Early Spring 2026 Kickball East Northport

Additional Info

2026 SEMI PRO DATES

• 4/26 (opener)
• 5/22
• 6/26
• 7/24
• 8/28
• 9/25
• 10/23(Finale)

HOW TO JOIN SEMI PRO:

Players can join as a 'franchise group' or as a 'draft pool' player.

• To join as a 'franchise group', you’ll need to join in a group with exactly 3m and 3f.
• 'Draft pool players' will get drafted onto a franchise.

You cannot join Semi Pro and be placed on a franchise of your choosing, nor is a placement guaranteed.

2026 Semi Pro Constitution

The Semi Pro Constitution provides a framework to govern Semi Pro. It is the contract between LI-Kick, Franchises and Players. It will create a level playing field, while balancing stability of franchises and mobility to players. It can only be amended with the approval of 66% of franchises.

ESTABLISHING FRANCHSIES

• The number of franchises is expected to be 6-8 and is ultimately determined by the number of signups.
• 2025 Semi Pro players will have the choice to stay with their franchise, start their own franchise, or enter the 2026 Draft pool.
• See '2026 Proposal' below for full process for 2025 returning players.
• If there are more franchise groups than needed, all players will vote on which franchise groups get accepted. 
• Franchises will each select draft pool players to create franchises of 13 players each (minimum 7 men and minimum 5 women). After the first tournament, the franchise cap will increase to 14 players (max 8m and max 6f).

TOURNAMENTS

With the exception of the season opener, tournaments will be held Friday nights from 7pm to 11pm. Playing ‘tournament rules’ of 6m/4f with a straight through order (max 2 men back-to-back). There will be a winner of each tournament. Winners will receive medals and will take home the ‘LI-Kick Chain’ until the next tournament. Franchises will carry forward their ELO.

• 6 Team format: 2 evenly seeded pools (1/4/5, 2/3/6). Play every team in your pool once, and one 'across' crossover game. (3 pool play games each). The top 2 teams in each pool advance to single-elimination playoffs. No playoff games for 5 and 6.
• 8 Team format: 2 pools of D1 and D2 (1/2/3/4, 5/6/7/8). Play every team in your pool once (3 pool play games). D1(1) and D2(2) play for championship. ELO games for seeding for D1(3) vs. D2(2) and D1(4) vs. D2(1). No playoff games for D2(3) and D2(4).
• We will not have 7 franchises, either 6 of 8.

SEASON OPENER

The season opener (4/26) is the only tournament on a Sunday. That tournament will be a 7 time-slot tournament.

• 6 Team format: Play every team once. Top 4 to single elimination tournament.
• 8 Team format: 4 Pool play games. All 8 teams to single elimination tournament.

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFTS

There will be a supplemental draft of Available Players held 2 weeks before each monthly tournament The supplemental draft serves two purposes. One, it will allow new players to join & franchises to add officially add players to their roster for the remainder of the year. Two, it will allow franchises to use temporary players to account for absent players at the upcoming tournament.

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT PROCEDURE

The supplemental draft will be held roughly 2 weeks before the next tournament.

Players joining Semi Pro for the first time enter Semi Pro through the supplemental draft and must be signed up the day before the draft to be eligible.

Current Players have until the day before the draft to announce their move to a withdrawal status.

• Players can only withdraw if they've attended the two most recent tournaments.

Captains have until the day before the draft to announce their drops

• Players can only be dropped if they've no showed two consecutive tournaments.

Captains have until the day before the draft to announce their cuts.

• Each franchise can cut one player without cause per tournament.

Withdrawn, dropped and cut players are entered back into the draft pool, with no guarantee of getting drafted again.

The draft order will be in reverse order of ELO. The Supplemental draft is used to to permanently draft players onto franchises. Next an 'Available player Draft' will be used to to add temporary players onto franchises on an 'as needed' basis for the next tournament. Franchises that select players in the supplemental draft will move to the bottom of the queue in the available player draft.

Franchises must come out of the draft with a legal roster of 7-8m, 5-6f and 13 total players minimum.

