FAQ

To register my child for football or cheer, where do I begin?
Beginning with the 2008 season, National Pop Warner requires our Association to process our registration using the On-Line Registration link provided on the home page of our web site. You start the registration process by registering your son or daughter using this system. The On-Line Registration of your child allows us to get all the information for your son or daughter entered into our system and will speed up your actual in-person registration. GIVEN THIS IS A NEW REGISTRATION SYSTEM THAT IS NOT POPULATED WITH OUR RETURNING PLAYER INFORMATION, PLEASE NOTE ALL PLAYERS AND CHEERLEADERS MUST REGISTER AS 'NEW' PLAYERS. THE SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OF OUR PLAYERS TO REGISTER AS RETURNING PLAYERS. NOTE: Payment for registration fees is due by credit/debit card at the end of the pre-registration process.

Please make sure to print out the Participant Contract at the end of the On-Line Registration process and bring two signed copies of it with you to the In-Person Registration together with the other items you need to bring (See next few items below).

I am a returning player, why do I have to register as a new player?
GIVEN THIS IS A NEW REGISTRATION SYSTEM THAT IS NOT POPULATED WITH OUR RETURNING PLAYER INFORMATION, PLEASE NOTE ALL PLAYERS AND CHEERLEADERS MUST REGISTER AS 'NEW' PLAYERS. THE SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OF OUR PLAYERS TO REGISTER AS RETURNING PLAYERS. NOTE: Payment for registration fees is due by credit/debit card at the end of the pre-registration process.

If I go through the On-Line Registration, is there anything else I need to do to register my child in football or cheer?
Yes, there is more to do! Once you have completed the On-Line Registration of your child, you and your child MUST attend one of the in-person registration dates listed on the home page of our web site. Your child will not have completed registration if they have not attended the In-Person Registration and provided the necessary items listed below. There are no exceptions. Your child's attendance at an In-Person Registration is critical.

Now that I know I need to attend the In-Person Registration, what do I need to bring to get my child registered?
You MUST bring (a child will NOT be registered if you do not bring these items) the following:

a. Your child. We must weigh your child to confirm the division they will be placed in.
b. A copy of your child’s birth certificate or passport (make sure the name and birthdate is legible!). Hospital certificates are not accepted.
c. A wallet size school photo (or other similar picture clearly showing your child’s face).
d. Two signed copies of the Participant Contract you should have printed out after completing the on-line registration.
e. A good attitude. Processing hundreds of players at one time can cause some stress on all of us. Please be patient as we try and expedite the registration as quickly and efficiently as possible.

How do I know if my child will get on a team?
If your child is a returning football player or cheerleader from the 2007 season and registers within 30 days of the first In-Person Registration date, then they will have priority to be on a roster over players who are new to the program. Players new to the program are eligible for a roster spot on a first-come, first-serve basis based on their attendance at one of the In-Person Registration dates. Due to the popularity of the program, it is likely most teams will eventually be filled and some players will be placed on wait lists.

What if I’m not sure I want to play Pop Warner football and/or cheerleading right now, can I register later or can I get a refund if I register now?
Returning players/cheerleaders will be given priority to play over new players/cheerleaders as long as they register within 30 days from the first In-Person Registration date. Returning players DO NOT need to attend the first In-Person Registration day to receive priority on their tracking team, but they do need to attend and register by the second registration date. New players are assigned to a roster on a first-come, first-served basis once returning players have been assigned to their team.

If you are a new player and don’t register at the first available opportunity or a returning player that doesn’t register within 30 days of the first In-Person Registration date, you take the chance of being placed on a Waiting List. Promptly completing the On-Line Registration does not affect your child's priority status. If you are placed on a team at the time of your registration, which means you were one of the first number of players (up to the team maximum) to sign up for that division, you will not receive a refund for any reason. Any child who does not make a team roster will be notified of being placed on a waiting list. You will then have the option to remain on the waiting list or receive an immediate refund. The only refunds that will be issued will be for players that have not been placed on a roster and are placed on a waiting list. Your fee will be considered as a donation to TPPW if you have been placed on a roster and then drop.

What are the fees?
This year we decided again to have an “All Inclusive” registration fee. Spirit Packs (Falcon T-shirt and shorts, game socks, practice pants, practice jersey, and game and practice belts) and Basic photo packages are included in the registration.

Football = $495 (Includes Spirit Pack & photos)
Cheer = $475 (includes Spirit Pack & photos)
Flag Football/Flag Cheer = $250 (includes Spirit Pack & photos)

Will I be asked to purchase additional items during the season?
Some teams or squads may choose to design their own t-shirt or hat and you may be asked to purchase those, though these are handled at a team level and are not mandatory. Also there will be jackets, hats, etc. available for separate purchase; these are not required to participate in TPPW.

