Saturday, December 8:

Field Notes-Final Edition

“Savoring the Memories-Sharing The Experience!“

On this last day of Pop Warner Super Bowl Week – 2007, people of all ages , from all parts of the country, are praising the magic of Pop Warner’s prime event, its sponsors, and our Disney hosts.

Yes, it’s true that everyone who’s been part of a high performance Pop Warner cheer/dance squad or a hard-working Pop Warner football team at Disney this week hoped to leave with National Championship honors. But, you know what?  Even if this wasn’t your year for hoisting that shiny trophy, or packing home a cool plaque, never forget the fact that you all arrived here as champions, and you’ll all leave here as champions!

So, with that thought in mind, what are some of lasting memories that folks are taking with you from this magical week at the Pop Warner Super Bowl?  Well, to get a first-hand perspective on it all, I went right to the participants themselves.

Yesterday afternoon, in the tunnel of The Milk House, as they waited for their turn in line to compete for Midget Cheer Intermediate honors, the Colts Neck Cougars (NJ) , the North Judson Bluejays (IN) and the Saddleback Valley Cougars (CA) voiced some of their enthusiastic perspective on this great week . “ We met so many new people!”, “We heard so many accents!”, “We shared so many ideas!” “We made so many new friends!” “We had so much FUN, especially at the MGM Party Wednesday night! ” 

Having fun, meeting new friends, sharing ideas… Isn’t that what this wonderful week is really all about?  Dennis Connor  (RD for the Pop Warner Southeast Region) thinks so.  “It’s about a lifetime of memories for these kids,” Dennis reflected, “And, I think that most of the volunteers who put in all these hours for this great week at Pop Warner Nationals know and understand what that’s all about. “

Kevin Walker- Head Coach of the Division II Southside Cowboys of Greater Houston, TX, seconds Dennis Connor’s observation, and he adds that he will never forget the sportsmanship and all-out effort that’s been shown by so many of the kids and fellow coaches on ALL the teams who’ve made the trek to Disney.  Reflecting his own Cowboys incredible 7-6 win over a fine Capital City Steelers team for a D-II Midget National Championship, Kevin said “You know what?  In the 17 years I’ve been coaching Pop Warner, I have never seen a harder hitting, faster played contest than that championship game. And, after every play, guys on both teams were helpin’ each other up.  It just shows you the mutual respect these kids have for each other. “

Coach Walker added, “I want everyone to know that Mr. Butler, Sam Mutz, Beth Dietz and all the Pop Warner National Staff and 500 Mid-South volunteers do an amazing job putting this whole event together.  I know it’s a lot of hard work, and a lot of headaches, but we really appreciate everything they do to make the Pop Warner Super Bowl Week so special.“

You’ll hear lots more from loads of happy Pop Warner coaches like Kevin Walker , as well as young people, volunteers and organizers, in the next few days on this website.  But, just let me close by saying that it’s been my pleasure to once again be present for all the quality interaction between Pop Warner people all over America, right here at Disney’s Wide World of Sports - one of the finest sports facilities in the country. At a time when so many concerned parents and educators look for activities and organizations that can consistently help young people to build life-skills and a strong, positive outlook on the future, Pop Warner Little Scholars rises to the top. 

As I see it, Pop Warner is, without a doubt, the finest youth sports organization in America, and a cultural institution - this season, and every season, year after year. Congratulations to the ever-growing Pop Warner Family.  Look forward to seeing you all again in 2008 at Pop Warner Super Bowl Week!  

Friday, December 7:

Field Notes-Morning Edition

“Lemme Hear Some NOISE!- Jr. Pee Wee Thunder“

It’s “Championship Friday” for Division II football and the stands are at Disney’s Wide World of Sports are rockin’!  At 9:00 a.m., under sunny skies and mid-70s temps , Hollister Vikings rooters from the Left coast,  and Fairfield Giant rooters from the Right coast, were pumped to watch their lads duel it out for all the marbles in this highly anticipated Tomlin Division final. And, what a game it was!

You see, over the past three seasons, the Hollister Vikings Jr. Pee Wees have become an institution at Pop Warner Super Bowl Week.  After losing 14-6 to a talented Lahue Patriots (HI) team in the 2005 National Championships, they came storming back last year to beat the Blue Springs Gators (MO) 26-6. 

But, this year, Vikings coaches knew they would face a stern test when they lined up against the powerful Fairfield Giants of Fairfield, CT.  The Fairfield sidelines were adorned with posters , banners and cardboard cut-out footballs with players names and numbers on them. And, the din of cowbells,  air horns and leathered-lunged boosters filled the air.  The question was, could the Vikings overcome the pressure from that Connecticut crowd, while also finding a way to neutralize the Giants drop-back aerial attack and outside running game. As if that weren’t enough of a challenge, could the Vikings offense find a way to penetrate the Giants stonewall “D”? 

Vikings rooters thought they’d answered all those questions early on as the Vikings opening drive culminated in a beautiful swing pass by the Hollister quarterback for a twenty-yard gain to the Giants 3 yard line followed by an off- tackle blast for a touchdown.  With a missed PAT, the score stood Vikings 6 – Giants 0 at the midpoint of the first quarter.

But, that’s where the Giants settled-in and things got interesting…REALLY interesting.  I gotta tell you , as these two teams battled back and forth,  I saw more rock ‘em, sock ‘em play than I’ve ever seen by two Jr. Pee Wee teams in all the years I’ve been covering Pop Warner Super Bowl Weeks!  Nobody wanted to give an inch, and it showed.   Through the remainder of the first quarter, and into the second, both Fairfield and Hollister drove into each other’s “Red Zone” only to be slammed back by determined defensive stands.  The Giants had a last- ditch drive stopped when the clock ran out just as their quarterback had scrambled to the Vikings 18 yard line.  With that, the score stood Vikings 6- Giants 0 at the half. 

