What Is Pop Warner?

• Pop Warner Lil Scholars, Inc. is the largest youth football and cheerleading organization in the United States. It is also the only national youth sports organization to require satisfactory academic progress to participate.

What Is PWLS?

• PWLS is the abbreviation for Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc., the legal name of the nonprofit organization known better as Pop Warner or Pop Warner Football. This abbreviation is commonly used throughout this website.

What is LPW?

• LPW or Lakewood Pop Warner is a youth football and cheerleading organization based in Lakewood, CA.  We offer a youth sports program to Lakewood residents as well as surrounding city residents. We are the only youth football & cheer program based out of Lakewood High School.

What is OEC & WESCON?

• The Orange Empire Conference (‘OEC’) is the conference that LPW belongs to consisting of 26 cities primarily in Orange County.
The Western Regional Conference (‘WESCON) is the regional conference that OEC & LPW belongs to and it is 1 of 8 national conferences that comprise National Pop Warner.

When do sign-ups begin and how do we register?

• Sign-ups begin in February and last all the way through the 4th of July weekend. All sign-ups are held at Lakewood High School. Visit the sign-up page for more information.

Why is it required that parents attend registration in person?

• Players will be assigned to a division on a first-come first-served basis. In order to manage this process in a fair and open manner, parents are asked to register their children in person. In addition, registration fees need to be paid and parental release forms need to be filled out and signed by a parent at registration.  Registration forms are not allowed to be taken home for completion at a later date.

What is the refund policy?

• Lakewood Pop Warner must declare to National Pop Warner the number of teams that we will field by March 1st. If we decrease the amount of teams after that date we will be fined. Additionally, LPW pays non-refundable OEC participant fees, insurance and other dues as soon as the participant signed up.  LPW is unable to recover these fees if a participant decides not to participate.

For those reasons above, LPW will make refunds, regardless of matter/reason/excuse, using the following dates and distributions:

• February 21st - April 3rd:  FULL REFUND (100%)
• April 4th - May 1st: 75% of fees refunded
• May 2nd - June 5th: 50% of fees refunded
• June 6th - July 18th: 25% of fees refunded
• After July 18th: NO REFUNDS. NO EXPECTATIONS.

Refunds must be submitted to our league Secretary via email (secretary@lakewoodlancers.org) or regular snail mail:

4067 Hardwick #517, Lakewood, CA 90712

Refunds are distributed based on the date the written request was received.

What are the current age and weight requirements for Football and Cheer?

• Visit the Football or Cheer division requirement page for more information.

How do I determine in which division to place my child?

• In football a child’s playing level is determined by a weight first, age second, policy. For safety reasons and to conform with practiced league wide policy all football participants will be placed in the lowest division according to the football weight-age matrix. Cheer divisions are based on the age only cheer matrix, there is not weight restrictions in the cheer program. League officials will assigned all participants to their proper division at sign-ups, however, the Athletic and Cheer directors have the final word on where your child will be placed.

How do I know if I am eligible to play Pop Warner football for Lakewood?

• If you are a Lakewood resident or a resident of a City that does not have a Pop Warner football team, such as Bellflower or Downey, you are eligible to play for Lakewood. If you are a resident of Unincorporated Long Beach and have a Zip Code of 90808 (East Long Beach) you are eligible.
• However, if you don't reside in the cities or zip codes mentioned above you will need a Geographical Waiver from the Pop Warner Association where you live. In general, our league President will obtain a blanket waiver which will cover the surrounding Pop Warner leagues (Hawaiian Gardens, Los Al, Long Beach, North Long Beach, Norwalk). If you reside in another Pop Warner league, please contact you business manager for more information.
• If you have played under a Waiver for two (2) years for Lakewood, you have been ‘grandfathered’ in our Association. Waivers are only good for one (1) year.

How do I request and get assigned to a specific team?

• -We do not take team or coach request.
• -Players are assigned to a team in random order by the Athletic Director, unless player is returning to his/her coach.
• -Players can be placed on a team of choice by requesting an option from that team's head coach..
• -If you are returning to your head coach, you will be automatically assigned to his team.
• -As long as you sign up early and there is room in the ‘division’, you will be assigned to your head coach team.
• -If you change teams or divisions and are not with your previous season head coach you will be assigned to a team in the order of your sign-up.
• -Team assignments are not guaranteed.
• -All paperwork and registration fees needs to be fully executed and validated to be assigned to an official roster.