My son/daughter had their physical last fall, can we use that one for TPPW sign-up?
No. Per National Pop Warner rules, the physical examination must be dated on or after Jan. 1, 2008 on the form provided at registration and signed by a physician licensed to perform a physical. Chiropractor’s are not accepted for physical exams. TPPW highly recommends you make the appointment for the physical as soon as possible in order to make the deadline. Physicals are due by June 30th. Players/Cheerleaders who have not returned the signed medical waiver by this date will be removed from their roster.

Why do you need a copy of their birth certificate?
The Pop Warner youth football system matches players on teams of similar ages and weight for safety reasons. Therefore, players from all teams nationwide must submit proof of age. The team Business Manager will maintain a Red Book with copies of each player’s birth certificates and other paperwork which are verified prior to each game by the opposing team.

Why do we have to submit school report cards?
Pop Warner National policy considers school more important than football. Thus, a player must submit proof that he/she is academically sound enough so that football does not interfere with his grades. High academic achievement is rewarded in the “Pop Warner Little Scholars” program. The report card required to be submitted is the year-end report card that most players will receive at the end of the school year. Most school offices close one or two weeks after the end of the school session. Please make sure you receive your child’s report card before the school offices close. A player may not participate in the program without securing a final report card that has a 2.0 GPA (if a child does not have the requisite GPA, other paperwork would need to be processed with the league and signed by a school administrator in order for the child to participate). A copy of the player’s final report card is maintained by the team Business Manager in the Red Book.

How is weight determined?
At the In-Person Registration, we will attempt to place your player in the appropriate division based on age and weight. While we will initially use the player’s weight from registration, all players nationwide are weighed during “Certification Day” by a Conference official in August. Palomar Conference will weigh every player from all teams in our league…one at a time. This will be the players’ certified weight on the roster. Then each player is also weighed before each game...all this is to make sure only players of equivalent weights are competing. If your player happens to fall on or slightly above the maximum weight range for their age, but is not eligible to move to the next level team because of age, they do assume the risk of working all of August and not “making weight”. Set your weight goals early in the summer if this applies to your player.

What if my player cannot make it to Certification Day or doesn’t make weight at Certification?
If your player is not at Certification Day (to be held on or around August 27th) , the player will be removed from the roster and will not be able to practice or participate with the team in the preseason game until he has gone to the make up certification day which is usually the following weekend.

If your player doesn’t make weight at Certification Day, the player is removed from the roster and has one last opportunity to make weight at the make-up certification day. If the player still doesn’t make weight, at the election of the parent, the player is either (i) allowed to move up to the next division (provided his age is appropriate for the higher division) to the extent a roster spot is available on a team (or alternatively, placed on a waiting list at the next higher level in order based on priority number), or (ii) dropped from the Pop Warner program with no refund.

Can any kid play contact football?
Football is a team game, rewarding players with self-esteem, confidence, an ability to work together, and better physical health. “Heart” and desire are the most important factors in a player’s success. Please do not place your son in football because YOU think it will be good for him or it will “toughen him up”. Encourage him to seek a sport in which he has an interest if this is the case.

My child is new to football. What should we expect?
The physical conditioning and commitment are more intense than any other sport. To help prevent injuries, we suggest that all players begin conditioning several weeks prior to the beginning of practice in August. Prior to August, 45 minutes of running, push-ups, and sit-ups at least every other day will help make your son’s first few weeks in football less demanding.

Can anyone cheer?
Cheerleading is not a “social activity”; it is an athletically challenged team sport. Cheerleading is unlike other team sports since we do not have a bench. When one girl is gone, the entire stunt group does not practice. If you are continually late, gone or leaving early, the whole team suffers. Please do not place your daughter in cheer because YOU think it will be good for her or because “her friends do it”. Encourage her to seek a sport or activity in which she has an interest if this is the case.

My child is new to cheerleading. What should we expect?
Cheer is a huge time commitment between practices and cheering at the football games to doing the cheer competitions. Therefore it is highly encouraged that a cheerleader not participate in any other sport/activity (i.e, soccer, dance, etc.) that could possibly conflict with cheer practices or the games.
Cheerleading is not easy, therefore, it's very important for cheerleaders to be physically fit. It is as challenging as any sport. Please remember to stay physically active during the summer months. While it may not be obvious that cheerleading involves an awful lot of work, over the course of a game or a competitive routine, cheerleaders require cardiovascular stamina and a good deal of strength. Practices are structured so each girl can succeed with effort and self-discipline. During practice, the participant is subjected to a vigorous training program (running, push ups, lunges and sit-ups) designed to build strength and stamina needed to cope with the physical nature of cheer.

