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A brand-new sporting league is in town -- with a twist. Big Kid Sports (BKS) will offer its members a chance to play sports reminiscent of childhood and mingle during post-game "happy hours."

Big Kid Sports, an organization for adults 21 and older, will hold its inaugural event this Saturday, June 27.

Some 70 people have already registered through the group's website, bigkidsports.com, to compete in the kickball leagues beginning July 1, according to the organization.

"As we gain more players, we will start opening up leagues that are in the most demand," said Justin Vavuris, a Big Kid Sports founder and '02 graduate of Palo Alto High School. "For now, we'll kick off with a kickball league that will have games three times a week."

Big Kid Sports was named in the hope that members would "remember to maintain a childhood demeanor, staying young and active," according to Sean McDermott, a founder and '02 graduate of Gunn High School.

The organization was launched by the two Palo Alto residents to offer alternative sports for a generation of young adults.

"For the most part, leagues in the Peninsula are set up for kids or old-man corporate types," Vavuris said. "You also can't find many leagues with alternative sports like dodgeball, kickball and flag football."

The organization's founders also felt a mutual frustration with the organized social scene in the Midpeninsula.

"Currently, there's no real organized space for adults to socialize other than the local bar scene," Vavuris said. "BKS provides that alternative, so that adults in Palo Alto can go out, meet new people and have fun without bars and alcohol as the only focal point."

Big Kid Sports differs from conventional adult recreation sports leagues in that it has a built-in social component. Mixers at local restaurants will offer members a way to social network after games.

The group's inaugural event will include kickball at the Mayfield Soccer Complex followed by refreshments at Blue Chalk Cafe in downtown Palo Alto.

These parties are "an attempt to create an active community for active adults," McDermott said.

The recession and spring teen suicides have fueled concerns about the community's mental health and factored into the launch of Big Kid Sports, the men said.

"The recent tragedy in Palo Alto has driven us, like many community members, to really stop and think about the mental health issues right in our own backyard," McDermott said. "People need something to relieve stress, keep active and remain positive. It is a healthy, active alternative to the normal way to socialize."

"A lot of young adults are lost because of the economy and rising unemployment," Vavuris said. "Used to having a social network and mural sports in college, they don't have that social buffer anymore. BKS is a way to take a break from the world."

McDermott and Vavuris are brainstorming ways to finance their endeavor.

"We're working with restaurants and bars in Palo Alto to design special 'happy hours' where members can get discounts," Vavuris said. The Blue Chalk Cafe on Emerson Street is on board with this proposal. Big Kid Sports hopes to secure the support of two to three more businesses.

The league will not only rely on discounts from restaurants, but also on membership fees and local sponsorships for funding, McDermott said.

In addition to funding, the founders are grappling with finding field space for games.

"With the emphasis on youth in the community, booking spaces and fields for our events is tough," McDermott said. "We are working with the city to try and lock in as much time as we need."