PLAYER STATUS DEFINITIONS

• Available Players: These are players who are currently in the Semi Pro draft pool. Available players are eligible to be drafted onto a franchise and only available players can be used when a Franchise needs a temporary replacement player.
• Withdrawn Players: Sometimes a player finds themselves on a franchise they don’t vibe with. After attending two consecutive tournaments, a player may withdraw themselves from their franchise and convert their status to 'Available', in hopes of getting picked by a new franchise in the next supplemental draft.
• Dropped Players: A captain may not want an unreliable player taking up a roster spot. If a player no-shows two consecutive tournaments, the captain may issue a drop. The player's status will be converted to 'Available' and they will enter the supplemental draft.
• Cut: Each franchise can cut one player without cause after every tournament, provided that their roster size does not stay below 13 total players (min 7m & 5f). Cut players will be converted to 'Available Status' and go into the draft pool.
• Emergency Players - Players who remain in the pool, and are not selected for the available player draft are classified as an emergency player. These Players can be picked up at any point from the conclusion of the available player draft until the start of the tournament. Captains must notify the tournament director and other captains
• Guest Player: In the case a franchise does not have enough players to enter a tournament, the players on that franchise that can play may enter the supplemental draft and be picked up as guest players for the tournament.
• Injured Reserve: When the captain and player mutually agree, one player can be placed on injured reserve. The injured reserve status is in affect for a minimum of 3 tournaments, in which the player does not count against the roster cap and is ineligible to play. The franchise can add a player through the regular draft process to make use of the roster spot. After 3 months, the player can come off injured reserve (player choice, not captain choice), at which point they are eligible to play and count towards roster caps. Captains must reestablish a legal roster.

TRADES

• Franchises are allowed to trade with an approval of 66% of franchises.
• Trades must be made within the 'trade window' which opens once after the new player joining deadline/ the announcement of withdrawals and closes at the tournament roster lock.
• A player who is withdrawing is still eligible to be traded up until the withdrawal being announced and incoming player draft. .
• Franchises that trade for a draft pick must use that pick. No draft picks in subsequent drafts can be traded.
• Traded players are protected for cuts until after 1 tournament has passed.

PRICING

There is a $80 joining fee.

• The joining fee will be prorated down $65 after the second tournament
• Players will receive a refund if they are cut/dropped and don't want to continue as an available player.

The cost to enter a tournament is $450 per franchise.

A player that plays in all 7 tournaments on a franchise of 14 will pay $260 for the complete year of semi-pro.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Dec-06: Registration for 2026 Opens
• Mar-15: Deadline for returning players to withdraw from 2025 Franchise
• Mar-15: Deadline to join
• Mar-15: Franchise group declaration deadline. Voting beings (if necessary)
• Mar-20: Voting Ends, Results announced
• Mar-22: Initial Draft held
• Mar-23: Franchise identities revealed and jersey order
• Apr-26: First Tournament

CHANGES FROM 2025

1. Exemption Players Removed - Players must be taken from the pool when your team needs somebody regardless of who is missing from your team including core players. This will allow more utilization and an even field for teams who are missing players.
2. Emergency Players Added - Players who remain in the pool, and are not selected for the available player draft are classified as an emergency player. These Players can be picked up at any point from the conclusion of the available player draft until the start of the tournament. Captains must notify the tournament director and other captains.
3. Less time commitment for captains
4. 2nd meeting done by chat
5. withdrawal sheet
6. trade window and trade rules defined (can't cut players u just traded for, have to use draft pics you traded for).
7. proposals presented previous to meeting
8. limited chat members
9. Revamped Umpire Program
10. Captain Requested Umpire Bonus
11. Streak Pay
12. Instant Replay review
13. Sponsored Travel Team - LI-Kick will pay the entry fee as an individual for 1 travel tournament as long s the player does the following
14. Submit an around the world picture
15. Provide info for /travelpage (recap, group pic of Long Island Players)
16. These Tournaments must be tournament hosted by a national tour operator such as Waka or Turf Wars. (Other Tournaments can be requested for review)

CHANGES FROM 2024

8 Teams

Now that we've proven the Semi Pro format, we have the option to go to 8 teams. That gives chances for more people to play, more people to be in leadership roles, more varied opponents, and more options for player/team fit. We determined that running Semi Pro on 1 turf field with 8 teams is preferred as the chances of getting two lighted side-by-side turf fields is uncertain. The 8 team format we produced maximizes field time and gives meaningful games for all teams throughout every time slot.

