Registration FAQ

Question: What are the Registration Fees?

The registration fee for 2020 Football: $250 and Cheerleading: $300. Sibling discounts available as well. The registration fee covers all costs including football equipment or cheer uniforms. There are no equipment rental costs for participants.

Question:  We paid the registration, but have changed our minds, sustained an injury, or decided that we no longer want to play.  Can we get a refund?

We have a strict no-refund policy.  Once registered, the spot on the roster was taken and becomes unavailable for others that want to participate.  Once paid, no refunds will be given. 

Question: Are the rosters limited?

Yes, it is VERY important to register early. There are maximum limits that apply to all teams & squads.

Question: What documents do I need to provide for registration?

In order to complete your child’s registration, the following items are required:

·         Full payment of registration fees by July 1st.

·         Registration Forms by April/May registration.

·         No Refund Form by April/May registration.

·         Copy of a valid Birth Certificate by July equipment pick-up day.

·         3 copies of a FULL most recent report card – must include the full school year or multiple report cards if the child attended multiple schools by July equipment pick-up day.

·         Originally signed Pop Warner Parent/Player Contract by July equipment pick-up day.

·         Originally signed Pop Warner Physical Form – the physical must be dated in the current calendar year by July equipment pick-up day.

All forms can be found in the Documents and Forms section of our site.

Question: Are there tryouts?

No, there are no tryouts in Pop Warner. All kids that are registered completely and accepted are added to the roster.

Question: When will we receive football equipment or Cheer uniform and pride pack?

Equipment distribution day is in July. Each child must complete 10 hours or practice before they are able to practice with equipment/pads or stunt. Each parent will be asked to sign an Equipment Return policy that explains the parent’s responsibility for returning the equipment after the season.

Question: Are there any special scholastic requirements for my child to participate?

Yes. All participants must have valid report cards for the ENTIRE previous school year showing at least a 2.0 GPA or Pass in a pass/fail system. Report card for only half of the year is considered incomplete – your child must have a report card for the entire year. If your child did not achieve a 2.0 GPA or is home schooled and does not have an accredited status report showing grades then the child may still register and participate but will be required to provide status reports during the school year starting on Sep. 15.

 

Games & Practices FAQ

Question: How many games are there?

We are anticipating at least 9 games for each age level. There is one preseason game and then 8 regular season games. We are hopeful that we can get at least one post-season game in addition to the 9 scheduled games for each team. The first game is typically in late August.  Typically there are four home games and four away games.

Question: Where are the practices and home games held and what are the expected date/times?

All practices and home games are typically held at Hagerty High School. Pop Warner is a big commitment. Our practice this year will begin August 3rd with practices being held 4 days a week until August 17th and then we will switch to 3 days a week.  Practices run from 5:45-8:15pm. After Labor Day they will go from 5:45 to 8:00. The game times will vary from week to week, but most of the game days start with the youngest teams at 9am with each game starting approximately 90 minutes after the prior game starts. 9am, 10am, 11:00am, 1pm, 3:00pm is a typically game day starting with the youngest team (6U). The practice schedule and game schedule may be found on our website after the season begins. The first day of practice will be Monday August 3rd.

Question: How many teams are there in Hagerty Youth Football League and does each team play at a different location on a given week?

There are five levels of teams each with a specific age. All five of our teams play at the same location each week with the only exception being for post-season bowl or playoff games. Post-season games will vary by team in terms of date and location.

Question: Is transportation available to take my child to away games?

No – it is the parent’s responsibility to provide for or find transportation for the participant to all Pop Warner events including practices and games. Pop Warner rules do not allow any staff member including coaches, team moms, etc… to transport a participant.

Question: Are there any special requirements of the cheerleaders or parents of cheerleaders?

Yes. The two young cheer squads have a post-season exhibition event that is a week after the end of the regular season. The four older squads will have competitions, possibly going to Regionals which is held on Thanksgiving weekend and they could go as late as Nov/Dec timeframes and could require overnight travel and/or special fundraising efforts.

 Question: Is my child guaranteed playing time for football games?

Yes, all football players will play a minimum of 8 or more plays per game depending on the size of the roster during game day. It is our goal to play as many players as we can. However, as with any football program some kids will play more plays than other kids on the same team. Kids are encouraged to work hard during practice to earn playing time and starting positions.

Question: Where are the away games played?

We may not have a schedule provided to us until md summer, but some of the games could be over an hour away.

 

Scholastic FAQ

Question: Who is eligible for the Scholar All-American Program?

You need to meet the following criteria in order to be considered for the Scholar All-American Program:
1. Currently be in 5th Grade or higher for the current Pop Warner Season
2. Have a 96% Grade Point Average (GPA) from your previous school year’s report card.
3. Have a Complete Full-Year’s Report Card from your previous school year to prove eligibility.
4. Completely fill out the All-American Application which included addendum

Question: What do I need to do if I am eligible for the Scholar All-American Program?