The third quarter of this battle produced even more hard-hitting thunder. Then, with less than a minute left in the 3rd quarter and Hollister pinned back on their own 3 yard line by a fired up Giants defense, the Vikings punter took a crucial  4th down snap in his own end zone and calmly delivered a booming punt over the onrushing Giants blitz that carried all the way out to the 38 yard line. At the end of the quarter, the score remained Vikings 6 – Giants 0.

Unfazed, the Giants offense began a relentless march back downfield.  A couple of twisting runs by Giants tailback, and a face-mask penalty on the Hollister defense, moved the ball to a first and ten on the Vikings 17 yard line.

Then, with 8:58 left in this thriller, the Giants tailback swung wide left, turned on the jets and out-raced the Vikings safety, diving over the cone and into the end zone as the Fairfield crowd went wild! When the critical PAT was snuffed, the score now stood Vikings 6 – Giants 6.

As the clock ticked away,  these two teams hammered each other back and forth. But, with 5:55 left in  the game the Vikes suddenly began to navigate down field with a vengeance. Then, with 1st down on the Giants 31 yard line, the Hollister QB dropped back, stopped  and launched a beautiful spiral to his wide open wide receiver who snared the ball and,  with the Viking faithful roaring,  raced untouched into the Fairfield end zone.  The PAT kick was wide, but the score now stood Vikings 12 – Giants 6. 

With 4:02 left in the game, the Giants grabbed the ensuing kickoff and returned it all the way to their own 48 yard line.  Yet, that’s when beanstalk broke . With 3:15 left to go, and Fairfield driving, the Giants gritty quarterback dropped back and launched a laser to the right sideline. The Vikings quarterback, now turned safety, stepped in front of the Giants wideout, picked off the pass,  sailed down the right sideline, picked up a block, dodged two would-be tacklers, cut back at the 15 yard line and stormed into the end zone. The din on the Vikings sideline shook be heard all over the WWS Complex.  Fairfield blocked the PAT attempt, but the score now stood Vikings 18- Giants 6

This time, the margin was too much for the Giants.   As the clock ran out, the Vikings had secured their second straight Pop Warner D-II Jr. Pee Wee National Title by a final score of 18-6. Hats off to both Hollister and Fairfield on a fabulous start to “Championship Friday” here at Pop Warner Super Bowl Week – 2007.

Thursday, December 6:

Field Notes-Morning Edition

“A NEW Game In Town – Pop Warner Challenger Football“

Jake “The Snake” Klouser from Towamencin Township, PA just LOVES football!  He loves it so much, that he never misses a North Penn High School game. He loves it so much that he’s choreographed his own end zone dance that tops  “T.O.”, Joe Horn and Michael Flatley put-together. In fact, Jake loves the game so much that he was suited-up and ready to play for his own Buxmont team today at Disney’s Wide World of Sports WAAAAAY early.

“Yeah, at 10:00 a.m. he was tellin’ me, ‘Dad, come on , let’s go!’ ,” chuckled John Klouser.  “We got over here to the Complex and, of course, nobody’s around. So, we were workin’ out on our own, two and a half hours ahead of game time!  He’s just so excited about playing.“  Jake is a ten year-old running back who thrives in one of the hottest , fastest growing programs for Pop Warner nationwide. It’s called Challenger Division Flag Football, and it’s getting rave reviews from players, parents, coaches and thousands of official high school “Buddies” from Upstate New York to Southern California.

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of attending the first Challenger Division flag football game played here at Pop Warner Super Bowl Week.  Even on a day when the rain poured down in buckets, nobody seemed to care. In fact, the sight of 36 happy kids drenched, and smudged, and grinning arm-in-arm after a big afternoon of team work and football-fun was one of the most memorable scenes in all my years of attending Pop Warner Nationals. 

In contrast, today’s game was played under brilliant blue skies with 70 degree temperatures. And, once again, everybody involved had a ball, including Jake. 

As luck, and good play-calling, would have it, in the early going of today’s Buxmont vs. Oveido (FL) tilt , Jake caught a pitchout from his “Buddy” Dave at the seven yard line , cut to the outside and raced just inside the left corner-cone for a touchdown. The minute he hit the end zone, Jake pranced , shadow-boxed the goal post, high-fived three or four folks and let out a whoop, all to the delight of the large crowd that ringed the Field # 3 at WWS, including his excited mom and aunt.

“Oh, the kids just love this, “ Mrs. Klouser told me, “ They get involved just like any player, and they get a thrill from playing every week.”  After giving mom a big hug, Jake told me about his scintillating scramble to pay dirt,  “I got the ball from David. And, I ran. And, I did a football dance. Bye-bye!”  Thanks, Jake!

But, what IS Challenger Football? Well, structure-wise, it works like this:

1. Challenger Division follows modified Pop Warner Flag Football Rules.
2. Challenger Division is for children ages 5-15 with physical or mental disabilities who are currently enrolled in school.
3. Level of play based on size, age and skill level are recommended where numbers allow.

4. Teams must roster a minimum of 10 and no more than 28 players.
5. Games are played with a minimum of five (5) players on each side. This can increase as participation numbers increase.
   
