A league of their own: EMS Steel City Kickers provides women from across region with fun, competition in form of kickball league

For the past six years, Krissy Waller has known her summer Sundays would serve a specific purpose.

Waller, a McKeesport resident, competes against women from all around the region as part of the EMS Steel City Kickers kickball league.

“This is the only time that I can [decompress],” said Waller, who is the shortstop and captain of the league’s Renegades team. “It’s everything to still be athletic and move around and not just worry about being a mom all the time, or being a wife, or being whatever to whoever. This is time for yourself. You get to come out here and not have to deal with everything, get away from life and have some fun.”

The all-female seven-team Steel City Kickers league began its ninth season Sunday with Opening Day festivities at North Braddock’s Little League Field. The seven teams each played a game on Opening Day with the sounds of a DJ setting the mood, announcers calling the games and food trucks providing sustenance to fans, players, coaches, umpires and league officials alike.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey also provided pregame remarks to kick off the season.

“It’s the largest all-women’s league in Western Pa.,” said Jeff O’Kelly, Steel City Kickers’ co-founder and commissioner.

O’Kelly — a North Versailles resident who is a retired engineer with U.S. Steel — established the league in 2014 with his former secretary, Eesha Sheard, who died suddenly in 2017.

Although the league was initially an off-shoot of Atlanta-based organization Off the Chain Divas, it has operated independently as Steel City Kickers since 2015.

The league has a 10-week, six-game schedule, which runs from June until August and includes playoffs, a skills competition and an annual awards ceremony.

Each team’s roster includes 17 players and two alternates.

Much like baseball, games consist of seven three-out innings. Unlike the kickball many know from recess, fielders can’t peg runners with the ball but must catch it on a fly or throw to a base to record an out.

“Next year will be our 10th year,” said Ebonie Chestnut, a Pittsburgh resident, who is the captain and shortstop of the league’s reigning champion Black Out team. “I’m hoping we can get more teams to come out and participate. I know it’s hard to get teams together, to keep practicing and also pay the fee that’s involved. That’s part of it, but I’m hoping it can continue to grow.

“We would like more awareness, people to know about us, not just knowing certain teams, knowing about the league itself to come out and support us.”

Steel City Kickers, at its largest, ballooned to 13 teams before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season.

Although O’Kelly said there was discussion of not restarting Steel City Kickers in 2021, many of the league’s players reached out to its commissioner and let him know that certainly would not be acceptable.

One player in particular left a lasting impression, O’Kelly said.

“She called, and she was upset,” O’Kelly recalled of the conversation. “She said, ‘This league is so important for me, for my life, just for me to be able to adjust and just cope with every day. I look forward to the summer. It’s for me.’”

And that’s a sentiment echoed by many of Steel City Kickers’ players.

Delisha Yelverton is a resident of East Liberty and mother of three children. She is in her fifth season playing with the Diva Dolls.

Yelverton, who plays the rover position, helped the Diva Dolls knock off Main Event, 12-0, Sunday.

“It gives me time to myself really to get out and do something for me and coming together with all these women who come from different backgrounds,” Yelverton said. “It’s a good way for us all to come together and play in a nice game. Everybody is real team oriented. We get along very well.

“Us moms, and women, we wear all type of different hats throughout the world,” she added. “It’s just another one to add.”

In addition to the women playing in the games, several have joined O’Kelly in leadership positions throughout the years. Sheard, Mylia Jackson and Barb Moore have served as league president.

After serving as vice president a year ago, O’Kelly’s daughter, Janelle McLain, is now president of Steel City Kickers.

“This league has been one of the best things to look forward to each year,” Yelverton said. “You get everybody that comes out, and we have vendors and things here. It’s a good time.

“It’s a great league to be a part of. Everybody is real family oriented, very welcoming.”

Despite her team taking a season-opening 6-3 loss to Royal T on Sunday, Waller said she enjoys the league’s camaraderie as well.

“It’s not messy,” she said. “It’s a positive thing. It’s a time for women to come out, everybody get together, and have some fun.”

That’s not to insinuate, however, the teams aren’t competitive.

Jade Smith — who grew up in Highland Park but now lives in Swissvale — is in her fifth season playing in the league. She is Royal T’s rover.

“My first year I was just like quiet and seeing how it was,” Smith said. “Then the next year it was like, ‘All right, I know what I’m here for.’ So it was like, ‘Let’s go.’”

Smith said the league’s best teams are Royal T, Renegades and Black Out. She added that she still feels some frustration that Black Out won the 2022 title despite losing to Renegades and Royal T in the regular season.

“We come for them every year,” said Smith of Black Out. “Ain’t nothing changed for this year, either. We’re coming for them. We should’ve won last year, so we’re going to take it this year.”

Win or lose, though, at the end of the day Smith said her love of Steel City Kickers always takes precedent.

“It’s a family-oriented organization,” Smith said. “It’s fun. We never have any issues. Of course people get in their feelings when we’re playing and stuff, but after, everybody is still a family. It’s great. I always have a good time.

“I never have to worry about any drama, even with our vendors and stuff, the fans, it’s always just a good environment,” she added. “It’s a good vibe. At the end of the day, we are all one big family.”

Chestnut said she and Black Out plan to remain at the head of the family and repeat as champions.

“That’s what we’re shooting for this year,” she said. “We’re pretty good in depth, so I think we should have a good season.”