On Saturday night Pop Warner will host its 49th Annual Scholastic Banquet at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL.  This year more than 8,000 Pop Warner scholar-athletes were named to the First Team, Second Team or Honorable Mention All American Scholars, based on a score calculated from the student’s grade point average and addendum activities.

More than 2,000 participants from around the country are expected to attend this year’s banquet and Pop Warner will award more than $105,000 in scholarships on behalf of its partners and sponsors.  Pop Warner will also present awards to those that have had an impact on youth football and their communities and serve as positive role models for today’s scholar-athletes.  Pop Warner’s 2009 Award Winners include:


NFL TEAM OF THE YEAR – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are being awarded Pop Warner’s NFL Team of the Year Honor for their commitment to developing programs that support youth football and cheer in the Tampa Bay area as well as their involvement with Pop Warner efforts nationally.  In the last year, the Buccaneers participated in national Pop Warner events including the 48th All-American Scholar Banquet and the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships, wherein the Bucs sent their mascot Captain Fear to interact with fans and participants. The Buccaneers were a sponsor and partner of the Donruss Pop Warner Classic that involved Tampa Bay area football teams and cheerleading squads participating in an exhibition the day before Super Bowl XLIII.  The event included participation by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Vinny Testaverde, Steve DeBerg, Dave Moore, Dave Lewis and Harold Hart, as well as participation by the Buccaneers mascot Captain Fear and Buccaneers Cheerleaders.

Quote: “Over the last year, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have emerged as a vital and committed partner to Pop Warner at both the national level and in the Bay area community.  In these challenging times, the support of NFL Clubs like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is invaluable and enables us to carry out our mission of providing kids across the world with safe and structured athletics coupled with a strong focus on academics. We are grateful for the support of such an outstanding NFL franchise,” said Mary FitzGerald, Chief Operating Officer of Pop Warner.

“The Buccaneers are honored to be recognized as the Pop Warner NFL Team of the Year,” said Buccaneers director of community relations Miray Holmes. “It is our goal each and every year to enhance the educational opportunities for youth by working with organizations that stress both academics and athletics, and Pop Warner has set the standard on both a local and national level.  Thanks to their help, West Central Florida youth are growing up in a more positive, structured environment.  The Buccaneers look forward to continually developing its relationship with Pop Warner and building on our success for years to come.”

Past NFL Team of the Year award winners include the Philadelphia Eagles (2008), San Diego Chargers (2007), New England Patriots (2006), Kansas City Chiefs (AFC-2005), Arizona Cardinals (NFC-2005), Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC-2004) and Carolina Panthers (NFC-2004).

THE WARNER AWARD – NCAA PRESIDENT MYLES BRAND
NCAA President Myles Brand is being presented with the Warner Award for his tireless commitment to reform academics in intercollegiate athletics.  As the only youth sports organization with an academic requirement, Brand exemplifies all of the attributes that Pop Warner holds in esteem for someone to receive the Warner Award.  The most significant change to restoring the scholar-athlete in intercollegiate athletics came two years into Brand’s tenure when the NCAA established the Academic Progress Rate in 2005 that measures the success or failure of collegiate athletic teams in moving student-athletes towards graduation. Teams that fail to meet the standard could be penalized with the loss of scholarships.  Robert Vowels, Vice President of Educational Affairs for the NCAA will accept the award on President Brand’s behalf.  

Quote:  “Myles Brand has been someone we have considered for a long time as a person who deserved Warner Award recognition for his commitment to bringing academics back into collegiate athletics.  The creation and continued growth of the Academic Progress Rate (APR) has made a major improvement,” said Jon Butler, Executive Director, Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.  “These efforts over the last four years have benefited college athletes to help ensure they graduate and are prepared to be stars in the boardrooms long after their athletic endeavors.  There is not a more worthy person for this Award, and we are deeply honored to be able to recognize him with this award.”

“I am honored and deeply touched by this award.  Pop Warner is synonymous with commitment to youth, sports and education. Those are values that the organization shares with the NCAA and with me personally. It means a great deal to me that Pop Warner would select me for this award,” said Myles Brand, President of the NCAA.