6. No score is kept.
   
7. Teams are permitted one (1) game per week.
   
8. All players receive an equal number of plays.
   
9. Team “Buddies” must be a minimum of 13 yrs old.
   
10. Field length may be the standard 100 yards, or programs may opt to use a shortened 50 yard field.
    
11. Team Jerseys and flags are provided for every participant.
    
12. Insurance for the Challenger Teams is the same as Pop Warner Flag.
    
13. One Coach is permitted on the field at all times.
    
14. Teams play two 25 minute half’s with a running clock.
    
    The “Buddy” system does wonders for Challenger Division play, both in lending assistance to young participants with a disability, AND in giving high school students the opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of kids & families involved in this wonderful activity.

Jake’s “Buddy” Dave told me, “ My friend’s dad got me involved in it. And, I thought it would be fun to do, hang out with all the kids. I’m on the North Penn high school team and I like doing this a lot. “  Jake’s mom adds, “ The North Penn players, like David , are just wonderful with our kids. In return,  we all go and then and watch them play each week during the football season . So, we’ve developed a very good relationship.” 

John Klouser tells me,   “ It’s so great to see your typical high school football player out here embracing the Challenger kids, playing with them, teaching them.”  John adds that there are obvious health benefits to participation in Pop Warner Challenger Football,  “It gives the kids exercise.  You know, you gotta keep these kids active. Because, if you don’t they’re gonna get overweight.  With Down Syndrome kids especially, gaining weight is a problem. So, exercise is very important. And, Pop Warner Challenger Football is perfect for keeping kids fit.”

By the way, Jake became such a fixture supporting his pal Dave and the rest of Dave’s North Penn High School teammates this season, that NBC-10 out of Philly choice him as the “ Fan Of The Year” for Philadelphia-area high school football. 

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Pop Warner is about families getting together, sharing, learning and growing …together! And, Challenger Football is a part of that ever-expanding togetherness! For more information on Pop Warner Challenger Football and Cheer, and how to start your own Challenger Division, call 215-752-2691. 

Wednesday, December 5:

Field Notes-Afternoon Edition

“POP Meets The Test With Sponsors!“

Footballs flying through the air, shoulders pads being donned, team jerseys being tested for fit, game films ready to be viewed, and all this activity is taking place OFF the playing field!  That’s right, from “Mr. Video” ‘s game film booth,  where you can order an entire game featuring your team’s performance right here at the Pop Warner Super Bowl Week, to the Game Wear Team Sports booth, where you see the type and style of customized jerseys and pants that your team might wear next season,  it’s easy to get into the flow of “Sponsor’s Row” Talkin’  about Pop Warner “Sponsor Row”, that is…a walk way of fame and possibilities,  attractions and products, all right here at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. 

Our friends at Spalding always come up with some great ideas for family involvement at the Pop Warner Super Bowl and this morning’s Spalding activity is especially cool. Wow! Just take a look at the video cameras set up along the sideline of a shortened football field, fully lined out with down markers, and kids trying out the great new line of Spalding footballs , specially made for young hands and arms.  Watching kids test out these sharp looking footballs , I got the chance to ask Brian Kelly, Category Manager at Spalding, all about the attraction. 

“What we did is set up  the 20 by 50 yard field you see here, right next to The Milk House,“ said Brian. “ When it comes to youth sports there’s no better partner to work with than Pop Warner. And, getting feedback from Pop Warner kids is great for us.“  So why not have them test out new youth Spalding products right here?  Makes sense to me.  “More kids are playing sports these days at earlier ages,” says Brian. “They had a Tiny Mite game out here last night, and you saw how enthusiastic those five and six year old kids were.  So, what we’re trying to do at Spalding is gear products directly to kids in various age groups, including the youngest players.” 

Spalding is very concerned with developing athletic products that are going to encourage, not discourage, young people from getting involved in sports, building confidence, and doing well.  As Brian told me, “The sorts of questions we’re constantly asking ourselves are, ‘How do we get kids to feel more comfortable with a football? How do we get them to throw a football farther and not put a lot of stress on their arms?” adds Brian.  “Sometimes products that might not be right for them could actually have an adverse effect on a young player. If a child can’t throw a ball, or catch a ball, he or she can become easily discouraged, and head right back to the video games.  Keeping kids active is something we’re all concerned with today. So, we’re constantly looking for Pop Warner players to help us out with feedback. And this setting, right at the source, is a terrific testing ground for us.” 

For more from my interview with Brian, and yes, the chance to see ME test out one of these great footballs with my rag arm (trust me, it felt great…the Spalding ball that is!) click onto our video link here:  (WATCH THE SPALDING VIDEO)

Continuing along “Sponsor Row,” I headed over to the Turfer Athletic booth to talk with Shawn Mizro, former football player at Hobart College and a regional sales rep for this great line of athletic apparel.  Now,  I’ve been wearing one of Turfer’s cool Outwear Softshell Pop Warner media team jackets all week. So, I can tell you, this Turfer Athletic wear is truly top-shelf!

“This is my first year being down at Pop Warner Nationals, “ Shawn told me.  “And, I can tell you the response to our product line from coaches and players has been phenomenal. Just being down here is a terrific way to get our products visible.  Turfer is a relatively new company. But, we’ve grown from no schools to over 300 schools in a very short time. And, with Pop Warner and Disney’s help, we’ve now expanded from the Northeast to teams and associations in Texas, Hawaii, Alaska and all over the U.S.  “ 

Thanks, Shawn!  To see the many ways in which you can customize great Turfer Athletic Outerwear, Fleece and Performance Shirts for your own Pop Warner team , league or association , click on www.hugthebug.com, order their cool catalog, and consider the possibilities!

Field Notes- Afternoon Edition

“It’s All About Taaah-Daah!“

That million dollar smile on five-year old Kierstin Brown’s face tells you right away that, in this “Year of A Million Dreams” at Walt Disney World, here’s one little cheerleader whose greatest dream is to someday compete like the “big girls” do before all the fans and judges at the Pop Warner National Cheer & Dance Championships.

