Every Sunday, like he’s done for the past 10 years, Joe Richards transforms 1,800 square yards of prime beach real estate next to Pismo Beach’s Sand Castle Inn into a gridiron battle zone.
Richards is founder and commissioner of the four-on-four California Flag Football League, an organization boasting players from all over the Central Coast.
The league’s games draw crowds of spectators, mostly tourists, who watch from the sandy sidelines and hotel balconies overlooking the shoreline. On a warm, sunny March 14, onlookers watched as last year’s undefeated league champions, the Sand Outlaws, lost to the Screaming Eagles, a new team with players from Santa Maria.
“What a nice day,” Richards said, eying the action. “These guys are into it, man. Every game is very competitive.”
A former high school football coach, Richards became “fed up” with coaching youth football and started a flag football league on grass in Dinuba. When he moved closer to Pismo, he thought he’d attempt something new.
“I already had the flags, so I thought, ‘Why not try it on a beach?’” he said. “I was going to do it on the grass, but they wanted too much money. It didn’t make sense. Down here, they just give me a permit.”
The first year, the league had four teams. This year there’s eight, including the Beach Bums, Surficide, and the Sea Dawgs, a Santa Maria team.
According to Richards, nearly all of the players have high school or college football experience. Some have even spent time in the pros.
Nipomo’s Gary Rugg played briefly for the Anaheim Piranhas of the Arena Football League in the 1990s. Now in his fourth year in the flag league, he plays center for the Sand Crabs.
“It’s a blast,” Rugg said. “We’ve got some good guys here—some good athletes, too. It brings the spark back at [age] 44.”
Rugg used to play in a Santa Maria flag football league on grass before he injured his Achilles tendon. He said he appreciates being able to get a cross-training workout in a more forgiving environment.
“It’s good to play out here on the sand where it’s a little less impact,” he said. “Nothing beats being on the beach on a Sunday for an hour or two.”
The league is more organized than a typical beach football game. Yard lines and end zones are officially designated with markers, players wear custom uniforms, and there’s even a referee. The games consist of two 20-minute halves with a running clock, and competition is based on standard flag football tournament rules.
Though the sport is considered “non-contact,” don’t let the flags fool you. It still gets physical. And serious.
“It’s not a beer league by any means,” Rugg said. “These guys are good quality athletes for what we’re doing. It’s kind of a hidden gem out here.”
Among the weekend warriors, four Cabrillo High School coaches and three former Conquistadors make up the Conqs. The team’s season opener against the Sand Crabs marked Cabrillo head football coach Craig Knowles’ first-ever beach flag football game. A former defensive end and guard in high school, Knowles is now a Conqs receiver.
“When you play sports for all those years, it’s fun to try to find something to do that’s competitive,” Knowles said. “It’s just another way to stay in shape and have fun and do something competitive that’s not just being in a gym.”
Knowles said he liked the smaller 60-by-30-yard field dimensions, but found it difficult to run in the sand. Other players, like teammate and Cabrillo High assistant football coach Scott Alvarez, said they preferred the softer surface.
“I actually like the sand because you don’t get hurt and it does slow up the fast people,” Alvarez said. “We’re not very fast.”
According to Alvarez, his current players at Cabrillo are aware of how their coaches spend their weekends, but few have any idea how competitive it is. He said he encourages his former players to start up their own teams to better grasp the game.
“It teaches you how to run routes and throw passes on time,” he said. “Then you’ve always got the wind factor to play with.”
Alvarez brought in former Cabrillo High quarterback Shaun Allen, now a student at Allan Hancock College, to line up behind center for the Conqs. In his second year in the league, Allen said he enjoys playing with his former coaches and keeping the athletic fire stoked.
“I love the game. I can’t play in high school anymore, so just coming out here and throwing the football around is fun,” Allen said. “This is more of a relaxed environment. Everyone comes out here and competes, but at the end of the day, it’s beach football. You’re not really playing for anything, but at the same time, you want to win.”
His teammate, Cabrillo boys’ basketball coach Gary West, started playing competitive flag football right out of college 25 years ago. He’s now 48. He said he enjoys flag football more than coaching or playing basketball.
“I’m not made for the NFL or getting hit,” West said. “This is like playing 3-on-3 full-court basketball as far as I’m concerned, because I can run and do what I can do.”
West said playing on the beach slows the game down and keeps everybody on the level.
“It’s nice to play people who aren’t looking to rekindle old stuff,” he said. “They’re just out here to have fun and get some exercise. That’s what it’s all about. I have so much fun doing this. I’ll stop when my heart stops.”
The league’s spring season continues with eight regular season games and playoffs held at the end of May. The summer session kicks off in June and runs through the summer.
According to league commissioner Richards, there couldn’t be a better place to spend the time, as a player or a spectator.
“Who can beat the beach?” Richards said. “Pretty girls, like my wife right here. Girls in bikinis. A nice day Green hills. People flying kites. It’s fun.” m
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas tried to beat the beach, but failed. Contact him at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Mar 18-25, 2010.