Past winners include: Former NFLPA President Troy Vincent (2008) AFL Commissioner David Baker (2007), New England Patriots Executive Vice President Jonathan Kraft (2006), San Diego Chargers Owner Dean Spanos (2005), Former U.S. Congressman and USA Football Chairman Jack Kemp (2004), Former Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson (2002), Jacksonville Jaguars Owner Wayne Weaver (2001), Kansas City Chiefs Owner Lamar Hunt (1997), NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus (1995) and Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue (1993).

INSPIRATION TO YOUTH AWARD – EARNEST GRAHAM, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS RUNNING BACK
Graham got his start playing Pop Warner football in Cape Coral, FL before playing at the University of Florida.  After being signed as an undrafted rookie free agent, Graham emerged as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting running back in 2007.  Graham is receiving the award in recognition of his strong work ethic to succeed on the field, his ability to persevere and battle through injuries and his work in the Tampa Bay community.

Quote: “It’s truly an honor to receive this award,” said Earnest Graham, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back. “As professional football players, we have a responsibility to serve as positive role models to youth both on and off the field. Working hard and keeping a positive attitude has not only helped me achieve success in football, but it has been key to my development as a good husband, father and community member. Without the lifelong support of my family, friends and teammates, I would not be where I am today.”   

Past recipients of the Inspiration to Youth Award include Wes Welker (2008), Larry Johnson (2007), LeCharles Bentley (2006), Kurt Warner (2005), Tim Brown (2004), Priest Holmes (2002), Drew Bledsoe (2001), Terrell Davis (1999), Derrick Thomas (1997), Emmitt Smith (1996) and Junior Seau (1994) to name a few.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD – BOB SANDERS, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SAFETY
In the off-season, Sanders devotes much of his time to youth initiatives in Indianapolis. His Chasing Dreams Foundation (www.bobsandersfoundation.org) has partnered with Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School to host the Dream Chasers program, providing 21 eighth-twelfth grade students with weekly tutoring sessions and monthly activities including cultural events, college readiness workshops and job shadowing opportunities to better prepare them for success in their pursuit of a college education. Sanders also conducts an annual football camp free of charge for high school students in his hometown of Erie, Pa.

Quote: “I am honored to accept the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award,” said Bob Sanders, Indianapolis Colts Safety.  “It's been a life-long dream of mine to give back and serve others in a meaningful way.  This recognition for the work that I am doing with my Chasing Dreams Foundation is a blessing and truly humbling.”
 
The award is a special honor that Pop Warner reserves for people that have truly had a direct impact on the community; it has only been awarded twice – to Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals in 2005 and Josh Cribbs of the Cleveland Browns in 2008.

FEMALE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – SUMMER SANDERS, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL SWIMMER/BROADCASTER
Sanders is the second Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer to receive the award in the last three years (Natalie Coughlin, 2007).  Sanders has worked for every major network including NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN and Nick.  Sanders also serves as a Special Representative for Sport for the US Fund for UNICEF and is a featured athlete on the growing youth sports community website, Weplay (www.weplay.com).

Quote: “I’m honored to receive this award.  My parents philosophy on life was to work hard, be accountable and have fun, with a huge emphasis on the latter. Sports has given me such a balance in my life and has filled my scrapbook with some incredible memories. My hope for my kids, Skye and Spider is for them to experience the joy of being a great teammate and achieving their goals! Pop Warner instills valuable life lessons like being a good teammate and emphasizes the importance of having success in the classroom,” said broadcaster and Olympic Gold Medalist, Summer Sanders.

Previous Female Achievement Award winners include: Rita Benson LeBlanc, Owner and Executive Vice President of the New Orleans Saints (2008), Pop Warner Scholar All-American Banquet including Olympic Gold Medal Gymnasts, Natalie Coughlin (2007), Kerri Strug (1999) and Amanda Borden (2003), American Idol Judge Paula Abdul (2000), Sports Journalists Kelly Naqi (ESPN in 2006), Lesley Visser (CBS in 2005) and ABC’s Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts (2001).