“Starting when she was two and a half, Kierstin got interested in cheerleading,“ says her proud dad Carl. That figures, because Kierstin’s mom, Valerie, is the Head Cheer Coach for Pop Warner’s Crescent City (FL) Warriors. 

Carl adds,” When she was little, Kierstin was always bugging me about learning stunts.  She’d say ‘Daddy, I wanna do ‘Taah-Daah’! ‘.“  Then, just as easy as pie, Carl and little Kierstin oblige by demonstrating a classic cheer stunt pose that she now performs like an NCAA All-American.  (See the attached photo!) It’s a BIG “taah-daah” all right. 

“To make sure we were playing it safe , we started off practicing little routines in the swimming pool. And, over the last couple of years, she’s gotten better and better,” beams Carl.  “I’m the mascot for Raiders!” Kierstin tells me. That’s the Crescent City high school team, don’t ‘cha know. “They’re good!,” she adds. I’m sure they are, no doubt in good part due to Kierstin’s enthusiastic support.  “You Go, Girl!”  We look forward to seeing Tiny Mite Kierstin B. helping to continue the cheer tradition for Crescent City Pop Warner real soon!

You can sure see why young and old alike can get inspired by the Pop Warner Cheer & Dance competition that goes on all this week in The Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.  With a record 350-plus squads of Novice, Intermediate and Advanced squad athletes putting forth their “all”, it sure makes it tough to pick a “National Championship” routine.  Frankly, it’s often the “little things” that will spell the difference between a gleaming trophy, a handsome plaque, or a “Great season, girls. Hope to see you again next year.” 

So, to get an idea of how squads go about last minute preparation for their moment in the spotlight,  I headed out this afternoon to the practice fields for the Cheer & Dance squads , located adjacent to Field # 2, and just off “Sponsor Row” here at the WWS complex. As luck would have it, a great group, with a winning tradition,  the “Cape Youth Twisters” dance team , had just finished up their last practice before tomorrow’s “big day.”

So, I asked the Cape Youth Twisters Coach Terry and Coach Pam to tell me about what “little things” they’ve worked on this afternoon. “Arms…arms!” grinned Coach Pam. “And, we try to make sure they’re as tight as possible and as clean as possible. You can never ‘clean’ too much,“  said Coach Terry.   “They know the routine. They’ve known it for weeks. But, this fine-tuning of just one more pointed toe, and one more really tight, straight arm, that’s what we try to polish at the last. “

But, while it’s true that judges like to look for the “little things”,  keep in mind that “performance” is VERY important as well. “You can dance like nobody’s business. But, you have to be able to ‘sell’ it,” adds Coach Pam. “You need to get everybody in the stands to want be out there with them. That’s what gets the judges’ attention. It’s hard to teach that, but it’s very important.” 

And if you think it’s simply a case of going over your routine again and again that educates a squad on how to convey “crowd appeal,” consider this from Coach Terry. “Last night at practice, all we did as a team was watch videos of past performances where we felt winning dance teams really knew how to engage the fans.”  I wondered how some of the girls on the Cape Youth Twisters responded to seeing tapes of other squads in trophy-winning performances at Pop Warner Nationals.  “Some were a little nervous. But, others said ‘Okay, but we’re better than that.’  Which is actually good.  It makes our point when we can show them something that worked well. “ 

And, remember, these Cape Youth Twisters are no strangers to the Pop Warner National mats. “With this team here, 22 of our 29 girls have been to Pop Warner Nationals before. But, it never means any less to them each time they come to Disney. “  And what about those eve-of-the-event jitters?  “We always stress ‘having fun’, “ said Coach Terry.  “We never let them lose sight of that. Years from now, nobody will remember who won. But, they’ll ALL remember what a good time they had!” 

Tuesday, December 4:

Field Notes- Morning Edition

“Brother/Sister Blocks Of Granite“

Time was if a Pop Warner football team had a girl on the squad, she was either a trainer or a kicker.  But, what about a girl who lines up on offense, right next to her brother, and delivers a block that sets many an opponent on his backside? 

Well, in Oakmont Pop Warner, that girl is none other than number “82” in your program - Jane Peters , and she’s delivered many a block in the Oakmont (MA) Chargers’ run to the Pop Warner Division II Midget national championships here at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. And now, get this, Jane’s no rookie! She’s a five year veteran of Pop Warner Football.

“I started playing Pop Warner after I saw him (brother Joe) doing it. And, I’m like,  ‘Wow! I wanna do that! ” Jane told me.  “I started playing Pee Wee and just kept on playing.”

When Jane lined up today with the Chargers in their first offensive set against the speedy Southside Cowboys from Houston, TX, you knew right away that she’d come to play. On the Chargers first quarter scoring drive, she helped to open up some running lanes for hard charging Charger backs Sean Lehman and Evan Brown. “The thing I’ve always liked about football is that I get to hit the guys,” smiles Jane.

Jane’s bro Joe is no slouch, either. Just like his sis, Joe has a nose for the action. “I started as a Tiny Mite,” he told me. “It’s hard to say what specifically it was about the game that I liked at first, but then we both started playing together.”

I asked Jane and Joe’s mom Trish if she was ever nervous about the way Jane just seemed to gravitate to the hard-hitting world of Pop Warner football. “No, not really,” said Trish. “ She’s always been able to handle it, so it never really mattered. She’s out there working just as hard as the guys are.”