This will differ a little from program to program. You should contact your local program once practice begins (August 3) to see when the paperwork is due, and whom you need to submit everything to.

Question: How are the applications graded once submitted to Nationals?

Once Pop Warner National receives the applications from each Region in early January, they come up with a score for each participant based on his/her GPA and the addendum score. NOTE, addendums are graded based on a scoring system that Pop Warner National has developed and had evaluated by several professionals in the educations system. National does no release these criteria to anyone outside of our office because we want keep the competition fair and equal for all participants.

Question: What is the difference between First Team, Second Team, and Honorable Mention All-American?

A First Team All-American is one of the top 35 football players or top 35 cheerleaders for his/her grade nationwide. A Second Team All-American consists of those scholars who are above an annually increasing final score (GPA + addendum), ranging last year from about 101 -108. An Honorable Mention Scholar in 2008 had a final score between 96-101.

Question: What is an Honorable Mention All-American Scholar?

We feel that everyone who meets the criteria for All-American consideration should be rewarded for his/her academic success. If you meet this criteria and your application was turned in to us, then you will be an Honorable Mention Scholar if you miss out on Second Team.

Question: If my son/daughter makes First Team for his/her region, league or association, are they automatically a National First Team All-American?

No, Regional, League and/or Association recognition is separate from National recognition. You must understand that while someone makes First Team at the Region Level, he/she is competing against the whole nation at the National Level.

Question: When will I find out if I am an All-American Scholar?

Every year we make the announcement on www.popwarner.com on or before April 1st. We also mail out a packet to each scholar containing a Certificate of Achievement, Scholar Recognition Letter, an invitation to the National Scholar Banquet which is typically held each Memorial Day Weekend.

Question: Who is eligible to attend the Scholar Awards Banquet in May?

Every Scholar is invited to attend, whether they are First Team, Second Team or Honorable Mention. We hold this event annually to recognize all of our incredible scholars and to honor leaders in the sports community.

Question: What is an All-American Senior Scholar and are they the only ones eligible for scholarships at the Awards Program in May?

An All-American Senior Scholar is a First Team recipient in grades 8 and above. Yes, they are the only Scholar All-Americans who are eligible for scholarship at the National Levels. As the National Pop Warner Scholarship Fund grows we are hoping to offer more scholarships to all of our participant’s grade levels. Pop Warner Leagues and Regions often hold separate scholastic banquets, and may award scholarships to any participants based upon their pre-determined criteria.

Question: How big of a deal is it to be named as a Pop Warner All-American Scholar?

An extremely big deal! If your son/daughter is recognized as a Pop Warner All-American Scholar, then he/she is amongst the top 1% of all Pop Warner participants. They are also eligible to attend our Awards Recognition Program held annually which commemorates their achievements on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

Question: What is the All-American National Tribute like?

The Tribute sessions are held on Friday night and Saturday morning depending on the scholars grade level. This event can be compared to a graduation ceremony as each scholar will be called up onto the stage and recognized for their scholastic efforts. The tribute also features a motivational speaker who speaks for 10-15 minutes and an exciting raffle at the end of the event.

Question: What is the All-American National Banquet like?

This can only be described as one of the premier events on the Pop Warner calendar. This event usually draws 2,000 people and during the event our Senior Scholar First Team Scholarships are presented, each regions scholars are recognized, and our National awards are handed out to some of today’s brightest sports stars. The event includes dinner and lasts around 3 hours. At the end of the banquet all of the scholars in attendance are invited to come up and get autographs from our award winners.

Question: What is the Banquet Dress Code?

On a normal Banquet year, we ask that the scholars wear dress pants, dress shirt and dress shoes for the men and a skirt, dress or dress pants for the women. Ties and jackets are always welcome but not required to attend. For our 50th anniversary in Philadelphia, the event will be Black Tie Optional. For this event please no shorts, t-shirts, sneakers, jerseys or flip flops.

 

Volunteer Opportunities FAQ

Question: Can I sign-up to be a coach or team mom?

Yes, but do so early in the registration season. It’s recommended that you apply to be an Assistant Coach or Team mom in the early spring so that required training may be attended. In order to participate as a staff member criminal background checks are required as well as Pop Warner training which will consist of at least a four-hour class in Orlando in the May/June timeframe.  You must register online through HagertyPopWarner.com to be a volunteer.

Question: How else can I help?

Parents are required to do 2 hour volunteer hours per parent. If you would like to opt out you may pay a $75 opt out fee. Volunteer opportunities include but are not limited to:

·         Concessions

·         Merchandise sales

·         Game announcing

·         Cookie dough pick-up coordination

·         Homecoming team basket fundraiser

·         Chains