AFA National Director Dies
Bill Williams passed away this week....

The MCFFU recently learned Flag football pioneer Bill Williams passed away this week. Details of his death and funeral arrangements are not yet known but when this information becomes available the MCFFU will post it on the website. In the meantime your thoughts, prayers and condolences to his family will be greatly appreciated.

Mr. Williams’ flag football legacy within the Western part of the United States will live as long as the game remains strong. He was the first person who dared to venture on his own and start an organization that serviced the Central and Western parts of this country. Within three years of existence, the American Football Association’s National Championships in Las Vegas attracted teams from as far East as New York and up North to Canada. His ingenuity to incorporate more safety into the game so all could enjoy without worry for serious injury further increased membership and competition. He was the first out of any organization to host a “National” in a warm climate environment at a time of year that did not threaten family holidays. If you’re up to speed with your flag football history, all major “Nationals” were conducted in (this order) St. Louis, Columbus and Chicago during Thanksgiving weekend prior to it moving to Orlando.

Needless to say those environments were not conducive to recreational sports at that time of year but also paled in comparison to off-field activities offered in Vegas. It was a brilliant marketing strategy to enhance the largest flag football event ever held on the left coast and it worked. It is also why many of you on the East enjoy the warm and comfortable confinements in Florida. Many of your Eastern brethrens were attracted to the bright lights, warm weather and serious competition in Vegas, as it was a combination a smart thinking person could not resist. So yes, he affected your game, as you know it today.

Many of us had encounters with “Mr. Williams”, some were bad and some were good, some of you agreed with him, some of you disagreed with him, nonetheless he took the time to individually attend to all matters concerning his services. He made sure he attended all of his tournaments and did not pass any responsibilities on to his staff. His yearly tour was not always successful or consistently competitive as others but what he did do was provide a venue to compete on an interstate level. Prior to the AFA existence we did not have that opportunity. He was a man that stood by his word and acted on behalf of both the AFA and the customers it serviced.

As you may have read on the MCFFU website, I personally wrote several articles regarding the AFA and its way of doing business. I hereby stand by those articles 100% because that is what I truly believe, but as I said to “Mr. Williams” the last time we spoke, “it’s strictly business.” After 14 years of loyal patronage of his services, it was time I moved on to other opportunities that offered my team new challenges to keep us growing. I do not regret my business decision. However I do regret not solidifying our friendship prior to my parting with the AFA. Bill and I share many stories as we occupied the same office space in Denver when he was the National Director for the N.F.L. “Air-it-out” tournament in 1993. From that point on we developed a pretty good friendship that had us calling each other at least every other month just to talk, not necessarily about football either. He’d ask about my family and I about his, we’d discuss my work, politics and life in general. He used to feel so bad for my Gambler teams because for three years straight we were beaten on the last play in the semi-final game, he used to call us the prettiest bridesmaids he’d ever met.

In result of those heartbreaking defeats he created a special one-time award called the “Ed Gaston Sportsmanship Award.” It was what he called the “AFA good guy award”; I called it the pity award and wondered aloud why he just didn’t name it after me. He would always buy me a few drinks after the “Nationals” Friday Night kick-off meetings and he accepted my apologies for cursing at him for conducting 2004’s National meeting at 6 a.m. Saturday morning. I was drunk and left “Club Rain” at the Palm and went straight to the fields with my waivers, it was cold, dark and senseless to the common sense person. We ended up winning the whole dang thing that year.

But as I know Bill, he would have told me I didn’t have to solidify anything with him, our friendship is stronger than that and he wishes me well. With that, if for whatever reason, some time down the road I had left the “U” and returned to the AFA, “Mr. Williams” would have greeted me with open arms, right after my Saturday 7:00 and 8:30 a.m. games against Swarm and whatever top ranked team that entered the tournament. “Mr. Williams” would have made sure he said good-bye after our first round loss on Sunday. But Bill would have called me first thing that Tuesday to let me know who won the Championship. That was our relationship, business and friends, not necessarily in that order.

Bill Williams, a beloved family man, stringent businessman and a friend to some of us, all who encountered you will miss you.

R.I.P.!!!!!!!

Because of his contribution to flag football in the West, the MCFFU Western Conference Championships and Trophies will be named after Bill Williams. Proceeds from a yet to be determined tournament will be shared with the Williams family. Further details will be announced when available.