And maybe that’s why Jane’s always been accepted and supported by her teammates.  “After they got over the initial shock, it’s been all right. They’ve always been pretty good about it,” says Jane.  When I asked her about the highlight of her Pop Warner career, other than this great week at the Pop Warner Nationals, she said “It was a pass play during the regular season, a year ago. It was just one.  I think I went out maybe five yards and caught it. I was in the end zone, already. So, I didn’t have to worry about being tackled.“ Trish adds, “Our coach wanted to make sure she got one touchdown in her career. So, when the opportunity came up, she got it!”

Joe tells us his greatest memory from Pop Warner is taking place right now, and that’s coming here to Disney this year and competing in this great Pop Warner Super Bowl Week. 

Joe adds that the academic side of Pop Warner has been something that’s stuck with him, as well.  “Oh yeah! A couple kids on the team almost couldn’t play because their grades were starting to slip, so they had to get those up.“  And personally, Joe adds,  “Pop Warner helps me a little bit in that sometimes I might not want to do my homework. But,  right away, I think ‘I better make sure I do it because some of the kids haven’t, and now they’re not on the team anymore’.”

And next year? Well, Joe has one more year of eligibility for Pop Warner. But, what about sister Jane?  Her Pop Warner career ends this week.  “Well, right now I’m doing indoor track,” says Jane. But she adds with a grin, “But, I’m also going to play street hockey.” Okay, well let’s see.  Indoor track tests your speed, all right. But, ‘street hockey’?  Hmmmmm…Last time I checked the game includes a fair amount of hitting, right ?  Jane just laughs…”Yeeeah! And I love to hit the guys.”

Thanks to Jane and Joe Peters and all the great folks with the Oakmont Chargers Midget team. It’s great to see another family sharing in, and learning from, the Pop Warner Experience!

Field Notes- Morning Edition

“Great Refs A Credit To Game!”

Crisp temps, blue skies, autumn is in the air today at Disney’s Wide World of Sports for Tuesday morning’s Pop Warner Division II Jr. Pee Wee and Pee Wee opening round football action. And presiding over all that action, from every possible angle, in every possible situation, are the sharp eyed, even-tempered Pop Warner Super Bowl Week officiating crews. 

Sure, it’s not the NFL, and it’s not major college ball, but Pop Warner National Championship-round competition is about as spirited and intense as you’ll see anywhere. And, it takes great referees to make it all run smoothly. 

As I stood on sidelines, with the clock ticking down on a tense 6-6 tie Jr. Pee Wee game between the Hollister (CA) Vikings – Orange Park (FL) Cyclones game, I had the opportunity to Mike Goodspeed about these great refs.   

Mike, and his affable pal Don Treywick , are the dynamic duo that puts together the officiating crews for this entire week of games at Pop Warner.  Wow!  64 teams…32 games…plenty of thrills, close calls, tough decisions. And,  our officials have to be ready to handle it all, calmly, accurately and with no hesitation! So, where do Mike and Don find the super refs for Pop Warner Super Bowl Week? 

“Well, a lot of ‘em come from this area,” said Mike. “We have a high school association of 170 members in Florida.  But, we also spread it around a bit, with guys from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, four guys from Hawaii. We try to represent all the regions in Pop Warner. “ 

Wow! “Hawaii” Do these guys pay their own way to get here ? “I guess they do,” says Mike, “ They just love to come down here. One of the guys from Hawaii has been here three years in a row now.”

Love of the game (especially the Pop Warner game) is what brings these dedicated officials back year after year.  “ Some of our guys here have called college bowl games. Two guys on this game here with Hollister and Orange Park are both in the College Officials Association.”  Unfortunately, with college associations putting so many demands on their member referees for their time, it puts even more pressure on officials to find time in their busy schedules for Pop Warner, but they find that time, and gladly! 

Incidentally, Mike Goodspeed has been a referee, himself, for twenty years. And, oh by the way, “back in the day” he roamed the sidelines as a coach.  “I’m from Orlando, and I started a Pop Warner league in the nearby county. David Smith and I and his son got it all together. We had a real good ball club. Back then, it was before Disney’s Wide World of Sports and we actually hosted the Pop Warner Nationals in Winter Park.  We called it ‘ The Surf Bowl’.  “

With the sudden roar of the crowd, we both look up to see the Hollister Vikings quarterback spin out of the grasp of two Orange Park Cyclones and race twenty yards into the end zone with the go-ahead touchdown. “Referees love that,” smiles Mike , “No clip, no face mask, just a great, clean run.”

Mike closes out our little interview by telling me, “I’ve seen other leagues. But, nothing matches Pop Warner for quality and commitment. We love it. And we love seeing it continue to grow.”

And, we love to see the continued involvement of great guys like Mike and Don, and all the members of our great Pop Warner Super Bowl Week officiating crews. When it comes the top quality play of Pop Warner, great refs are a credit to the game!

Monday, December 3:

Field Notes- Morning Edition

“20 Years of Champions and More! “ 

Seems like only yesterday. Yet, did you know?  Pop Warner Super Bowl Week - 2007 marks the 20tth anniversary of the always-amazing Pop Warner National Cheer Championships!

From a first-year competition, held in DeKalb, Georgia, with a total roster of 35 squads, to this year’s field of (count ‘em) over 350 squads (!), it’s clear that the Pop Warner Cheer and Dance National Championship competition has not only grown ten-fold, it’s become a national youth sports tradition.

With thousands of Pop Warner family and friends packing The Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, excitement for today’s opening Jr. Pee Wee and Pee Wee Cheer & Dance competition was simply incredible!

After Disney’s ever-effervescent “Suzie Q” launched festivities with a colorful “fireworks” of airborne ribbons, fanfares and the unveiling of the legacy 20th Anniversary Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Nationals banner, kids and coaches welcomed the chance to show their skills, athleticism and spirit to judges and fans alike on Pop Warner’s greatest national stage.

