LANGHORNE, Penn. (January 9, 2012) – Pop Warner Executive Director Jon Butler was recently named an Honorary Member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Butler was inducted as an Honorary Member during the Schutt Awards Luncheon on January 10th during the AFCA’s Convention in San Antonio, TX.
Butler has served as Executive Director of Pop Warner Little Scholars for 20 years. Under his leadership, Pop Warner’s participation numbers have more than doubled and the overall experience has significantly improved. Butler has spearheaded an expanded annual weeklong Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championship, Coaches Education Programs and the Challenger Division for special needs youth.
During his tenure, Butler has increased participation in Pop Warner’s Academic All-American Program from 600 honorees in 1991 to almost 9,700 in 2011, and established the College Scholarship program that currently grants an average of $110,000 in annual scholarships. In 2012, Pop Warner will award its One Millionth Scholarship Dollar
"Jon has been a long time member of the American Football Coaches’ Association and has represented the best interest of the game and the football coaching profession throughout his career. If anyone deserves the honorary membership from the AFCA, it’s Jon,” said Grant Teaff, AFCA Executive Director.
“This is a great honor and one of the highlights of my 20+ years in the youth sports industry,” said Butler. “To be recognized by the AFCA which annually recognizes the top collegiate coaches and administrators, proves how important of a role youth sports plays in our country.”
Butler will be honored along with Bill Proulx, an assistant coach at Miami during the 1983 Championships, Ted Miller, Vice President of Acquisitions for Human Kinetics who began the AFCA book series and Larry Kerhes, head coach at the University of Mount Union since 1986.
Butler has previously been honored as the 2006 Hershey’s S.T.R.I.V.E Award’s National Youth Sports Administrator of the Year.
About Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Langhorne, PA, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the world’s largest youth football, cheerleading and dance organization and the only youth sports organization that emphasizes academics as a prerequisite for participation. Currently there are over 400,000 children in Pop Warner organizations in 43 states, Scotland, Germany, Russia, Japan and Mexico. The NFLPA estimates that 70% of all current NFL Players got their start in Pop Warner programs. For more information on Pop Warner and its programs visit popwarner.com, our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