How many days a week will there be practice and where will they be held?
Practices begin on Aug. 1st. For flag teams, during the month of August your child will practice three days a week. For tackle teams, during the month of August your child will practice five days a week (Monday-Friday), two hours per day. The actual days and times for flag and tackle practices are set by the head coach of each team after the teams have been formed, but most often, the practices are in the late afternoons. It is mandatory that your child attend all conditioning practices during that period of time. In September, practices will be cut down to three days a week, plus one game every Saturday (but potentially due to scheduling issues on a Sunday). Practice fields this year will most likely be in Carmel Valley. We will assign fields following the draft in June. Head Cheer coaches determine exact practice times. However in August, they are generally 5:30p.m. - 7:30p.m. After Labor Day, cheer practices usually begin around 5:00p.m. The days of the week vary according to the coach's schedule and the availability of indoor facilities.

What about the family vacation we normally take in August?
August is a month of conditioning and learning. All players/cheerleaders and their parents must make a commitment to be available for all practices and games. Football and cheerleading require a serious commitment. If you must be vacationing in August, Falcon football/cheer is not for you.

What if my child has a birthday party or other non-TPPW activity planned during a scheduled practice or game?
Attendance is required at all practices and games. Because of the conditioning required to participate in football and cheer safely, participants should not miss practice. If at all possible, please do not schedule non-TPPW activities during practice and game times. To help continue our winning tradition, all players and cheerleaders and their parents must make a commitment to be available for all practices and games. Pop Warner requires a serious commitment. Coaches enforce strict practice rules in preparing for practices, games and cheer competitions.

When do games begin and how do we find out the game schedule?
Games typically begin the first week of September; there is a pre-season game the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Once teams have been formed by the various associations, Conference will prepare schedules and give them to us. When we receive them, we will post them on our web site under each team’s home page. In our experience, the schedules will be made available to us sometime in late-July or August.

In what division should I register my child?
That will depend on the player’s age on 7/31/2008 and his current weight. It is our policy that new players are placed in the lowest division possible based on age and weight.

Division Age Weight

Flag - Age 6 & 7 (No weight limit)

Jr. Mitey Mite - Age 8 (45-75 lbs.)

Mitey Mite - Age 8 & 9 (45-90 lbs.)
(older/lighter) (o/l not offered)

Jr. Pee Wee - Age 8,9 & 10 (60-105 lbs.)
(older/lighter) (11) (60-85)

Pee Wee - Age 9,10 & 11 (75-120 lbs.)
(older/lighter) (12) (75-100)

Jr. Midget - Age 10,11 & 12 (85-135 lbs.)
(older/lighter) (13) (85-115)

Midget - Age 11,12,13 & 14 (105-160 lbs.)
(older/lighter) (15) (105-140)

Beginning in the second week of the season, the maximum weights in each division will increase by one pound per week.

Please note the new age classifications as of 7/31/08 for Cheer Only:

Flag: 6-7 yrs
Mitey Mite: 8-9 yrs
Jr. Pee Wee: 9-11 yrs
Pee Wee: 10-12 yrs
Jr. Midget: 11-13 yrs
Midget: 12-15 yrs.

How long will the season last?
The TPPW season officially begins Aug. 1, 2008 and will continue through the end of November and possibly through the middle of December, if your child’s team or squad enters regional and/or national championships.

Will we be required to do any traveling?
Yes. The other teams in Palomar Conference are located in La Costa, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook, Poway, Rancho Pensaquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Murrieta, Wildomar and Temecula. Some games are at our home field while others are away. The schedule will list the locations of each game and the website will have links to maps and driving directions.

Is it possible that our team will participate in tournaments or championship games out of town?
Yes, very possible. If your child’s’ team goes to the National Championship games they will be required to travel to Orlando, Florida for tournaments. Any team traveling is responsible for fundraising as the cost of traveling is not covered in the registration fees.

What cheerleading competitions do TPPW cheerleaders participate in?
There is the local Palomar Conference Cheer Competition which is usually held at SDSU Cox Arena around the end of October. If a squad places 1st or 2nd they would then compete at the Wescon Regional Cheer Championships which are held over Thanksgiving weekend. The cheer season can potentially continue into the middle of December if the squad qualifies at Regionals to compete at the National Pop Warner championship level in Orlando and into February if the squad qualifies to compete at the JAMZ Nationals in Las Vegas.