One of the real highlights of this gala opening morning was the performance by the St. Bart’s Buddies Buffaloes Challenger Cheer squad from New Jersey’s Eastern Shore. This spirited group, composed of youngsters with disabilities, brought the house down with their energetic routine and their mile-wide smiles.  “We got a standing ovation!” beamed “Abby” of the St. Bart’s squad.  In the true PWLS Eastern Region tradition of great Cheer & Dance accomplishments, it’s super to see the Garden State leading the way by offering any youngster who wants to cheer or dance with Pop Warner the opportunity to get involved!

By the way, for folks who like to compare “that was then” with “this is now”, the first Pop Warner National Champion Cheer squads (from 1988) were as follows:

Junior Pee Wee Division  - Tucker Lions, Georgia
Peewee Division               - Mandarin Lions, FL
Junior Midget Division      - Douglas County Rebels, Georgia
Midget Division                 - Sunnyvale Rockets, CA

And, now, in the very first morning of the 2007 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance National Championships alone, the winners, in order of finish, were ???????

Jr. Pee Wee Small  (Advanced Division)

Burlington Patriots  (National Champs)
Tom’s River Angels
Crescent City Warriors
Michigan City Wolves
St. Cecelia’s Golden Knights

Jr. Pee Wee Large (Advanced Division)

Tom’s River Little Indians (National Champs)
Monroe Wolves
Burlington Patriots
Lake Brantley Patriots
Lake Mary Rams

Jr. Pee Wee Small (Novice Division)

Freehold Giants (National Champs)
Medford Colts
Hazlet Hawks
Berlin Bears
Kihei Dolphins

Jr. Pee Wee Large (Novice Division)

New Fairfield Falcons (National Champs)
Delran Bears
Millstone Eagles
Peabody Tanners
Boone Grove-Winfield Wolves

Sunday, December 2:

Field Notes- December 2nd- Afternoon

“Bison Best Eagles - The Mail Man Delivers Again!” 

“Red Sox  - Yankees,”  “Patriots- Colts,” “Lakers-Celtics”…The world of sports is filled with great rivalries.  Yet, from the perspective of Pop Warner Football nothing matches the history and lore of the rivalry known as “Bison vs. Eagles. “  Last year’s thrilling 24-12 victory by the Marshall Heights Bison over the East Anchorage Eagles in the Pop Warner D-1 National Championship game was a classic.  And, as fate would have it, this afternoon’s D-1 first round face-off between East Anchorage and Marshall Heights, Maryland topped even last year’s tilt as both teams co-authored another stirring chapter to this storied rivalry!

Anybody who watched the memorable HBO Real Sports story from a few years back on Marshall Heights Jay Ford, “mail man/coach extraordinary” can never forget how he’s mentored hundreds of young men to success in sports, school and careers. They know that here is a man,  and leader,  who thrives on helping young people to overcome the odds…including those presented by a tough rival on the football field.  

For Coach Jay Ford, this afternoon’s opening game of the Pop Warner Midget Division National Championships- 2007 would be a doubly emotional clash.  This year marks the last year that Ford, the Bison’s beloved coach since 1994, will be at the helm of the Bison.  Next year, he will move on to high school coaching.  But, as we saw this afternoon, Coach Jay has not lost an ounce of commitment to the hard-hitting, thoughtful, well-disciplined kids from Marshall Heights.  And, Eagles Coach Larry Jackson , his good friend and ever-ready opponent, knew that this would be the last time he and Jay would match coaching wits on the gridiron at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.  Talk about two guys wanting a win for their kids in this monumental clash! 

With all that potential for a GREAT Pop Warner Midget game on the line, I knew there was NO WAY that I was going to miss it!  So, fortified with extra water, and a clean notebook for detailing the action, I headed out to see which of these great squads would prevail.

On the opening drive of the game, the Eagles flew down the field with a vengeance.   Using a variety of hard charging miss-direction running plays, and some sharp roll-out passes , East Anchorage drove all the way down to the Bison six yard line.  Then, with 6:43 left in the 1st quarter, the Eagles lined up in a
Power – I and blasted-in in for a touchdown . The try for the extra point was no good.  But, with the end of the first quarter, the Eagles had drawn first blood at 6-0 over the Bison.

“Water! Water! Are those towels wet ?!”  The coaches and their trusted volunteers on both sides of the field were hard at work as the game shifted gears into the 2nd quarter.  With a hot mid-afternoon sun beating down, and the humidity rising, half the battle, for both teams , became just staying hydrated and cool enough to keep playing at full tilt.

It might be the heat that started to slow down the high-flying Eagles in the second quarter. But, the Bison defense sure added to their challenge. With 2:13 to go in the half, and the East Anchorage offense pinned back on their two yard line, the Marshall Heights line stormed through to nail the Eagles quarterback for a safety. 

With the score now Eagles 6 - Bison 2 , Marshall Heights returned East Anchorage’s ensuing free kick to the Eagles’ 33 yard line.  Then, using their patented sweeps and inside reverses, the Bison stampeded to the Eagles five  yard line. Finally, with seconds ticking away, the Bison tailback pounded off tackle for the TD.  The PAT was stuffed, but the score at the end of the first half now stood at Marshall Height 8 - East Anchorage 6.

Jay Ford quickly assessed the tone of the first half for his kids.  “We have 19 guys on this squad who are new to national championship round competition. So, I think they were a little too keyed up at first. But now, they seem to be getting into the flow of the game.  Still, it’s going to be a tough second half.”

