One can only faintly hear Bill Marchesano’s Philadelphian accent, but his charming smile and friendly attitude are undeniable. He moved from Philadelphia to San Diego in 2003, settling in Pacific Beach in February 2004. Marchesano, 30, contemplated leaving San Diego soon after because he wasn’t meeting many people. Then, a young woman he worked with invited him to play on a newly formed VAVi kickball team. While the idea sounded bizarre, Marchesano was intrigued by the sport and joined the team. “Our first season we made it to the finals and lost,” Marchesano said. The team decided to come back for one more season to see if it could win the league’s championship game. The team not only won the championship that season, but went on to win more than 10 consecutive championship titles in VAVi kickball. “That is always the goal. Play until you win the championship,” Marchesano said. Marchesano was voted team captain by the third season. “We are competitive in nature, but no one has hard feelings,” he added. Team members became the best of friends,hanging out more than just on game nights. “We played every season until last spring,” Marchesano said. In addition to co-ed kickball, Marchesano has played co-ed dodgeball, co-ed flag football, inner-tube water polo (similar to water polo, but each player sits in a large inner-tube paddling around the pool trying to score goals), and even joined a short-lived skeeball team through VAVi. “It’s a great way to keep active and meet new people,” Marchesano said. The original members of his kickball team remain best friends today, including two members who met a week before the first game and are now married to each other. VAVi gives T-shirts to the majority of its participants. “I could field at least three teams on my own with as many shirts as I have,” Marchesano said. He doesn’t always take a T-shirt anymore because he owns several of each color, but said he always has fun. “I’ll keep playing as long as I live in the area,” Marchesano added of VAVi sports.