LeiOut History

The idea to create the LeiOut tournament originated from a meeting by the local nonprofit organization LAOUT in 1998, in which everyone there agreed it was time to host a premiere Ultimate tournament in Los Angeles. Alex David brought up the Wildwood Beach Ultimate tournament (at the time it had only been around a couple of years in New Jersey). Everyone thought a beach tournament was a good idea so they decided to give it a shot. It would be the first such event on the West Coast, a pretty big accomplishment considering the newness of Beach Ultimate. They chose MLK Jr. weekend because of the Monday holiday and because it was before the club Ultimate season started. Canada Gordon volunteered to be TD. It took a lot of people to make it happen, but it was a success.

They named it LeiOut because they wanted a luau feel with BBQ and leis that first year. They tried the tournament initially at Dockweiller Beach and Zuma Beach before bringing it to Santa Monica Beach in the fourth year, where it stayed through 2017. There was experimentation and growing pains each year, but the name LeiOut and the general party vibe stuck.

Canada stepped down as TD after LeiOut 2004. In 2005, Brian Calle was appointed the new TD and subsequently helped propel the tournament to become one of the largest beach party tournaments in the world during his tenure. Brian continued to run the event through 2018 when LeiOut first moved to Huntington Beach–a (successful) move to get LeiOut’s notorious Saturday night party back on track. The event had become detached from and was run separately of LAOUT (though always relying on a core of volunteers from the community) for many years before Andy Bandit was handed the TD reins for LeiOut 2019. Andy ushered the event back under LAOUT’s wings, ensuring that all proceeds from the event would flow back into supporting local Ultimate.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to cancel LeiOut 2021. Grant Boyd took over as TD in 2021 to begin preparing LeiOut 2022, immediately forming a Health Advisory Committee comprised of a scientist as well as public health and equity experts to help guide the LeiOut organizing team. Amidst the arrival and surge of the Omicron variant — unexpectedly evading vaccines at alarming rates –, and at the strong recommendation of the Health Advisory Committee, LeiOut’s organizing team cancelled the 2022 event.

2023 & 2024 were a triumphant return to the beach party tournament we all love so dearly, LeiOut. With over 15 local staff and nearly 100 volunteers, the LeiOut team continues to grow the event as a fundraiser supporting both LAOUT (LA’s local adult nonprofit ultimate org) and Southern California Youth Ultimate (SCYU). Cheers to LeiOut’s past, and party on to LeiOut’s future!

Beee-ach won the 2/2 division in the first Lei Out in 2000.

Original Concept, 10/28/99