And, a tough second half it was!  In the 3rd quarter, the Bison sparred back and forth with the suddenly rejuvenated Eagles.  The kids from Alaska seemed to regain the momentum lost to the heat and humidity, and a more focused Bison defense, in the second quarter, But, just when it looked like they might regain the lead, a promising Eagle drive was halted by an offensive interference call at the Bison 38 yard line. “ That was a key play in the game,” said Coach Jay.

Marshall Heights followed that play up with another key play of their own.  As the Bison offense drove back upfield, with 1:20 to go in the 3rd quarter, the Marshall Heights coaches saw that the Eagles corner on the right side had been consistently “coming up to guard against the run.” So, quickly, they sent in their fastest wide receiver and called for a fly pattern down the right sideline.  The Bison quarterback swept right behind a wall of blockers. For a split second, the Eagle corner bought the fake. Just enough time for the Bison QB to launch a beauty of a pass to his streaking wide-out, who grabbed it behind the Eagles defender with fingertip catch , turned and raced 55 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was no good.  But, as the 3rd quarter ended, the Bison had now upped their lead to 14-6.  Yet, just when you thought the fireworks were done…well, remember this is a rivalry tailor-made for never-say-die surprises!

With 9:00 minutes to go in the game, East Anchorage found its offense again pinned back near their own goal line. But, this time, they decided to treat Marshall Heights to a little of their own trickery. On a 3rd and three, the Eagles quarterback rolled left , stopped and fired a pass way downfield to his speedy tailback , who beat the coverage, bounced off a tackle, twisted, turned and outraced the Bison secondary , finally cart wheeling into the Marshall Heights end zone. Wow! A 93 yard pass-run stunner!  The crucial PAT kick went wide left.  But, the Bison lead was now a paper-thin 14-12 over the powerful Eagles.

That’s when the Marshall Heights running backs just seemed to take over the game with a will.  Pounding downfield, they fought off tackle-after-tackle to gain yardage and,  more importantly,  eat up the clock.  East Anchorage managed to keep Marshall Heights off the board again. But, with only 35 seconds left in the game, the Eagles offense struggled and sputtered.  Marshall Heights had hung on to secure a hard fought 14-12 win.

“The toughest thing to teach kids at this level, is how to stick together”, reflected a hoarse, tired and happy Coach Jay Ford.  “How to recognize that each of them contributes to a win like this, and that they should never, ever be critical of each other, or any one guy, is what we try to teach them.” Wise words from the “not-so-old “ ball coach Jay Ford.  

You could well have added the postscript that one of the abiding lessons of a game like this one, and a Pop Warner rivalry for the ages, is the respect that both teams carry for each other.  At the end of the game, as I watched the young men, and their coaches ,on both teams shaking hands, embracing each other , showin’ the love for a game in  which everybody gave it their all, I just kept reflecting on how leaders and mentors like Coach Larry of the East Anchorage Eagles, and Coach Jay of the Marshall Heights Bison have helped, and continue to help, young people meet the challenges of competition, team work and “life” through their heart-felt commitment.  And, as the road to another possible National Championship continues, one thing’s for sure with the Marshall Heights Bison faithful, the “mail man delivers again! “ 

Field Notes – Morning – December 2nd

“Family Commitment Builds Winners”

Sunday morning -  December 2nd – Ahh! Bright skies , nice breezes and temps already pushing into the 80s! As Hank Williams might say , “Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?”

It’s a glorious opening day for Division I play at Pop Warner Super Bowl ’07.  Everywhere you turn at Disney’s Wide World of Sports “team – pride” and family-commitment are on display. And, why not ? 

First of all, as Pop Warner National Football Coordinator Sam Mutz told the Division I Pop Warner coaches last night, “You are ALL champions. Every single team here has proven their capabilities. Most of you are undefeated. So, win or lose this week, remember you are ALL champions. “

Wise words indeed for all Pop Warner coaches, players and fans. For, when you consider that some 7,000 teams hit the gridiron at the start of a Pop Warner season, the 64 teams (count ‘em, only 64!)  that make it to Disney and the National Finals are the “best of the best!”

Speaking of championship credentials at Disney, it’s not enough to put in the incredible effort on the field,  and in the classroom,  that it takes to reach the Pop Warner National Championships. You still need to fund your whole trip.   One town that had a particularly daunting task in raising money for that trip to Disney was The Orange Empire Conference champion  - Tustin, California.  But, in true Pop Warner Family fashion, they took on that challenge with all out effort.

Mark Gutierrez, President of the Tustin Cobras Association told us, “ We had an incredible season this year. Three of our football teams and two of our cheer squads all qualified for Pop Warner Nationals.”  Wow!  That’s 113 kids, one-fifth of town’s total number of Pop Warner Little Scholars, whom Mark and his trusty board members, coaches , parents and community sponsors needed to fund for their trip of a lifetime.

So, how did this 3 square mile California community, known more for its citrus, eucalyptus, pepper, palm, pine and oak trees than any Hollywood glitz, go about raising money for the trip to Disney?

Mark told us,  “One thing we did was to have each of our players write a personal letter in which they talked about their team, what they’d done this season, all their team accomplishments, and the fact that we needed monetary support to keep the possibility of a post-season dream alive.  That email blast went out to 25 of the player’s family friends. It was a very powerful story.”

So, what happened?  As Mark explained,  “ At first a little bit of money came in. But, then that last week, when we knew we were going to Disney, we sent out another email blast ‘reminder’ from each player to his 25 recipients that said “I mentioned we had this opportunity. Well, now we’re going! If you can help out, please give us a hand.’ Well, the response was absolutely amazing.  Suddenly, we raised $8,000 in three days!  And then, what we did is open a Pay Pal account for the league, which made it easy for people to make their contributions.”

