Nonprofit Organization Attempts Kickball World Record to Combat Human Trafficking

An Atlanta-based nonprofit organization is preparing to attempt breaking the world record for the longest marathon kickball game as part of its ongoing campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking. Men Opposing Sex Trafficking (MOST) will attempt to surpass the 51-hour record set in 2011 by students at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, during Labor Day weekend at Landmark Christian School in Fairburn, Georgia.

The event marks the organization's third world record attempt in twelve months, following successful 121-hour marathon records in softball and basketball games. For the first time, 13 women will join 27 male participants, with 25 of the men having competed in at least one previous record-breaking effort. Bruce Deel, CEO and founder of MOST, noted that while the kickball record requires less than half the time of their previous attempts, weather conditions will present new challenges for participants.

The game will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, August 29 and continue through noon on Sunday, August 31, with players required to remain on the field throughout the attempt, sleeping and eating on-site with only brief bathroom breaks permitted. According to Guinness World Records requirements, the game must maintain ten defenders on the field at all times, with MOST organizing twenty players per team rotating through short shifts during daylight hours and longer overnight shifts to accommodate sleep periods.

Deel emphasized that the physical challenges serve as a mechanism to capture public attention and support for the organization's mission. What we've learned in the process of breaking two world records is that when you capture people's attention, you can also capture their hearts, Deel stated. The previous athletic endeavors have generated over $800,000 in funding and increased public engagement with MOST's anti-trafficking initiatives.

Founded in 2022, MOST has expanded from awareness campaigns to operational activities, now employing two analysts who identify sex trafficking activity and maintaining an interdiction team of eleven men with military and law enforcement backgrounds who assist authorities with sting operations nationwide. The organization provides educational resources and support systems while working to influence policy and legislation related to human trafficking prevention.

Public attendance at the record attempt is free, and the organization will provide continuous live streaming coverage available on WeAreMost.org throughout the three-day event. The current kickball record of 51 hours involved 474 innings and concluded with a final score of 431-306.