Arizona Pop Warner North Association: NA Newsletter
What Is Pop Warner?
Pop Warner is the largest youth football, cheerleading and dance organization in the United States. It is also the only national youth sports organization to require satisfactory academic progress to participate.
What Is PWLS?
PWLS is the abbreviation for Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc., the legal name of the nonprofit organization known better as Pop Warner or Pop Warner Football.
How Big Is Pop Warner?
Pop Warner has leagues in 42 states, plus Japan, Russia, Germany and Mexico. Last season, over 350,000 boys and girls participated in Pop Warner.
How Do I Find Out If My Son/Daughter Can Play Flag/Tackle Football?
Pop Warner has stringent safety rules, one of which is an age-weight schematic. This system insures maximum safety, since players will be evenly matched in size and physical maturity. We'll be glad to let you know if you qualify by age and weight -- just by age for cheerleading. Pop Warner also has a "no-cut" rule, which means that tryouts aren't allowed. "First-come, first-on" is the way it works.
How Do I Find Out If My Son/Daughter Can Join Cheer/Dance?
Just as in Pop Warner football, there are no tryouts. The first to register make the squad, as long as their ages match our Rule Book divisions.
My Son/Daughter Isn't A Great Athlete... Will They Get To Play?
Along with prohibiting tryouts, Pop Warner also has a "Mandatory Play Rule", which stipulates that each team member must play every game. In fact, games may be stopped at the beginning of the fourth quarter to insert any players that haven't played the minimum number of plays so far.
How Do Teams/Squads Get To Regional Or National Championships?
Football Teams and Cheer/Dance Squads compete for the respective championships of their Leagues or Conferences. The League winners then compete for their Regional Championship (there are eight (8) Regions in the US). The Regional Champions in football, and the Regional Champions/Qualifying Champions in cheerleading and dance compete at the Pop Warner Super Bowl/National Championships usually held during the first week of December in Orlando, Florida
ABOUT COMPETITION RESULTS/REF'S CALLS
I Think The Refs/Judges Favor One Team - What Can I Do?
Officiating either football or cheerleading/dance is a series of judgments. In any given situation, some people will agree with the official's judgment, and others will disagree. One of the historical perspectives in sports is that the officials' calls stand, that they are final. In addition to the educational goals of a youth sports organization --discipline, determination, teamwork, etc. -- one of the other things children learn through sports is to deal with adversity. The star player gets sick, the ball takes a bad bounce or the official makes a call for the opposition. These types of situations happen in life, just as on the playing field. As painful as they may be at the time, they help teach that life still goes on.
ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS/DISPUTES
If I Have A Problem With A Local Team Member (child)?
If you have a problem with a local participant, talk to the coach privately & politely. Sometimes, he/she can help ease a problem. Too often, parents become emotionally wrapped up in a given situation and verbally attack anyone present, so please remember that the local coaches and administrators are volunteers, trying to do their best for the children involved.
If I Have A Problem With A Local Parent?
Just as with a participant problem, talk -- again, politely -- to the coach or association administrator, who may be able to help a difficult situation.
If I Have A Problem With A Local Coach?
Contact a Board Member of the Local Association and explain your concerns.
If I Have A Problem With A Local Association Administrator?
Contact the President/Commissioner of your League/Conference.
If I Have A Problem With A League Administrator?
Contact the Board of the League as a group, or, you may write a letter to the Pop Warner national office. The national office will forward a copy of the written complaint to the League and to the Regional Administrators and request a response.
If I Have A Problem With A Regional Administrator?
Forward a written outline of the problem/complaint to the Pop Warner national office. Telephone complaints will not receive any follow-up.