Mark mentioned that local Tustin businesses got on board as well.  A huge part of that success was the Tustin Cobras cool website.  “We get 80,000 hits on our website. So, at the beginning of the season, we tell local businesses, ‘You can be a ‘Touchdown Sponsor’ for $1,500 and have a banner at our field and a rolling banner ad on our website.’ Our WebMaster , Geoff Lee, does a great job setting up everything, keeping everything up to date, letting everyone know how teams are doing, and getting those sponsor exposures onto the site. All of our sign-ups are through our web. So, my advice to other Pop Warner associations and teams is to get somebody in your organization who has some IT skills, and you too can do wonders for garnering support through the Web!”

This morning, Tustin’s tough Cobra Junior Midgets played of the finest games ever seen in recent history at the Pop Warner Nationals, losing 30-22 to a fine
Mandarin Tigers team from Florida.  But, the Cobras, and their “family commitment”,  will be on the field, and in the stands again on Wednesday for another chapter in Pop Warner Super Bowl Week lore.

More “Field Notes” soon!  

Field Notes – Morning – December 1st

“ANTICIPATION IS SUH-WEEEEEEET! “

(NOTE: This initial “Field Notes” blog was submitted on Saturday, Dec. 1st. Yikes! Sorry for the delay in getting it up on the website, but here ‘tis. Enjoy!) 

Hey gang, Bob Field here for another edition of “Field Notes”. Anybody remember the old Carly Simon song” An-Ti-Ci-Pation”?  Well, it’s Saturday morning – December 1st , less than 24 hours before the kickoff of Pop Warner Super Bowl Week – 2007, and the “anticipation” here in Central Florida is so “suh-weeet” you can taste it! 

For starters, you couldn’t wish for a warmer welcome to Disney’s Wide World of Sports. While Old Man Winter makes an early, and raucous, entry to the upper Midwest, Old Sol coons a smooth “How-dee!” to Pop Warner families from Hawaii to Massachusetts with Lake Buena Vista, Florida weather that’s nothing short of AMAZING!  Clear blue skies, temps in the high 70s and refreshing breezes wafting over the gridiron complex…Wow!  I love it! 

From the press box tower high above Hess Field I’m watching all the activity below as Disney’s Wide World of Sports’ ever-attentive grounds crew carefully applies the dynamic “Pop Warner” logo to a wide patch of turf that bisects the 50 yard line. But, hey, why stay up here and just watch? I’m headed down to see how it’s all done!

Groundskeeper Richard Moa steps back to survey the immaculate work by his crew to tell me, “This is a busy time for us, all right. In the last three weeks alone, we’ve painted out logos for ACC Women’s Soccer Championships and both the MAC Conference and NCAA D-III playoffs. Now, we’re putting down Pop Warner logos on the Hess Field and on Field 4 across from us. It keeps us hopping!”

I ask Richard about the steps to logo-painting and he tells me,  “We start with a stencil. Groups and organization will generally have their stencils made, then they will delivery them to us for painting.  The first thing we do is to stretch a line from the center of one goal post all the way down to the center of the other goal post, running exactly through the middle of the playing field. We then put down the stencil and paint-in the outside borders with white spray paint. Then, we carefully fold up the stencil and begin painting in the logo itself with whatever colors are called for.  With Pop Warner, it’s red and blue, with a little bit of white.”

Richard tells me that as logos change, the crew here has created quite a collection in their grounds keepers archive of legacy logos, including last year’s Pop Warner/Disney 50th Anniversary logo. 

Along with fall sports logos, that include Pop Warner football, Richard Moa and his fellow crewmen apply their artistry to some interesting challenges at Disney Wide World of Sports year-round.  “For example,” says Richard, “with the World Baseball Classic games played here, we put down stencils of the World Classic logo, a batter hitting a baseball, and other cool images at key spots within the Stadium here on the complex. And, for March 17th – St Patrick’s Day Atlanta Braves spring training game at the Stadium, we wet down the skin part of the diamond, then went out there and painted down shamrocks.  The crowd really loved that one!”

But, in deference to baseball, there’s nothing like a freshly-painted logo on the fifty yard line of a football field to raise anticipation for the pageantry and the competition that’s about to take place.  So, if you’re thinking about doing a logo for YOUR favorite Pop Warner team on the home field, Richard says, go for it!

“Some groups will use a transparency from an overhead projector, draw it out and send it to a company that makes large stencils for athletic fields.”  But, Richard adds, you don’t even need to spend the money for that.  “You can do something simple yourselves. For instance, if your team is the ‘Wildcats” you could just outline a big ‘paw’ on the fifty yard lines, then give it a nice border color like an orange or gold or red.   The key is to ‘keep it simple’ and your logo will be a great statement of support for the team. Players, coaches and fans will love it!”

For more info on how to create own cool midfield stencil logos, head to the web and type in summitstarpress.blogspot.com. Then, scroll down to the December 10, 2006 entry entitled “Event Décor: Football” You’ll see some cool pictures on how these folks made their own on-field stencil logo.  For more info on stenciling football field logos see:

www.usspecialtycoatings.com/Products/ Football-Field-Stencils
www.athleticfieldmarker.com/ Field_Painting_Strategies.pdf
www.greenmediaonline.com/uploads/st/features/0807_te.asp

Thanks, Richard! Thanks, too, to all of Disney’s Wide World of Sports groundskeepers, and The Milk House facilities crews, that prep this whole complex in fine style for Pop Warner Super Bowl Week.  Yep, “anticipation” is everywhere here at WWS . So make your plans to be with us, if you can, for a Super week at Pop Warner Super Bowl – 2007!

Watch for more “Field Notes” soon!