Pickup volleyball and fireworks: Friends, community, safety this KC summer | Williams

A special invitation came my way on Sunday evening. I was honored by it. And now I’m looking forward to joining this group of volleyball lovers who I noticed having what seemed like a heap of fun in a community space just walking distance from my Independence home.

It was just before dusk, and I had to brave the heat that night to make a quick run to a nearby grocery store. On the way, I passed a sandlot volleyball court full of folks playing the game and wondered, “Is this a new community club or what?” That place usually goes unused.

Nope, it’s just a pure example of community, fellowship and family fun. You know, one of those for real, “this is what makes America great” moments.

On my return from the store, I pulled into the parking lot near the sand courts near South Crysler Avenue and West 23rd Street. I just had to know more about what was happening here and whether I could join.

As I approached, I could hear the faint sound of music just under the players’ court chatter — a mix of Spanish and English, laughter and cheers. A few young children darted past me through the gate surrounding the three courts where volleyball play was in full swing.

Apparently, this has been going on at these Independence School District courts every Sunday during the spring, summer and fall for more than a year. The gathering has only grown over time, since anyone can join in. They even invited me to stop by on any Sunday.

It started with a group of friends who all attend a Kansas City Spanish-language church and were looking for “just something to do,” said Gisielle Simental. She sat in a corner of the courts with a group of women, chatting and watching the youngest children burying their legs in the sand. The moms laughed about what bath time would look like later.

These folks started coming to the courts to play, and the fun spread by word of mouth. About 40 or more were on the courts this past Sunday.

There are no set teams. It just depends on who shows up. Teams are mixed, young and older, boys, girls, men and women all playing together. It kind of reminded of pickup basketball on the city courts in New York. If you can shoot and you can hang, you can play.

While it’s not all that serious, the players definitely keep score, as was evident by the way one team cheered, grabbing each other and jumping up and down when they scored a winning point.

I figured out that the music — in Spanish — was gospel. Nice! The women who don’t play but had only come to watch their family and friends brought coolers full of bottled water and snacks.

“We come from everywhere,” Simental said. They live in different parts of the Kansas City area, on both sides of the state line. “We come here because it’s fun and because this is when we get to see our friends and meet new people. And the kids get a chance to see their friends too.”

She said sometimes they even bring their own lights and set them up, so they can see when the sun goes down before the teams are done playing.

I don’t know if this volleyball group knows how important what they are doing is. But these days, experts in community health and engagement emphasize that this kind of coming together is exactly what combats the isolation and loneliness that the U.S. surgeon general has warned is becoming an epidemic. Gatherings like this make a community healthier and stronger.

The National League of Cities on its website says that having these kinds of spaces open and available provides residents with a place to “interact with each other” and “gain a sense of belonging.”

Moreover, it ensures an inclusive, safe space and reduces anxiety, which improves overall mental well-being for all ages.

Cheers to the Independence School District for maintaining this cool space where these friends can have fun on hot summer nights. More of this, please.

I don’t think I’ll hang out with the group this weekend — it’s a holiday. But I have an open invitation and intend to join the sitting, talking and watching the play crew real soon.

Speaking of the holiday: This weekend, the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence, and as is always the case on the Fourth of July, there will be lots of fireworks — big community displays, and the neighborhood street works, too. I’m prone to rely on the community planned events because in the end they are usually incredible and a lot safer.

A new study by The Action Network says Missouri is the third highest-risk state in the country for backyard firework accidents, with only Ohio and Indiana showing greater risks. Tented fireworks stands — selling nearly every kind of legal consumer-grade item from 500-gram cakes, and reloadable artillery shells to Roman candles and packets of firecrackers — have been up all over the city for a few weeks now.

Certain fireworks — such as bottle rockets, sky lanterns, and sparkler bombs — may be illegal in your city. Check with city officials on when it’s permitted to shoot off fireworks. In Independence, the window is July 3 and July 5 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and July 4 from 10 a.m. to midnight.

Please be safe.

Off The Vine

Below are stories about culture and identity from communities in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Go here to find more from Star reporter J.M. Banks.

• In this story, Banks reminds Kansas City that for 14 years, the Greek Picnic has served as a summer gathering for members of Black Greek-letter organizations from across the Midwest.
• Kansas City’s 18th & Vine is well known for its influence on the nation’s jazz scene. It remains home to many of the city’s most significant jazz landmarks. Banks writes about a few such spots, helping visitors understand the evolution of American jazz.

Around The Vine

• If you are looking for some fun and physical activity around town, check out Crown Fit Celebration, a two-hour MixxedFit masterclass and fundraising event designed to promote community wellness at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, at The Next Paige, 5930 Troost Ave., Kansas City.
• Jazz enthusiasts will love that the legendary jazz ensemble Mingus Dynasty, which started to carry on the music of composer Charles Mingus, is playing a one-night benefit for the American Jazz Museum from 7-9 p.m. Friday, July 30, at The Gem Theater in the historic 18th & Vine district.

Vine Picks

Kansas City’s official Fourth of July celebration is being held at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Drive, and this year, you can expect an expanded fireworks display honoring both America’s 250th birthday and the museum’s centennial year.

A proposed ordinance aimed at stopping unlicensed businesses from hosting after-hours events that lead to violent incidents is up for review by the Kansas City Council on Tuesday. Star writers will bring you the latest. But here’s the background.

Marquez Beasley, aka Quez, leads the 18th & Vine Arts Festival and supports artists in KC’s historic jazz district. I spent some time with him to learn about his journey to becoming one of the most popular event planners in the city.

Thanks to the World Cup, this month the service industry workers, insomniacs, heavy drinkers and other late-night-owl types of Kansas City are permitted an extra two hours of party time. Star writer David Hudnall hung past 4 a.m. to see what goes on.

Your voice matters to us. What local issues do you want to hear discussed in On The Vine? Let me, Mará Rose Williams, The Star’s senior opinion columnist, know directly at mdwilliams@kcstar.com. Thank you for reading.

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