Pop Warner

About Pop Warner

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🏈 The Largest Youth Football, Cheer & Dance Program in the World 🏈

Pop Warner is a non-profit organization that promotes youth football, cheer, and dance programs for participants in several states and countries worldwide. With approximately 325,000 youth participants ranging from ages 5 to 16, Pop Warner is the largest youth football, cheer, and dance program in the world. The organization is committed to fostering athletic and academic excellence by ensuring scholastic achievement remains a core component of participation.

Pop Warner football was founded in 1929 by Joseph J. Tomlin as a four-team conference in Northeast Philadelphia. Since its inception, participation has steadily increased, with over 225,000 youths participating in Pop Warner-sanctioned football programs in 2021. The organization continues to expand its visibility, outreach, and efforts to develop well-rounded young athletes.

The Pop Warner Mission

To enable young people to benefit from participation in team sports and activities in a structured environment. Through this active participation, Pop Warner programs teach fundamental values, skills and knowledge that young people will use throughout their lives, while emphasizing the importance of academic success.

The Pop Warner Way

We promote a welcoming and development-focused environment:

No Tryouts or Roster Cuts: Every child has an opportunity to participate.

Mandatory Play Rules: Every player receives game time to ensure equal opportunities for growth.

On-Field Coaching: Allowed at younger age levels to provide guidance and encouragement.

Academic Awards: Individual recognition is based on academic achievement rather than athletic performance.

We prioritize safety through structured programs and policies:

Flexible League Structures: Teams can structure programs based on age and weight or opt for an age-only format, which 75-80% of youth football programs nationwide follow.

Practice Contact Limits: Contact is limited to 25% of practice time to minimize injury risks.

Kickoff Eliminations: The youngest divisions do not have kickoffs to reduce high-impact plays.

Concussion Protocols: Any player suspected of having a head injury must receive medical clearance from a concussion specialist before returning to play.
Mandatory Equipment Standards: Strict equipment requirements ensure player safety.

Coaching & Risk Management Training: Pop Warner provides clinics and training to coaches to reinforce safe playing techniques.

Little Scholars

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is the only national youth sports organization in America that requires its participants to perform adequately in the classroom before permitting them to play.

We believe that the standards we have set give these children a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for academics and athletics that will help them develop later in life. Each Pop Warner athlete must submit the prior years report card by the first practice (children in 1st grade or higher). A 2.0 /70% GPA or the equivalent must be achieved to participate. In cases where a player did not qualify in the previous year, they will need to submit a current year Scholastic Eligibility Form and provide a progress report or report card showing eligibility. If the child still does not qualify they will not be eligible to play in the current season and no refund will be granted.

Each year, the most academically accomplished Pop Warner kids compete for Academic All-American status.

The Pop Warner All-American Program requires a minimum 96% grade point average to apply. Year round community service is required to place. After the applications have been processed, Pop Warner determines National First Team All-Americans (35 football, 35 cheer per grade), National Second Team All-Americans and National Honorable Mention Scholars. First team All-Americans in 7th grade and above are awarded college scholarships ranging in amounts to as high as $5000. This scholarship money is donated by our national sponsors and the NFL.

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. - YouTube