Something different is happening at the Santa Barbara Saints this fall, and the results show it. For the 2026 season, all seven Saints teams have earned playoff berths in the Gold Coast Youth Football League (GCYFL), one of the most competitive youth football leagues in California.
The Saints’ playoff teams are:
- Mighty Mite
- Bantam
- Freshman
- Sophomore
- Junior
- Senior Red
- Senior Black
The success traces back to a deliberate reset of the program’s culture. The Saints rebuilt from the top down this year, starting with who was leading the kids on the field. The organization hand-selected head coaches for all seven divisions, looking for people with real football knowledge and the ability to teach it.
“We wanted coaches who truly know the game,” said Saints President Michael Soracco Jr.. “People who understand technique and can actually teach it to a 7-year-old or a 13-year-old. We found them, and our coaches deserve the credit for this season.”
The Saints also set clear expectations for coaches, players and parents, with organized practices, game days run like a high school program, and the same structure and accountability across every team.
The program holds itself to a higher standard than most youth organizations, and the focus has been on teaching kids to love the game while developing them into great athletes.
“When kids are well coached and feel like they’re improving every week, they have fun,” Soracco said. “Winning follows. Seeing every one of our teams make the playoffs shows what these kids are capable of.”
The Saints compete in the GCYFL, a tackle league for players ages 6 to 14 spanning Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with member programs from Simi Valley, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Newbury Park, Calabasas, Fillmore, Santa Paula and the Santa Clarita Valley.
The league’s championship games are played at SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. For Santa Barbara families, it means local kids are competing at the highest level of youth football in Southern California without leaving home.
The Saints also extended a special thank-you to every coach in the program. Across all seven teams, the coaching staffs put in long hours at practice, on film and on game days, and their commitment to teaching the game the right way is the biggest reason every team reached the postseason.
None of it would be possible without the Saints’ board of directors, including Evelyn Martinez, Raquel Chrestenson, Diego Tapia, Ricky Rea, Matt Boeddeker, Kerri Boeddeker and Adrian Soracco.
“Our board puts in countless hours behind the scenes, from organizing teams and equipment to supporting our coaches and families,” Soracco said. “This season is a reflection of their work.”
Founded in 1971 by Jim Halliburton, the Santa Barbara Youth Football League has served roughly 20,000 local players over more than 50 years.
The program also thanked its volunteers and families, along with sponsors including SBART, Tileco, Chrestenson Construction, Ferris Orthodontics, Uptown Barber Shop, Sunbelt Rentals, Arndt Construction, Schwan Bros. Excavating & Demolition, The Point Market, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, United Rentals and Obispo Media.
Playoff games begin 10.31.2026. Families interested in joining the Saints next season can learn more at sbyfl.org.