Ten years after losing the Santa Barbara Condors, Santa Barbara is giving it another whack with the introduction of the Central Coast Seminoles.
The Seminoles – now Santa Barbara’s third semi pro team – along with the Foresters and the Breakers, are hoping to draw the same audiences as their counterparts.
“We’re looking to get embraced by the community just like they are,” said owner Luis Ibarra.
The Seminoles have been practicing three times a week at Chase Palm Park in preparation for Saturday's season opener.
The Seminoles host the High Desert Phoenix on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
The Seminoles open their regular season at 7 p.m. this Saturday against the High Desert Phoenix at Santa Ynez High School.
Owner Luis Ibarra was impressed with the team’s showing late in July when they played in a controlled scrimmage against the Ventura Sabres and the Atascadero Grizzlies.
They’ve been around for years, and we’ve been around for just five months,” Ibarra said. “And we didn’t have all our players so we should have beat those teams with the talent we have.”
The Seminoles tied both the Sabres and the Grizzlies 1-1, 0-0, respectively.
Receiver Torlando Bolden, a.k.a “T-Bone” is hoping that his experience with other semi-pro teams and the new season with the Seminoles gets him into an arena league.
“Out of this league, you have the opportunity to play for a bigger franchise,” Bolden said.
You could call Torlando a journeyman. Before the Seminoles, Bolden spent two years with the Santa Barbara Condors, then from 2002-2008 he played for the West Coast Sharks and played for the Ventura Sabres for one season last year.
SB YFL NEEDS 8-to-10 YEAR OLDS
“I’ve been keeping myself busy,” Bolden said.
Bolden, a stay-at-home father, said that even if it meant moving away and leaving his wife and kids, he’d take that chance.
“If I get the opportunity, I’m going,” Bolden said. “Football is the love of my life.”
Starting quarterback Matt Ruiz, a warehouse worker and father of two, said the last time he’d played football was 10 years ago when he was a cornerback for the Condors.
Seminoles QB Matt Ruiz played at Santa Barbara High in the 1990's, then the Santa Barbara Condors.
Although it’s hard to make it to practice with two kids, he somehow finds the time for the game because he’s convinced he’s got a couple years left in him.
“It’s hard to find time, so I usually bring my kids to practice,” Ruiz said.
Though Ruiz mostly plays for recreation, he still hasn’t let go of the idea of playing for a larger semi-pro league or an arena league.
“Everybody wants to go further,” Ruiz said. “But you gotta work for that.”
Since March, the 60-man roster has been practicing three days a week at Chase Palm Park.
Backup quarterback Teddy Gomez said that although they’re the newest team in the American Football Association, they’ll be all right.
“We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of good players,” Gomez said.
The players all have an understanding that money, when playing semi-pro, comes secondary to the sport.
“Maybe next season, but for now we play for the love of the game,” said Gomez.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. General admission $8. Students with a valid ID $5. Children 10 and younger get in free w/ a paid general admission.
For more information on the Central Coast Seminoles, visit them at centralcoastseminoles.com.