Season Opener

Since the season opener is on a Sunday, it gives us the chance to run a longer tournament (7 time slots compared to 5). Playing a longer season opener gives players more kickball, a chance to get a first look at more franchises and allows a more accurate sorting of franchise ELOs. Each game will be adjusted down 1-inning in length, to prevent too much wear and tear on player's bodies.

Injured Reserve

This provision allows captains to replace injured players for long terms, without losing their roster flexibility or having to rely on rotating sub players during the time. Captains and players mutually agree to go onto injured reserve and after a minimum of 3 months, the player can decide to come off injured reserves. It is the captain's responsibility to reestablish a legal roster.

Grand Finale Format

No new registrations are taken after the September tournament eligibility period is over. Franchises can use players from the available player pool as long as they meet the substitution requirements outlined in the Constitution. No exemptions players are allowed the Grand Finale. Grand Finale groups are made the same way (1/4/5 and 2/3/6). The difference for the Finale is the crossovers are ‘high-low’ so the higher seeds have the advantage. Cross overs are 1v6, 2v5 and 3v5. The top 2 teams from each group advance to Semi Finals, with the winners playing for the championship. The teams that finish last in each group play a relegation game during the semi finals. This format gives all 6 franchises a reason to be there and a chance to win, while ceding an advantage to the teams who have played the best over the course of the full series. It also is a ‘first over the line’ proposal in which the team who wins the Grand Finale also wins Semi Pro and does not create a situation where a team might lose October, but still win Semi Pro because of another ranking, and no team’s fate is sealed no matter how bad their full series record is.

2025 Proposal (Approved 9/11/24)

Semi Pro returns in April of 2025 and begins a new 7 tournament series. We disband one franchise and add 3 expansion franchises to go to 8 total. There will be a call for franchise groups of 3m/3f just like we did to start Semi Pro.  

Disbansion

The franchise that loses the relegation game is disbanded. All their players are automatically released into the draft pool and the franchise does not return for 2025.

Step 1 of Expansion: Withdrawals 

All players have the chance to withdraw from their franchise and enter the player pool. Players may also withdraw from their franchise to attempt to start their own expansion franchise. The withdrawal date is March 1st.  

Step 2 of Expansion: Voting for 3 Expansion franchises

All players on franchises and in the pool get to vote on the 3 franchises to be established. 

Step 3 of Expansion: Salary Cap 

There will be a salary cap for returning franchises. It will be no fun if one franchise amasses so much talent that they keep winning and there is no mechanism to hold them back like a salary cap does in pro sports. The salary cap would be set at ‘12 player points’. Members of your franchise core are worth 2 points and drafted players are 1 worth 1 point. You would need to cut players to get your franchise under the cap. Returning players without a team (cut/withdrawn/disbanded) go into the pool. Teams that don't 'spend' all 12 of their player points on their own players will be able to spend their left over player points by selecting players players in the pool. There is a soft cap of 6 roster spots. Teams will forfeit expansion draft picks if they choose to exceed the 6 player soft cap.

Step 4 of Expansion: The Draft

Exact rules on the 2025 draft TBD and Year 2 of Semi Pro begins.

New Player Joins

All throughout this time, new players can join the player pool for 2025. 

Why are we doing this? Semi Pro addresses many issues. As much fun as it is to always play with your friends, this typically results in all the top talent being consolidated onto lopsided 'super teams' with really just 2-3 teams having a legit chance of winning a 12 team league, and paradoxically creates a situation where the top teams express frustration there aren't more quality opponents, while the bottom teams are equally frustrated about losing to the established teams. The structure of Semi Pro ensures that talent will be evenly distributed. Semi Pro also creates a contiguous 7-month structure which address the 'come and go' nature of weekly leagues that last just 7 weeks and run multiple times a week. Finally, there is a lack of competitive tournaments in the Northeast with many national tours looking over the area. Semi Pro is creating our own eco system of competitive tournaments.