Ryan Sarna has made a name for himself the last few years in the flag football community, but these days he’s more interested in something he’d like to tackle.
This week Sarna was named the new head football coach at Benicia High School, replacing Scott Swartz, who decided to step down after a year at the helm. Swartz had replaced longtime head coach Craig Holden last year.
“I’m excited to run this program and cast a vision that goes way beyond Xs and Os,” Sarna said on Friday. “I have a lot in store and I want to make Benicia High a destination school not just football wise, but character wise as well.”
Sarna, the grandson of former Hogan High athletic director and current Vallejo Sports Hall of Famer Ed Sarna, is best known lately for starting The Coach Sarna NFL Flag Football League in Vallejo in 2021. In just three years, the Sarna League has grown from 130 youth, including boys and girls, to an estimated 2,000 youth and 130-plus coaches participating this fall. The Coach Sarna NFL Flag Football League has nominated for three national awards by the NFL in two years, including Best New League in the nation in 2022 and Top Overall League in the nation in 2023.
“Coach Sarna’s coaching philosophy is to develop character and accountability in his players so that they can be their best selves on and off the field. It’s his desire to help them grow as young men, as students, and as athletes,” a statement from Benicia High Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt read. “The Panthers welcome Coach Sarna to their program, where he will work with many returning coaches at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshman levels, as well as a large roster of talented student-athletes.”
Sarna replaces Swartz, who previously coached for the San Francisco 49ers, Oregon State University, San Jose State University, Northern Arizona University, and other high school programs. Swartz took the place of Holden in May 2023 after Holden resigned earlier that year after leading the football program for 23 years and the athletic department for 18 years.
“I love the kids and the school,” Swartz told the Times-Herald on Tuesday. “I went to the middle school and came back here. It’s been a rough two years. In this current climate I decided to focus on teaching and not return as the head football coach. I have been at Benicia High School since 2015, I love Benicia and I care about all the students.”
Sarna said the head coaching job came quickly and as a “surprise.”
“I didn’t really know I would be involved until my son, who is in seventh grade, said he wanted to go to Benicia High School,” Sarna said. “At that point I looked to offer my services in whatever way was needed. My expertise is dealing with quarterbacks but I was asked to join at EDJOIN jobs. I got a call from Benicia Athletic Director Justin Koeppen who told me they were looking for someone to run the entire program. I wasn’t expecting that and I had to think about it. But I am a man of faith and something in my heart, something told me that I knew the Lord was opening a door for me.”
Two weeks later after an interview with Koeppen and Kleinschmidt, Sarna was offered the job and took it.
“It’s pretty cool because I become a third-generation head coach,” Sarna said. “I think the future is bright at Benicia.”
Although Sarna has had a lot of success with flag football, he did say some parts of the game will be an adjustment at the high school level, while other aspects won’t be.
“I’m a big student of the game and a lot of the passing schemes I use in flag football and 7-on-7s, comes from tackle football,” Sarna said. “The movement in the pocket by the quarterback is different in tackle football, and the roles of the offensive and defensive lines are obviously different.
“But I’m looking to develop good, solid young men in this program,” Sarna continued. “If we do that, winning will follow as well.”
Benicia went 2-8 last year and 0-6 in the Diablo Athletic League. The Panthers are slated to begin the new season against old Solano County Athletic Conference foe Vallejo on Aug. 30 at Benicia.
