Last year’s winner of the Fantasy Football League returned the “Winckenbach” trophy at this year’s second annual draft party.
Sun City West resident John Spain started this Fantasy Football League in the community in 2025, and now it has evolved into more than just a league.
Spain, also known as “The Comish,” invited 12 complete strangers to come together and start a league. Ten men and two women make up this league that hosts a traditional “old school draft.” Everyone is there together and as the draft order proceeds, owners place their pick on the board.
“The old-fashioned draft is the we used to do it up in Colorado. Everyone gets to see who you picked and we get to trash talk each other,” said owner Teresa Broaddus.
She and the other woman in the league stick together, according to Broaddus and said they have all become close friends. She said it has been a blast to get to know the other owners and not just the team name.
Chris Miller, “Slotbacks” owner, won the league last year, which included $400.
Miller has been competing in a league with friends for 35 years who complete their draft in Las Vegas and after learning this league was starting last year, he knew he had to join.
“What has been awesome outside of the league is all the times we get together throughout the season. We watch games together, and John sets up trips, event poker games and all of our spouses are included,” said Miller.
Miller said with everyone in the league with different backgrounds and coming from different areas, everyone roots for a specific team and has different interests and perspectives.
“We’ve had a group outing to Apache Lake, an event at Turf Paradise, NFL gatherings, and an end-of-the-year awards party featuring an auction and league awards. This year we are also planning a Murder Mystery Weekend in Christopher Creek and our annual Christmas drive-in movie party,” said Spain.
He said this year, the owner who finishes at the bottom of the standings will have to build and host “The Loser Lemonade Stand” somewhere in Sun City West and raise a minimum of $100. The proceeds will go directly to the Sun City West Posse.
“Fantasy football is really just the excuse. Somewhere along the way, we became a family. We take the Winkenbach seriously — ourselves, not so much,” said Spain.
Owner Chris Waller said the commissioner is over the top in a great way with every event, t-shirts, prizes and posters. He said this league is a great “throw back” to what he did 20 years ago on draft night.
Waller said they started as just 12 individuals and now he said there are 12 friends and their spouses are friends.
As the league continues, the group will continue to watch games at Lizard Acres Pub in the community and hope to one day have the Sun City West Fantasy Football League flag hanging inside.
Reporter Jennifer Jimenez can be reached at jjimenez@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
In 2020, Jennifer Jimenez began working for Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA. She began her career as a sports reporter in Peoria and Glendale, covering the very same schools she used to compete at. During this time, she also worked for television news, magazines and sports radio stations.
Community: Jennifer is a member of the Hall of Fame at Peoria High School where she graduated in 2001, alongside her father Joe Hernandez. She serves youth soccer players as a pro-trainer and coach.
Education: Grand Canyon University 2005 B.A. Liberal Arts
Ranom Fact: She has a street named after her in south Peoria “Jennifer Rose Court.”
Hobbies: Country dancing, coaching soccer, teaching private swim lessons and running are things she does for fun.
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