POP WARNER FOOTBALL:
America's premiere youth football league gives kids from 5 to 14 years of age the opportunity to benefit from participation in the game of tackle and flag football in a positive, fun, and structured environment. Pop Warner programs teach fundamental values, skills and knowledge that young people will use throughout their lives, all while learning the game of football.
Objectives:
- To encourage and increase youth participation in football.
- To ensure a safer and positive playing environment for all participants.
- To instill life-long values of teamwork, dedication and a superior work ethic in the classroom and on the playing field.
Positive Experiences:
- Pop Warner programs have no tryouts or cutting of rosters.
- Everyone participates under mandatory rules of play.
- On-field coaching is allowed for younger age levels.
- Individual awards are given only for academic excellence, not for on-field activities.
Safe Playing Environment:
- There are strict mandatory equipment requirements.
- Pop Warner provides Coaching Clinics and Risk Management Training.
- An enforced national rule book incorporates time-tested rules.
- A full-time executive staff supports all local associations and assists in sound policy creation.
SAFETY FIRST:
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.
Pop Warner places value on safety measures that make a difference. That’s why we have also done things in football like reduce contact to 25% of practice time, eliminate kickoffs for our youngest divisions and require that any player who suffers a suspected head injury receive medical clearance from a concussion specialist before returning to play.
WHY THERE ARE NO PERSONAL STATISTICS:
Pop Warner exists to use football, cheerleading, dance and a respect for education to develop strong, smart, responsible, healthy young men and women. We give them experiences that build their appreciation for and understanding of leadership, teamwork, and discipline.
While individual statistics may be more common, particularly among older football players, Pop Warner only recognizes the athletic accomplishments of the team, not the individual. We don't track personal tallies of touchdowns or yards rushing per game. We don't count sacks or blocked kicks. We applaud the athletic efforts of the team to reinforce the importance of teamwork, with each member.
We don't try to build stars. We don't want to over-inflate a young ego, nor do we want to risk injuring the self-esteem of a young person. Whether our kids have good days or bad, they are still an integral part of our team…and always will be.