The Best of 2025

Jessica German, Program Director at Jess joined our team at the beginning of the year as our first full-time employee, taking on the role of Program Director during just our second year of operations at Colorado Springs Sport and Social. In that time, she has driven remarkable growth—expanding our participation and revenue by more than 300% in a single year. Her dedication to creating a fun, welcoming, and professionally run environment has not only elevated our programs but has also inspired participants to actively spread the word about Colorado Springs Sport and Social.

Amber Williams of Game On! Sports - Buffalo showed an extraordinary act of courage and professionalism. During a recent Pickleball game, an unexpected medical emergency occurred—a player collapsed from a heart attack. In that critical moment, Amber Williams stepped up without hesitation. Drawing on her training and knowledge, Amber acted swiftly and decisively. She located the AED, called 911, calmed those around her, and ensured CPR was performed. Because of her quick thinking and heroic actions, a life was saved.

Amber exemplifies what it means to be prepared, passionate, and dedicated. Her commitment to excellence and her willingness to go above and beyond make her an invaluable member of the Game On! family.

Four years ago, after attending my first SSIA event, I returned with a renewed energy to scale Big League Sports (BLS). In evaluating our community, I identified a significant gap: the need for a dedicated, safe space for women to play, learn, and connect. Despite skepticism from peers who believed there wasn't a large enough "client base" to support a standalone women’s kickball league, I remained committed to the vision that "if you build it safely, they will come."

​The goal was simple but profound: create a "safe space" where women could be themselves, bond, and grow without the pressures often found in co-ed environments. We launched the Women’s League with a focus on community over competition. By prioritizing the social fabric of the league—fostering friendships that turned into roommates, best friends, and travel buddies—we created a culture of belonging.

​What started as a "passion project" has fundamentally transformed the demographic makeup of our entire organization:

​Diverse Programming: Due to high demand, we successfully expanded from kickball to include dodgeball.

​Player Retention: 41% of the women in our Women’s League have opted to play exclusively in our women-only divisions, proving the vital need for this specific niche.

​Systemic Growth: As of 2025, women now make up over 40% of the entire BLS system across all leagues.

​This initiative didn't just grow our business; it strengthened our community. By ignoring the "market limits" and focusing on the human need for connection, BLS has created a lasting, positive impact on our players' lives. Thank you to the SSIA for providing the spark four years ago that pushed me to think bigger, better, and more inclusively.

Player First Principles

Players First Principles is clearly defined framework of 10 principles that communicates to players how LI-Kick puts players first and strives to be as player friendly as possible.

The principles guide how leagues are designed, scheduled, staffed, and supported.  By doing so we create repeatable systems that help players understand how our league, while improving player satisfaction, staff efficiency, and long-term sustainability

This structure has had a measurable ripple effect across the organization by improving efficiency and reducing confusion.  Staff are empowered to make faster, more confident decisions, maintaining a high-touch, community-first experience.

The Players First Principles turn values into systems. They align the player experience with operational efficiency, showing that when you design a players-first organization, the business runs smoother for everyone.

This year, members from eight social sports clubs across the country came together to form The Lunch Bunch, a monthly Zoom call designed to connect leaders, share best practices, and strengthen our industry as a whole.

Each session created space to celebrate wins, discuss timely industry challenges, and dive deep into topics participants were passionate about. Every month featured a different presenter who led a focused training, with topics ranging from Players First principles and improving Net Promoter Score, to self-officiated leagues, referee hiring and retention, maximizing “eighth-week” field space, philanthropy and community impact, internships, and staff management.

What made The Lunch Bunch special wasn’t just the content, it was the willingness to be open, collaborative, and generous with knowledge. Leaders shared what was working, what wasn’t, and how they were navigating similar challenges in different markets.

Huge shoutout to Sal (LI Kick), Alli (Striker), Julia (Club Sport), Tyler (FXA), Hilary (United Fray), Kailey (JAM), Matt (KC Crew), and Chris (Hive Athletic) for helping build a space rooted in trust, learning, and collective growth.

Volleywood is a Beach Volleyball Tournament and Music Festival at Chicago’s North Avenue Beach taking place annually on the third Saturday of July. The event features a Beach Volleyball tournament with over 250 teams of 2’s, 4’s, and 6’s (800+ players) in levels ranging from Recreational to Open which attracts professional players; and a music festival with 10+ recording artists between its main stage and silent disco activations. The main stage features international and local acts throughout the day, and the festival attracts 3,000+ ticket holders each year. The event also includes 6 bars, 2 food vendors, and 5-10 sponsor activations providing attendees plenty of things to do throughout the event. In 2025, The headliners included Hayden James and Claptone. Past performers have included Backstreet Boys, Nelly, MC Hammer, Lil’ Jon, Dillon Francis, Matoma, Sam Feldt, and Naughty By Nature.

 The event takes the entire Chicago and Dallas Sport and Social Club teams to pull it off, plus another 150+ people when you include all internal and vendor staff. The Volleywood site is setup in one day, and torn down the night of the event. The planning and execution of the event takes place throughout the year in order to manage all of the details and deliver a quality and memorable experience for everyone that attends. It is the second biggest event at North Avenue Beach each year, after the Air and Water Show.