History
FAQ
| Frequently Asked Questions |
Check this page for quick answers you may have regarding football in general, Pop Warner
Rules or just to understand better about the way the Panther's work.
I. General questions asked about football.
1. Q: At what age should kids start playing football?
A: There are many different opinions about this. People tend to fall into one of two schools
of thought. They believe their child should start something as early as possible, so that they
do not fall behind their peers. Others believe that the contact and physical demands of
football are factors that lead to a higher risk of injury and try to hold their child out until
somewhere between the 6th grade and their Freshman year in High School. The Panthers
have tackle teams available to children from the age of 5 years old up to 14 years old.
Because we play Pop Warner, most of our divisions are age and weight regulated. This
allows kids to learn the game against other children of similar build, age and experience. We
believe these factors result in the safest possible environment to introduce kids to the game.
2. Q: Why don't you have a flag program for beginners?
A: We used to provide a flag program for children under 8 years old. As the game has
progressed and demands form the public changed, we made some adjustments. Flag can
be fun and a decent way to learn some parts of the game. For most however flag was not a
sport that attracted much attention or held kids interest for very long. The biggest problem
we found with flag is that a typical flag team has a couple of really fast kids, maybe a kid that
can throw and one or two kids that can catch. Those players see all of the action in flag. The
games tend to turn into, let's see how many times our fastest kid can outrun your fastest kid
and the rest of the participants end up as spectators or get board with the game. In tackle
every child can learn a skill that allows them to help the team. You don't have to be the
fastest kid to learn to block or tackle. You have to have desire and be teachable. With those
two attributes you can learn to help your team and be a valuable contributor. That's why we
start tackle with 5 and 6 year old, 8 man football. All the kids participate and learn the skills
that will help them as they get older.
3. Q: My child is a great athlete, shouldn't he be on a team that has tryouts?
A: That way of thinking probably works in many sports. Baseball, basketball and soccer are
a few that have very specific skill sets. It is easy to bring a lot of kids together in a short
period of time and run them through basics to see who has those skills. The same things
that take place in those tryouts are what will be expected of them in games. How does that
relate to football? It doesn't really. In t-shirts and shorts, kids can look fast running straight
up and down for a short distance. Who can lower their shoulder and run through another
person? When is the last time you saw a play in a football game that required all of the
players to run a lap? There is a huge difference between throwing and catching a ball with
and without pads on. Then of course there is the slightly important task of blocking and
tackling. Hitting sleds and dummies is fun, they don't hit back, players don't have to run fast
or even be real big and strong to do those things, You can't measure those abilities in
shorts and t-shirts. If it seems "exclusive" or somehow important to "try out" then we might
not be the place for you. If you understand that competitiveness is not measured by how you
got on a team, but by the level of the competition you face and work required to continually
improve and achieve goals as a team then we would love to have you.
4. Q: I want my child to be ready to play in High School, do your teams get them
ready for that?
A: In a manner of speaking yes, but probably not in the way that question is meant. Our goal
is to get every child ready to play next year or at the next level. So no we are not trying to
get 9 year olds ready for High School. We are trying to get 9 year olds to where they can be
ready to compete as 10 year olds and so on. We work appropriate to the age and skill level
of the players. Kids mature at different rates, growth spurts, weight gain, coordination all
happen at different times for different kids. Let them enjoy the sport at each level. If they are
still playing in 8th grade, our 8th grade coaches will get them ready for High School.
II. Questions specific to Pop Warner Football
1. Q: What exactly is Pop Warner football?
A: Pop Warner is the oldest and largest youth football program in the world. It provides
divisions that split children by age and weight. This allows children to move up through the
system or stay at a level that allows them the best opportunity to play and succeed. It is a
National program with a playoff system in place that allows kids to play with other kids in their
school district against teams of players from other schools districts. Teams that win their
league from the Jr PeeWee level up can then move on to compete in Regional and a
National playoff system that allows them to play against teams from all over the country. Pop
Warner also has a little scholars program that rewards kids who make good grades by
recognizing their achievements in the classroom with yearly awards and the potential to earn
scholarships towards their college education.
2. Q: How does the weight controlled part of Pop Warner work?
A: Divisions are set up so that kids that are 2-3 years apart in age, but weigh within 45-50
pounds of each other compete against each other. This maintains competitive balance and
allows players the best opportunity to play and get better. You can check the team info
section of this site to see a breakdown of division ages and weights.
3. Q: It looks like my child based on his age and weight could play in two or three
different divisions, how do I decide where to put him?
A: The best way to do this is to place your child at the lowest level they qualifies for. This
allows them the greatest chance of success and a greater certainty that they will enjoy their
football experience. The biggest mistake parents and players make is to put their child on a
team just because they have friends on that team. Friends are great, but why make one
child that weighs 75 pounds and is 10 years old on a PeeWee team, in a division filled with
teams of kids that weigh 115-120 pounds and can be 11 or 12 years old, when they could
play Jr. PeeWee, be among the oldest in the division and never have to go against anyone
over 105 pounds? Friends are fun in school, it's not fun if they are getting all of the playing
time on game day while your child struggles with the game, besides they'll make new friends
on the team they play on.
4. Q: What are the rules on practice times and days?
A: Pop Warner is very clear on this. Practice can not start until August 1st. Until school starts
a team can practice 5 nights a week, not to exceed 10 hours of practice. Once school starts,
the maximum practice schedule is not to exceed three nights or 6 hours a week. This is in
large part due to Pop Warner's emphasis on maintaining good grades and the focus of their
Little Scholars program.
