SPORTS : Southern California Storm Is Brewing in San Dimas

The season opener is a just over a week away and Troy West is still searching for a few brave souls--preferably those not averse to taking a hit.

West is on the lookout for tough, seasoned running backs. High school, community college, college and pro players need not apply unless former precedes those designations.

West, 33, is the coach of the San Dimas-based Southern California Storm, a San Gabriel Valley-area semipro football team that will be competing in the newly formed California Football League this fall.

The six-team league begins its schedule Sept. 10 when the Storm travels to Cantwell-Sacred Heart High in Montebello to play the Montebello Panthers.

“In semipro football, if you can run the ball, you can win,” said West, a Covina High graduate who played defensive back at Mt. San Antonio College, USC and in the United States Football League. “But you can also win with a good quarterback and a group of players that work together. That’s what we have right now . . . but we’re always looking.”

The Storm is the latest incarnation of a team that was started by Larry Stephens, a Covina resident who owns a company that installs warehouse storage systems. West, an employee of the company, has never played for the team but has served as coach for three years. The team most recently competed in the Southern California Football League before joining the CFL for its inaugural season.

The Storm, which provides uniforms to 50 players and does not charge a fee to participate, will play in a league that includes the Panthers, the Orange County Cowboys, San Bernardino Blitz, Antelope Valley Crusaders and Ventura County Warriors. Teams will play a 10-game schedule in hopes of qualifying for the Minor League Football Assn. playoffs.

The Storm has been practicing three times a week at Chaffey High but is in search for a site at which to play home games. “It looks like we might be a road team all season,” Stephens said.

West, a West Covina resident, said this year’s team has 55 players of all shapes, sizes and experience levels.

“Most of the guys played in high school, but some played at major colleges and (community colleges),” West said. “We usually have a nucleus of about 25 guys who come to all the practices and games. Then we have some stragglers who can only make a Saturday practice. And then there are guys that just come out for the games.

“It’s a challenge to coach them because everyone is coming from a different background, but it’s fun.”

In years past, the Storm has employed the run-and-shoot and a one-back running offense. This season, they will once again attempt a pass-oriented attack.

Paul Rodriguez, who played at New Mexico-Highlands and was invited to camp with the Phoenix Cardinals this season, will start at quarterback.

“We’re going to try and run a (San Francisco)) 49er-type offense,” West said. “Real quick timing patterns. It’s quick to teach but can be confusing to a defense because you can run the same play five times in a row but out of different sets.”

West said the Storm finished 12-3 last season but lost in the first round of the playoffs. Not surprisingly, the defeat came against Fresno, the dominant team in California.

“Most semipro teams are probably about the level of an average (community college),” West said. “But in Fresno they can really play. Usually, the road in the playoffs stops in Fresno.”

The Storm hopes to get over the first-round playoff hump this year. West said the team has enough talented players to possibly make it happen.

“The offensive line is there, and the defense will always be solid,” he said. “But we need a running back or two.

“They have to catch up to what we’re doing, but we welcome anyone who wants to give it a shot. A lot of guys come out and say they want to run the ball, but then they get hit a little bit and change their minds.”