The Wash League: These guys don’t miss a Sunday

Rain, shine, or even ridiculous heat, every Sunday morning in Maricopa there is gathering at Pacana Park for America’s greatest game. No matter the time of year, 12 to 28 guys, ranging in age from 16 to nearly 50, gather clad in cleats, jerseys, gloves, knee and ankle braces and plenty of athletic tape for some pick-up flag football.

These are true weekend warriors, who have a love for this game that will never die. On the field at any given time there are high school students to vice presidents of Fortune 500 banks and everything in between.

The league began in the Santa Rosa Wash in Rancho El Dorado more than 10 years ago. There are a few players among the original group — Magnus Ahlstromer is one of the originals. He was brought to the league by friend Jason Marsh, who has since moved from Maricopa.

Ahlstromer talked about how people have “come and gone over the years, but we all come out when we can to have a good time, and we all get along.”

In 2009, the league moved to the soccer field at Pacana Park where it remains each and every Sunday. It was then a number of the original players from the wash days began to fade out from age or moving into the Valley, where they make it out once in a while, or out of state, where visits are less frequent. On occasion, former players who moved out of state have come back to visit family or friends and show up on a Sunday morning. They are always greeted as friends and given well wishes on their journeys back home and their new lives.

Diverse backgrounds

The camaraderie between these players of diverse backgrounds is astonishing. Jonas Alford talked about the reason he enjoys the games enough to drive from Eloy every week.

“You know, I work six days a week and look forward to this every day,” Jonas said. “We come out here, do our thing, get some cardio, some male bonding, and just have a real good time.” 

Jonas talked about the diversity of the group, how there are guys, like him, from the East Coast (Philadelphia), folks from the Midwest, others from California, and even a few souls from the great northern state, Alaska. 

Nearly every player has a different story for how they became part of the league, though the common theme seems to be word-of-mouth.
Alex Cruz was rollerblading one day and stopped to watch when someone asked if he wanted to play. He went home, got some shoes and came back out that same day.