2004 Sportsmanship Winners Announced

4th Annual Pop Warner/NFL Player's Association Sportsmanship Awards --------------------------------------------------   Division I Recipients Division II Recipients     1. Southeast Apaches (TX) 1. Lee's Summitt Tigers (MO)   Pee Wee Pee Wee   2. Palo Alto Knights (CA) 2. North Philadelphia Aztecs (PA)   Jr. Pee Wee Jr. Pee Wee
Past Recipients
Cheer & Dance Sportsmanship Winners

Langhorne, PA, December 23, 2004 - Each year, 64 football teams from across the country have the honor of competing at the Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, FL. And while just making it that far and playing throughout the week is quite an accomplishment in itself, showing good sportsmanship is considered equally as important in Pop Warner.

For the 4th consecutive season, with support from the National Football League Player's Association (NFLPA), Pop Warner has awarded teams for demonstrating good sportsmanship for winning and/or losing their respective games. This year's recipients include the Southeast Apaches from Texas (Division I Pee Wee), Palo Alto Knights from California (Division I Jr. Pee Wee), Lee's Summit Tigers from Missouri (Division II Pee Wee) and the North Philadelphia Aztecs from Pennsylvania (Division II Jr. Pee Wee).

The North Philadelphia Aztecs captured the hearts of many fans at this year's Super Bowl, while winning over their hometown that has been begging for a Super Bowl title for many years now. And while the Aztecs completed their dream season with a 32-13 victory over the Huntington Beach Charger for the Division II Jr. Pee Wee title, they did so respectively and in true sportsmanlike fashion. Aztecs coaches and players went out of their way to congratulate their opponents after their games, we well-behaved in their hotels, and were even seen thanking referees and opponents fan's throughout the week!

The Other Division II recipient, the Lee's Summit Tigers from the Heart of America league in Missouri, rebounded from a 28-0 loss in the first round (to the eventual national champion Newington Knights from Connecticut), and were victorious over the Yuma Scorpions 18-0. The Tigers showed fans and spectators that they could not only lose graciously, but win that way as well!

In Division I play, the Southeast Apaches Pee Wee team emerged from a long list of Texas teams who demonstarted how to play the game with class. The made it to the national championship game in their division, but lost to a tough Florida City Razorbacks team to end their season ranked 3 in the country! The other Division I recipient, the Palo Alto Knights Jr. Pee Wee team, was comprised of the most diverse team possibly to play in the Pop Warner Super Bowl. While their players were from several different backgrounds and ethnicities, they all played the same, with nothing but class!

While this is the fourth year of awarding sportsmanship trophies in football, it is also the third consecutive year that cheer & dance programs have recieved this honor, coined "Spirit of Sportsmanship Awards" at the National Cheer & Dance Championship. This year, the Cape Youth Mini Twisters (Jr. Pee Wee Dance), Poway Fighting Renegades (Pee Wee Large Intermediate Cheer), South Jefferson Spartans (Jr. Midget Small Novice Cheer) and the South Anchorage Bucaneers (Midget Small Advanced Cheer) all recieved honors at the week-long competition.

Congratulations to all teams and squads this year for earning this tremendous achivement, and thanks for demonstarting what it truly means to be a member of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc!

Past Sportsmanship Winners:

Media Contact: Joel Balthaser, (215) 752-2691; joelbalthaser@popwarner.com