SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego American Flag Football League (SDAFFL) is gearing up for another season of "SoCal style gridiron action" and is welcoming new men and women into their ranks.

The season kick-off activities, which began last weekend with the annual pub crawl, will continue this weekend with Rookie Camps for prospective players this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 22-23.

SDAFFL is one of California's premier 7-on-7 flag football leagues, and is one of the largest such leagues in the nation. Last year, the league included 12 teams with over 170 players participating.

Former NBA MVP Charles Barkley took time out during a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before Monday's Celtics-Magic game to speak out against antigay discrimination.

He said: "You know, people try to make it about black and white. He talked about equality for every man, every woman. We have a thing going on now — people discriminating against homosexuality in this country. I love the homosexual people. God bless the gay people. They are great people."

Holiday cheer is giving way to competitive fire in San Diego’s LGBT community, as two of the largest, most-active sports leagues are gearing up for their Spring 2011 seasons.

In the coming weeks, both flag football and softball will be organizing player recruitment drives and setting team rosters for what they both hope will be their biggest seasons yet.

Football

The 2011 season of the San Diego American Flag Football League (SDAFFL) is set to begin Saturday, March 12.

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Derby Dolls will be launching yet another season of aggressive, raucous, edge-of-your seat fun this weekend, when the "Hard Corps" take on the LA Sirens at Wyland Hall at the Del Mar fairgrounds.

The event is open to all ages and doors open at 6 p.m.

Roller Derby has been around for over a century and has seen a myriad of changes over the years. In the 50's and 60's the sport became more like WWF wrestling, with the players staging over-the-top dramatics on the track.