Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority to host annual kickball tournament

The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority will host its third annual Kappa Kickball Tournament Saturday.

The event, open to any group within the GW community, will take place on University Yard from noon to 4 p.m. Standard kickball rules apply, and the event is organized so that two teams compete for the winning title in a final game.

“We are very excited for the event,” said Kappa Kappa Gamma president Taylor Stern, a senior. “There has been quite the buildup to it.”

The tournament took place for the first time in fall 2003. The 2005 Kappa Kickball Tournament was eventually canceled, due to three rainouts. This year’s rain date for the event is Sunday.

Although any students are allowed to form teams, the event “normally ends up being teams from Greek organizations,” Stern said. In 2004, some controversy surrounded the tournament when students from unrecognized fraternities Sigma Alpha Mu and Sigma Alpha Epsilon participated in the event. This year, Greek-letter organizations recognized by the University were sent e-mails advertising the event.

Teams may sign up to participate with the chapter’s philanthropy chair, sophomore Matina Golias, up until the day of the tournament. An entrance fee of $70 to $75 per team will be donated to Reading Is Fundamental, the sorority’s national philanthropy.

RIF, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to fostering literacy and providing free books for children eight years old and younger. According to the organization’s Web site, it is “the oldest and largest children’s and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States.”

“We are expecting a solid turnout,” Stern said. “We already have 10 teams signed up and could get a few more before Saturday.”

-Marissa Bialecki