Thursday Morning Cheer & Dance Action!

"Good Luck Charms"

Got a favorite cheer or dance charm, something to break the tension and give you that little extra spark of good luck before a big competition? The squads at this year's Pop Warner National Championships have their own favorites. Try these on for size:

- Coaches wear the same outfit everyday of competition

- Put stars on the right shoe and on the left side or every big accomplishment this season

- Do special cheers before every big event

- Wear the same underwear at Nationals that you wore at Regionals!!

- Wear good luck hair ties

- Wear good luck socks

- Have team dinners

- Be goofy!!!

- Go out as a team and dress wacky

- Wear tutos to a practice!

It's all about just having fun and keeping our spirits up. So, " What's YOUR favorite good luck charm?" Send an email and let us know.

Spirit of Sportsmanship Credo

The "Spirit of Sportsmanship" has become the most respected award at Pop Warner Nationals. What Connecticut to Hawaii , what lessons can we all learn from past Spirit if Sportsmanship winners ? Well, at every competition they ALL say to keep the following things in mind:

- Congratulate all other teams. We're all Pop Warner Family!

- No put downs

- No booing

- No being rude

- Realize that other athletes worked just as hard to get here and they deserve your excitement!

- Give compliments freely

- Have a good attitude

- Encourage others

- Think positively

- Show respect for everyone - officials and coaches work hard too!

And finally, do your best, show your best and help make Pop Warner Cheer & Dance a great experience for everybody! Good luck!!

Burlington Patriots
Jersey Shore Pop Warner
2004 National Champion
Jr. Pee Wee Large

“Our girls gave it 100%, and most importantly we had fun and here we are,” said Patriot's head coach Cynthia Martia.

West Coast Cheerleaders on Sportsmanship

"We came here knowing that there was a chance that we could win or we wouldn't, the fact is that we tried and we did a good job and our team is all about sticking together, making good friendships, and knowing that if we don't win it is okay and it's not all about that," said West Coast head coach Robin Hardy. "We have girls on our team who try really hard all the time. We came here last year and we didn't do so well, but it is okay, because we came back this year that we have a better opportunity, we just work hard and pray that we do well. We don't want to come here and be like – ah you know we made it to Nationals. We know that it took a lot of hard work to get here as it did the other teams."

Brawley Wildcats on Sportsmanship

Melissa Gonzalez - "Everyone who cheers, there's no specific squad that's like-oh I'm it, helping each other out."

What makes your team so special? It is their personality; they respect each other's differences. Our squad is so fun and practices are too because we are all best friends.

Araceli Bonillas - "I think it starts with our own Pop Warner! If the girls know how to work together they can work well with others."

Story by Erin Katherine Sykes