Fairfield’s Pop Warner debut came in June 1966. The Pop Warner program nationally was founded over 40 years earlier and named after the legendary college football coach Glen “Pop” Warner.  Lou Brodersen and Dr. Tom Christie, were two of the early leaders in establishing a youth football program in our town.  The Fairfield Kiwanis club joined in to be the first major sponsor to get the program off the ground.  The team was named the Fairfield Giants after the NFL NY Giants who held their summer training camp at Fairfield University.

It took the efforts of quite a “team” to get the Fairfield Giants off to a fast start in the early years including: Adrian Smith, Lou Bernstein, Jim Masiello, LeRoy Doar, Dick Smith, June Victor, Fred Campbell, Bill Lee, Lou Bailey, Bill Anderson, Joe Brosley, Clarence Cameron, Al Del Vecchio, Charlie Devore, John Lannon, Art Leary, Ed Liptak, Bob Shea, Al Skultety, Hank Smith, Bill Stokes, Bob Tarczali and Fern Tetreau.

Fairfield’s own legend First Selectman John J. Sullivan took the lead in providing town support for the program and in providing a field for the team to make “home.” The Sullivan Bowl and Sullivan Field were both named to honor his contribution and dedication to serving the youth of Fairfield and the Pop Warner program.

Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading is open to all youngsters from age 7 to 15.  This year almost 450 children will participate.  The players come from every school district and neighborhood in Fairfield.  There are over 1,000 families in town that support Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading and have benefited from their programs.

Kids compete with kids of similar age and size.  Pop Warner is the only youth football program (local, regional and national) that sets and enforces strict age and weight guidelines that reduce the risk and reality of injuries.  Over 360,000 children compete in Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading programs worldwide every year.

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. is the only national youth sports organization in America that requires its participants to perform adequately in the classroom before permitting them to play.  The standards are set to give our children a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for the academics and athletics that will help them develop later on in life.