1.  I’ve heard that Pop Warner travels much further to games than the other youth football league.  Is this true?

A:  Comparing the Pop Warner 2008 PeeWee team to the other league’s 2008 PeeWee team revealed that  Pop Warner traveled a whopping 3.2 miles further on average to games.  So, yes it is true…but not significant.  

2.  My player is new to football and I’m wondering how much playing time he can expect.

A:  Pop Warner minimum play is determined by how many players are on the roster.  The more players the less mandatory play time.  That is another reason we keep our rosters limited.  The minimum Pop Warner play time is between 6 and 12 plays, every game (even playoffs), and special teams plays do not count.  Minimum play in the other league is only 4 plays, only during regular season, and special teams count toward the minimum (with only very limited exceptions).

3.  Tackle football looks so rough.  Am I exposing my child to a greater risk of injury playing Pop Warner?

A:  Don’t confuse NFL football with youth football.  The size and speeds are vastly different and so are the injury statistics.  Statistics (insert hyperlink here) show that  Pop Warner football has significantly less injuries than soccer.  Pop Warner also uses an age and weight matrix that strictly divides players into teams that allow them to compete against other players of similar maturity and size.  The other youth league only classifies teams by age, allowing the potential for large size mismatches and greater likelihood of injury.  Occasionally a player cannot fit into the Pop Warner matrix, but we believe that it is better to err on the side of safety than be all-inclusive.

4.  What can I expect from Pop Warner coaching?

A:  All of our Head Coaches have years of experience coaching youth football.  Pop Warner also mandates hours of additional safety and technique training at the Regional (not local) level.  Not only do Head Coaches receive formal training but also all assistant coaches as well.  In fact, anyone who is allowed on the field of play is required to receive formal training and wear a badge whenever  volunteering around our youth.  This is vastly different from the other youth league where there is no formal training for anyone, and head coaches are given a copy of the rulebook and "strongly advised" to attend a local clinic.

5.  I'm worried that my child's schoolwork will suffer.

A:  Pop Warner strongly emphasizes academics and has a wonderful scholarship program (hyperlink to scholars) honoring our student-athletes.  All players are required to submit formal report cards and update them through the season.  A 2.0 GPA is required to play – no exceptions.  Our highest achievers are honored at banquets after the season and are eligible to win thousands of dollars in scholarships.

6.  When does the season start and end?

A:  The Pop Warner 2008 preseason began Aug 1 and regular season ended October 18.  The first week or so is strictly monitored so that the players can receive proper conditioning before putting on pads.  After that is a couple of weeks of practice culminating in a Jamboree game of short scrimmages against a couple of other local teams.  Then an 8 game regular season.  That’s 11 weeks of football.  Other youth leagues began last season July 1 and regular season ended November 15.  That’s 18 weeks of tackle football minimum.  We believe that is too much football for a young scholar athlete.

7.  How is the Pop Warner Age/Weight matrix better than other systems for keeping young players safe and competitive?

A:  Pop Warner divisions are strictly divided by weight and age.  You can see the matrix elsewhere on the website.  These rules allow players to compete against players of similar maturity and size,  greatly decreasing the chance of injury and allowing the players to have more competitive parity.

Other youth leagues allow teams to use “unlimited players”.  These are players who fall within the age limit, but are outside the standard weight limit.  These players are restricted as to which position they can play, but are still capable of a significant mismatch with a smaller player greatly increasing the chance of injury.