Why Choose Pop Warner?
More than just athletes! – Pop Warner is the only national youth sports organization in America that requires its participants to perform adequately in the classroom before permitting them to play.
Little Scholars Program – Pop Warner is the only national youth sports organization in America that rewards its members for their outstanding performance in the classroom.
Stability – Pop Warner is the oldest national youth football and cheerleading organization in the world. Founded in 1929 by Joe Tomlin, we now have over 120 leagues and over 325,000 members.
Pop Warner National Championships – Each year, Pop Warner hosts the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships. For the past 11 years, the event has taken place at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex™ at Disney World. More than 300 cheer and dance squads and 72 football teams compete for the right to be crowned Pop Warner National Champion.
College Scholarships - Each year, we award scholarships for higher education to the most deserving students in our highest grade levels. Pop Warner is proud to have awarded over $1.35M in scholarships since 1993!
Mandatory Play Requirements – Everyone participates under mandatory rules of play, so every child is guaranteed to play.
Team Structure – Leagues have options with how to structure their program. While leagues can continue the current structure where a player is placed in a division based on his or her age and weight they may also instead choose to register players based on age only. Currently, an estimated 75-80% of youth football nationally follows an age-only structure.
Volunteers & Coaches – We have over 40,000 volunteers and coaches that are being trained every year to offer the best and safest programs for you and your children.
It all starts here – The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) estimates that between 60% and 70% of all NFL players began their careers playing Pop Warner Football.
Background Checks – Pop Warner programs nationwide are required to annually conduct a background check of Coaches, Board of Directors members and any other persons, volunteers or hired workers, who provide regular service to the league and/or have repetitive access to, or contact with, players and/or spirit participants. The purpose of these background checks is, first and foremost, to protect the children.
Concussion Prevention & Awareness – In addition to its more stringent return to play concussion rules, Pop Warner took the lead in youth sports by creating a Medical Advisory Board. The Board was created to ensure Pop Warner remains proactive on all medical issues that affect youth sports, particularly football and cheerleading, with a primary focus on prevention and proper identification and treatment of concussions, hydration awareness, proper nutrition guidelines, and general health and safety issues.
Coaching Education Programs –The safety of our athletes is always the top priority and that is why we provide extensive training for all our football and cheer & dance coaches.
National Rule Book – Each Pop Warner Region, League and Association receive free National rule books for their organizations.
Administrative Manual – Each Pop Warner Region, League and Association receive free National Administrative Manuals, designed to keep each League and Association current on all administrative matters, as well as to facilitate the daily operational management of those local organizations.
Coaches and Adult Codes of Conduct – All coaches, football and spirit participants must abide by a Code of Conduct which includes several provisions. If any of these rules are broken, the League shall have the authority to impose a penalty.
For a full list of Pop Warner program benefits, please Click Here.
