuous ICE threats in the community, so this was a welcome outing for her crew.

The Black Diamonds fielded one of the most energetic and standout teams, led by Executive Director and Founder Martin McDonald. The mission of this academic success and mentoring program is to help boys of color graduate high school on time and prepare for life after. The program boasts a 100% graduation rate for students who stay for two years and a 100% college acceptance rate.

“We are having a fundraiser to raise funds for our organization… to go to scholarships and to pay for our Spring Break College Tour. Every year for Spring Break, we take the guys to visit colleges… So, we’re doing a fundraiser at Bear Mountain Inn on October 16th,” said McDonald whose team competed a few years ago, lost, and came back to redeem themselves. “[We] got our butts kicked. We came back with a vengeance!”

As the last kickball rolled to a stop, Peekskill was reminded that community isn’t just built—it’s celebrated. One kick, one smile, and one song at a time.

Ms. Jones