The Wonder of Whiff-It

Ahhh...there is nothing like the smell of freshly cooked burgers and stale beer on a crisp Saturday morning.  It will be early, but the sounds of tailgating can be heard as early as 7 a.m. when the parking lot quickly fills.  Yes, there is nothing quite like the tailgating atmosphere on an early Saturday morning in…Urbandale?

Whiff-It for Charity

You are all used to the Saturday morning traditions in Iowa City and Ames before the big games, but the tailgating scene before the charity Whiff-It Tournament is unlike any other you will experience.  People from all around Greater Des Moines (DSM) will come together this Saturday at Walker Johnston Park in Urbandale for an event that is truly like none other. For those who are not familiar with this tournament, let me explain how awesome it is. Whiff-It is: A carnival + winning the lottery + meeting your favorite celebrity + playing with puppies + getting to roundhouse the entire cast of Jersey Shore.  It is literally that great, and that much fun.

What to Expect

The day begins, as stated before, with tailgating in the parking lot.  Nothing beats good times with good friends.  Then the tournament begins—the round robin games of pool play starts…and so does the smack talk. Teams battle one another for tournament seeding but more importantly, bragging rights.  At high noon, a brief intermission as tournament officials decipher the pool play results and home run derby contestants show off their power skills. Then, it’s time for the real deal. A single-elimination tournament begins to separate the best from the rest, as teams are eliminated one by one.  Soon enough only one team will remain standing a champion, and they will then hold the prestigious and coveted honor as Whiff-It champions.

Whiff-It Nonprofit: Kiwanis Miracle League

The most telling sign about the spirit of the Whiff-It tournament is that although teams are discarded slowly from the tournament, they never leave the battle.  This is because everyone there understands that no matter who is crowned champion; we are all in this together, fighting for something much more important than a trophy.  All tournament proceeds go directly to the Kiwanis Miracle League, which allows disabled children all around Des Moines to enjoy the game of baseball like they should.

So come out this Saturday to Walker Johnston Park for some great fun and to support a great cause.  I promise you will not regret it.  As our fearless leader Doug Vinsand would say, “Whiff-It day — the greatest day of the year.”  I certainly won’t argue with that. 

Check the YPC calendar for other charitable events, or find out more about the Volunteer or Athletics committees.

Derek Johnson
YPC Athletics Chair