Frantic Friday Part 1:

Friday- December 8, 2006- Afternoon


The whole complex is alive with energy. And, everybody in the Pop Warner Family is counting down to the big Pop Warner/MGM Party that starts tonight in a couple of hours! Hey, you gotta love it!

To give you a flavor of all the excitement, I decided to dive right in. So come on! So many people to talk with, so much to do. After all, it's Pop Warner's “Frantic Friday”.

3:15 P.M. – On the crowded walkways outside All Star Sports Café , I catch up with “Gabby”– a member of the fabulous Tom's River “Little Angels” Midget Large Cheer squad – and her mom “Diane”, both from Tom's River, NJ.
Gabby and her teammates have just secured a national championship with a dynamic performance that rocked “The Milk House.” Tom's River Little Angels are a legend in Pop Warner cheer competition for their spectacular routines punctuated by multiple stunts with a high degree of difficulty that require pinpoint precision.

This year the “Little Angels” got to Disney through plenty of perseverance, and practice, practice… and more practice. Gabby explains, “Usually we practice for two hours a day, three times a week. If it's a good practice, we're just all excited. We all act like a big family. We're all just like sisters, and we all work together. “

The season for the “Little Angels,” along with the rest of Pop Warner, starts the first week in August. “Once the football team starts playing, we cheer for them. Then, when cheer competitions start, we first go to Locals, then to ‘Jersey Shore', then States, then to Regionals. Then…if we do well… we go to Disney World for Pop Warner Nationals.”

Throughout the intense “competition” stage of their cheer season, the “Little Angels” repeat their demanding routine. “It's the same routine,” explains Gabby, “but, some people might be moved to different spots, different positions, kind of like a football team does. If something's not going right in the routine, we'll change it a little, or we'll move people from different stunts to another stunt. And, then we'll make it a little cleaner. We give it all we have. We put it all on the mat.”

“It's all very exciting for all the parents,” says Gabby's mom, Diane. “ This is Gabby's first year with the Little Angels. And we loved to follow them all around to the different competition stages. You know, in States and Regionals, they didn't place ‘first' in either of those competitions. They had a second and a third. But, the girls just kept working hard and they made it to Nationals”
How did they do it, I wonder? Gabby shows me the single word embroidered on the neck of each of the “Little Angels” uniforms “BELIEVE”. And “believe” they did…all the way to a Pop Warner National Cheer Title. Way to go, “Little Angels!”

3:22 P.M. - I head over to the big bracket-board on Victory Boulevard where I see the “Burke” family from the Bridgewater- Raritan (NJ) Panthers, who've just captured a D-II National Title with a 16-0 win over Churchland Tigers from Tidewater, VA. James Burke, a defensive nose guard for the Panthers, tells me, “This whole experience down here at Disney was really fun. “ James says the key to the Panthers win today was their tough defense. “We played our game with three ‘D' linemen. Behind each of the two ends , we have a linebacker. It's pretty much a contain defense. “

Mr. Burke tells me “James has been playing Pop Warner for four years. He has one more year of eligibility. A lot of our kids have been together for four years. “ James' mom tells me, “These guys were here last year and they finished second. James brother was on that team. They made a record, then they beat a record.” Wow! Now, that's what a like to hear. The whole family supporting each other, showing the way, and bringing home the recognition of hard work and achievement. Mr. Burke also put in s plug for the scholastic side of Pop Warner, “I'll give you an example of what I mean. We have this kid, Kareem. His schoolwork has gotten better. And, his behavior at home has gotten better. For two years, he used to come by our practices for Pop Warner, but didn't join us until this season. And, then he finally comes out. His school and home life gets better, and we win a national championship.” More kudos for Pop Warner Experience! Thanks, Bridgewater-Raritan. Way to go Panthers!

4:00 P.M. – I stop to converse with the fierce-looking, enormous headed, Pirate mascot of the Port St. Luce Midget Cheer squad as they exit The Milk House. Our conversation consists mainly of a series of enthusiastic “Arrrrr-Haaars!”, punctuated by numerous and obscure nautical references. Shiver me timbers! Sail On, Port Luce!

4:30 P.M. – The Oak Grove Roughriders Midget Cheer squad has just come roaring out of The Milk House. Man, are they ever pumped! They absolutely stuck their routine, and they all know it…squad members, coaches and parents alike. “It's the most unbelievable feeling, smiles Coach Kerry.” All the hard work the girls have put in, and our coaches too, it all pays off in the end. I mean, we've had problems early in the week with the routine, but today the girls just nailed!! It's just a ton of dedication that's gotten us here. The kids doing their school work, dedicating themselves to the team, to our football team, to the whole organization. The kids have so much commitment. And, the coaches have that commitment as well. I love teaching these kids. I love working with these kids. I've been coaching at Oak Grove since 1996. So, after ten years, heck yeah, it's great!”

5:30- "Now hear this! Now hear this! " The results have just been announced for this afternoon's cheer competition and the Pop Warner Midget Intermediate Cheer National Champions are!!!..(drum-roll please) ”The Oak Grove Roughriders!!!!!” YEEES, all the hard work DID pay off! Way to go, Roughriders. And, three cheers for the mighty San Jose-area Pop Warner tradition!

7:00 PM- Okay, I've written all this up and …hey, whoops! Time to head out for the Pop Warner/MGM Studios party! More bloggin' tomorrow morning about this great day, and night!, with “Frantic Friday-Part 2”! Later, folks!