Rules or just to understand better about the way the Panther's work.
I. General questions asked about football.
1. Q: At what age should kids start playing football?
A: There are many different opinions about this. People tend to fall into one of two schools
of thought. They believe their child should start something as early as possible, so that they
do not fall behind their peers. Others believe that the contact and physical demands of
football are factors that lead to a higher risk of injury and try to hold their child out until
somewhere between the 6th grade and their Freshman year in High School. The Panthers
have tackle teams available to children from the age of 5 years old up to 14 years old.
Because we play Pop Warner, most of our divisions are age and weight regulated. This
allows kids to learn the game against other children of similar build, age and experience. We
believe these factors result in the safest possible environment to introduce kids to the game.
2. Q: Why don't you have a flag program for beginners?
A: We used to provide a flag program for children under 8 years old. As the game has
progressed and demands form the public changed, we made some adjustments. Flag can
be fun and a decent way to learn some parts of the game. For most however flag was not a
sport that attracted much attention or held kids interest for very long. The biggest problem
we found with flag is that a typical flag team has a couple of really fast kids, maybe a kid that
can throw and one or two kids that can catch. Those players see all of the action in flag. The
games tend to turn into, let's see how many times our fastest kid can outrun your fastest kid
and the rest of the participants end up as spectators or get board with the game. In tackle
every child can learn a skill that allows them to help the team. You don't have to be the
fastest kid to learn to block or tackle. You have to have desire and be teachable. With those
two attributes you can learn to help your team and be a valuable contributor. That's why we
start tackle with 5 and 6 year old, 8 man football. All the kids participate and learn the skills
that will help them as they get older.
3. Q: My child is a great athlete, shouldn't he be on a team that has tryouts?
A: That way of thinking probably works in many sports. Baseball, basketball and soccer are
a few that have very specific skill sets. It is easy to bring a lot of kids together in a short
period of time and run them through basics to see who has those skills. The same things
that take place in those tryouts are what will be expected of them in games. How does that
relate to football? It doesn't really. In t-shirts and shorts, kids can look fast running straight
up and down for a short distance. Who can lower their shoulder and run through another
person? When is the last time you saw a play in a football game that required all of the
players to run a lap? There is a huge difference between throwing and catching a ball with
and without pads on. Then of course there is the slightly important task of blocking and
tackling. Hitting sleds and dummies is fun, they don't hit back, players don't have to run fast
or even be real big and strong to do those things, You can't measure those abilities in
shorts and t-shirts. If it seems "exclusive" or somehow important to "try out" then we might
not be the place for you. If you understand that competitiveness is not measured by how you
got on a team, but by the level of the competition you face and work required to continually
improve and achieve goals as a team then we would love to have you.
4. Q: I want my child to be ready to play in High School, do your teams get them
ready for that?
A: In a manner of speaking yes, but probably not in the way that question is meant. Our goal
is to get every child ready to play next year or at the next level. So no we are not trying to
get 9 year olds ready for High School. We are trying to get 9 year olds to where they can be
ready to compete as 10 year olds and so on. We work appropriate to the age and skill level
of the players. Kids mature at different rates, growth spurts, weight gain, coordination all
happen at different times for different kids. Let them enjoy the sport at each level. If they are
still playing in 8th grade, our 8th grade coaches will get them ready for High School.
II. Questions specific to Pop Warner Football
1. Q: What exactly is Pop Warner football?
A: Pop Warner is the oldest and largest youth football program in the world. It provides
divisions that split children by age and weight. This allows children to move up through the
system or stay at a level that allows them the best opportunity to play and succeed. It is a
National program with a playoff system in place that allows kids to play with other kids in their
school district against teams of players from other schools districts. Teams that win their
league from the Jr PeeWee level up can then move on to compete in Regional and a
National playoff system that allows them to play against teams from all over the country. Pop
Warner also has a little scholars program that rewards kids who make good grades by
recognizing their achievements in the classroom with yearly awards and the potential to earn
scholarships towards their college education.
2. Q: How does the weight controlled part of Pop Warner work?
A: Divisions are set up so that kids that are 2-3 years apart in age, but weigh within 45-50
pounds of each other compete against each other. This maintains competitive balance and
allows players the best opportunity to play and get better. You can check the team info
section of this site to see a breakdown of division ages and weights.
3. Q: It looks like my child based on his age and weight could play in two or three
different divisions, how do I decide where to put him?
A: The best way to do this is to place your child at the lowest level they qualifies for. This
allows them the greatest chance of success and a greater certainty that they will enjoy their
football experience. The biggest mistake parents and players make is to put their child on a
team just because they have friends on that team. Friends are great, but why make one
child that weighs 75 pounds and is 10 years old on a PeeWee team, in a division filled with
teams of kids that weigh 115-120 pounds and can be 11 or 12 years old, when they could
play Jr. PeeWee, be among the oldest in the division and never have to go against anyone
over 105 pounds? Friends are fun in school, it's not fun if they are getting all of the playing
time on game day while your child struggles with the game, besides they'll make new friends
on the team they play on.
4. Q: What are the rules on practice times and days?
A: Pop Warner is very clear on this. Practice can not start until August 1st. Until school starts
a team can practice 5 nights a week, not to exceed 10 hours of practice. Once school starts,
the maximum practice schedule is not to exceed three nights or 6 hours a week. This is in
large part due to Pop Warner's emphasis on maintaining good grades and the focus of their
Little Scholars program.
