DAVENPORT – The Quad Cities’ new LGBTQ+ sports league still has two more opportunities — tomorrow and next Sunday — to join the league’s first season for fun on the kickball field.
A new season is also just around the corner, organizers announced last week, and the group has a new website: outsportsqc.com.
Above, the new Out Sports Quad Cities (logo upper right) has four teams — three of which are pictured above. The league was founded by Davenport resident Travis Stanger, (lower right).
This Sunday and next Sunday, at Davenport’s Prairie Heights fields, are the last two chances to experience the debut kickball season of Out Sports Quad Cities LGBTQIA Kickball, founded by Davenport resident Travis Stanger. First-time players are welcome, as are those who have attended before and spectators, for the 2 to 4 p.m. games at 5600 Eastern Ave.
They’ll all be joining or watching the budding new league that already has more than five dozen reliable players — enough for four full kickball teams to enjoy recreational competition this summer.
“It’s pretty cool,” says Stanger, who started organizing Out Sports Quad Cities more than a year ago. “The game we just had (two Sundays ago), there were at least a dozen people outside of the field watching, too.”
OutSports also announced last week it will host a “late summer/early fall” second season. You can register at the league’s new website,
Above, Out Sports players are starting to gather after their games at local spots like Devon’s Complaint Dept. in Davenport.
Out Sports history started with Stanger’s personal goal of finding community
A drive to provide the Quad Cities area more LGBTQ+ recreation opportunities, and a new chance to build community, inspired Stanger to first start the league more than a year ago. The Davenport resident started with the goal of building a local league of the nationwide Stonewall Sports league.
He had experienced Stonewall leagues in other communities and was so inspired by the greater sense of community he found, Stanger wanted to bring that same energy to the Quad Cities.
But administrative delays by the organization, and the hefty cost to start a local Stonewall, led Stanger to explore the DIY route.
He ended up investing just under $1,000 of his own money to buy kickballs, bases and starting shirts for the four debut teams. Volunteer Victoria Holcomb stepped forth to help out as a key volunteer.
Clock Inc. LGBT Community Center provided extra publicity to the effort with several postings on its social media, and OutSports has been returning the favor by circulating many of Clock’s events.
“Travis made it really easy to want to be involved,” Holcomb said. “He had a plan and an infectious passion to create a space our community really needed.”
Holcomb says she’s touched by the supportive spirit on the kickball field, leading many teams to spontaneously cheer on their opponents. “I love seeing that competitive but encouraging attitude is catching on,” Holcomb said.
Another special moment: Holcomb’s mom surprised her by showing up to watch a recent set of games.
“My mom has always been supportive at home, with family and friends, but she’s not a person who “celebrates pride,’ ” Holcomb said. “For her to come meant so much to me.”
Holcomb is fully supportive of Stanger’s goal to offer LGBTQ+-identified sports opportunities year-round. She looks forward to helping him organize indoor and outdoor sports including volleyball, for example.
For more info, see outsportsqc.com, or the group’s Facebook page, or contact Stanger at travis.stanger97@gmail.com, or 563-381-0504.
