Kickball for 52 hours? Local nonprofit group seeks to bust world record

The Atlanta nonprofit group Men Opposing Sex Trafficking has been involved in these marathon games twice before. This time, their goal is to eclipse the world record of 51 hours for the longest continuous kickball game, set in 2011 by a high school group in Parma, Ohio.

In breaking the records, the group aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and dangers of sex trafficking and garner support for victims who need assistance, Bruce Deel, the faith-based nonprofit’s founder, said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week.

“My No. 1 goal is for people who see the stories or hear about what we do to have a greater awareness of the level that sex trafficking has risen to in our world,” Deel said.

Keeping a game going for 52 straight hours seems like no easy feat, but the volunteers have done it twice in the past year.

In order to break the record, they have to follow strict rules. The players have to stay at the park the entire time and can take breaks only to use the restroom or sleep for brief periods. The 20 players on each team will rotate in groups of 10 to give everyone a chance to rest.

“It’s physically taxing, it’s emotionally taxing and it’s mentally taxing,” said Deel, who has participated in each world record quest thus far. “When you get to the nighttime hours, and you’re playing 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. and for no fans in the stands, it can get a little lonely out there.”

Players also eat and sleep at the field. They take five-hour shifts to sleep, which means some players will be playing five hours nonstop in the dead of night.

Credit: Men Opposing Sex Trafficki

Credit: Men Opposing Sex Trafficki

Their first record-breaking fundraising event in September 2024 was a five-day softball game. Then in March, they played 121 hours of continuous basketball to take home that world record. While the first two events consisted of all male players, women are joining in the kickball match, too.

“In the beginning, it’s all fun and games, but then once you get in the middle of it, it definitely gets taxing mentally, and having to overcome the physical aspect,” said Tyler Stilley, a volunteer who played in the prior games and who is joining the kickball game along with his wife.

In total from the two previous events, the nonprofit raised about $800,000. The funds go to support organizations in sex trafficking prevention and recovery and to help women and children escaping trafficking, Deel said.

The group is focused on men, who are believed to make up 95% to 99% of all buyers of illegal sex. The nonprofit hosts and speaks with men’s groups to teach about the evils of sex trafficking and has aided local law enforcement with investigations into trafficking operations, the AJC previously reported.

Credit: Men Opposing Sex Trafficking

Credit: Men Opposing Sex Trafficking

The goal of all these long games? Break six world records in three years — and get their message out.

The kickball game, which will be played at Landmark Christian School, will be livestreamed so viewers can watch from home. Fans will also cheer in the stands, and a camera will monitor the entire game for Guinness World Records to evaluate as the players approach the milestone 52-hour mark at noon Sunday.