Charleston kickball league returns to Laidley Field for summer play

The heat was punishing, but Laidley Field stayed busy. Charleston Kickball Association brought its Summer 2026 league back to the 18,500-seat stadium on June 16 and 17, and Tuesday and Wednesday nights kept filling up even through a sweltering week in Charleston. Adults from across generations kept the games moving, turning a public ballpark into a regular summer stop instead of an empty expanse of seating and turf.

Games were scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the run set through the first weekend of August. The association divided play into night-by-night divisions, with as many as nine or ten teams on a given night. The association’s rules also account for the weather that can change a summer slate fast, with games subject to delay or cancellation for heavy rain or lightning.

Kanawha County Schools owns and operates Laidley Field. It is the district’s flagship athletic facility. The place was originally built in 1918, completely rebuilt in 1979 and renovated in 2003, and it sits on Charleston’s East End with the golden dome of the state Capitol in view. The stadium hosts football, track meets, the WVSSAC track and field state championships and the Gazette-Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival.

Kanawha County Schools allows outside organizations to book Laidley Field for large athletic competitions, community fundraisers and private gatherings, and an April 8 policy update said beer may be sold only at approved non-school events rented by outside organizations. The district said it does not sell alcohol or take proceeds directly, and it refreshed language that dated to 1986.