On August 17, after a baseball practice, seven players from an Orcutt Youth Football team were playing together using football pads at Righetti High School, surrounded by their parents, who also serve as assistant coaches on the team. It was not a sanctioned practice and head coach John DeMarco was at home.
To those on the field, it was simply kids playing. But the Central Coast Youth Football League saw it differently.
[The Central Coast Youth Football League] sent out the email to Orcutt Youth Football League and as well as my client, Mr. DeMarco, with some very heavy-handed sanctions and a proposed indefinite ban, said Amber Simmons, DeMarco’s attorney.
A video of the kids playing was sent to the CCYFL, which resulted in an initial ban of DeMarco, suspensions for the players and coaches, and the entire chapters removal from participating in any All-Star competition this season.
According to a statement by CCYFL President Paco Maldonado, “OYFL was placed on probation as a result of numerous violations that occurred during the 2024 season and post-season.”
After reviewing the video, it was deemed a violation of a CCYFL bylaw that states, Any team found practicing on Saturday or Sunday will receive an automatic suspension for the season and a chapter fine $250.
Maldonado said, These activities are unmistakably those of an organized football practice. They are not consistent with ‘private recreational activities with friends,’ nor are they akin to a pickup game, touch football with other youth players and their parents, or a father and son tossing a ball in their backyard.
Simmons disagrees.
That’s not a practice. That was kids who wanted to play. And why did it take place at Righetti? Because they were already there,” she said.
Simmons also claims that Maldonado faced similar accusations for one of his chapter’s teams practicing outside of scheduled practice time back in 2023, yet there was no punishment.
DeMarco has filed a lawsuit against the CCYFL.
Since the initial sanctions were handed down, DeMarcos ban has been reduced to five years, the players are allowed to play games again but they wont count, and all but one coach is allowed at games and practices.
We’re here for the kids,” OYFL Board Member Joshua Anaya said. “That’s the whole point of this league in the first place, you know? So if we’re out here, the kids can’t play or coaches can’t coach. It’s just, it makes it difficult to be there for the kids.
On Sunday, the Orcutt Youth Football Chapter held a meeting to discuss the situation, which has resulted in seven of its members resigning and two being voted off in the past few weeks.
Newly appointed president Reshmi Sarin explained in a phone call that they have established a new board, retaining four of the resigned members, and that the new leadership team is committed to transparency, accountability and most importantly keeping our kids on the field.
It’s absolutely unfair to him and to our overall community. We just want to let the kids play,” Simmons stated.
The first scheduled court date for the lawsuit is early February 2026; however, DeMarco and his attorney are seeking a preliminary injunction in the meantime to allow him to finish the season without any sanctions.
The league is currently in the middle of its season.