What are the practice days and times?

• First day of practice usually starts the first week of August.
• All teams (football and cheer) practice every day Monday - Friday for the whole month of August.
• On occasion practices and scrimmages are held Saturdays, which gives teams a day off during the week.
• After Labor Day weekend and through the end of the season, practices are held three times a week, usually Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
• Practice times are always 6:00pm to 8:00pm, all season.

Where are practices held?

• Starting in August, teams practice at Lakewood High School and local parks.
• After Labor Day Weekend, practices are permanently moved to the local Lakewood Parks for the remainder of the season.

How long does the season last?

• There will be a minimum of ten (10) consecutive Saturday games in a season for most divisions beginning Labor Day Weekend.
• The Jr. Pee Wee division & up may qualify for playoffs & Championships which could extend the season into early December.
• Bowl games will be an option should the team decide to participate. These games are held either Thanksgiving Weekend or the first weekend of December.

Where and what time are games held?

• All home games are played at Lakewood High School, each team will play 3-4 home games. Road games, usually 3-4 games, are played as far north as Pasadena, Hacienda Heights & North Long Beach and as far south as San Clemente. You can refer to the OEC website for the complete list of cities.
• Game times begin as early as 8AM and as late as 7PM. normally, the Flag, Jr. Mitey Mite & Mitey Mite usually will be morning games, the Jr. Pee Wee & Pee Wee games will be late morning to early afternoon games and the Jr. Midget & Midget games are late afternoon or evening games. Game times will vary. Regional Playoff Games may include travel to the Inland Empire, San Diego and/or Western Arizona.

Why can't my child be with her friends or on her sister's or brother's team?

• Pop Warner is a national organization and as such we must follow their rules regarding placement of children on teams. There are age guidelines for each level. The Pop Warner season begins on August 1st and this is when the age cut offs take effect. No exceptions are ever granted by Pop Warner regarding these age cutoffs. Roistering a participant at the incorrect level will cause all our teams to be ineligible to participate in Pop Warner. We try to accommodate family relationships whenever possible. 

Vacations in August? Can my child still play?

• Your child would miss the required conditioning practices prior to the season start. All conditioning and requirements must be met before the player can participate in games and contact drills.  It would set the player behind should they miss any time, however talk with your team coach and he should be able to better adjust and help you work out a solution that does not place the player too far behind the rest of the team.

Do we have to be at every practice?

• Absences are the sole discretion of the individual coach.  Since we have a maximum amount of practice time per week, (10 hours per week before Labor Day and 6 hrs per after Labor Day) most teams will only practice 3 days a week.  Talk to your coach about pre-arranged absences.
• Ten hours of conditioning (practice without pads) are required before full gear is worn. (Helmets required at every practice) and ten hours of practice in full pads before contact can begin. No exceptions.

How can I become a head cheer or football coach?

• We have a coaching selection process. Check out the coaches’ page, complete the application and return the application to the Athletic Director for the League.

What about other volunteer jobs?

• LPW is dependant upon members of the league helping out.  Each team has specific volunteer needs as does the league in general.  Joining a work committee can fulfill your volunteer requirements.

What do my Registration Fees cover?

• Helmet & shoulder pads for use during the season.
• Knee, thigh, hip and tail pads for use during the season.
• Practice Jersey, Game & Practice Pants and belt to use during the season.
• Two Game Day Jerseys (Home & Conflict) to keep.
• Photo Package and Trophy.
• League fees (school and park permits)
• OEC & referee fees.
• Insurance and National Fees.

What is my league volunteer commitment?

• All parents are required to volunteer for at least 2 league shifts (firework booth, snack bar, stadium clean-up, etc..) per participant. Each parent will need to give a $50 deposit in order to ensure they fulfill their volunteer shift duty. Failure to appear to your assigned shift will result in a forfeit of your deposit. Deposits need to paid at the equipment hand-out or your child will be able to practice and receive any equipment. Deposits are returned once equipment is returned to the league at the end of the season.

What are my league and team fundraising commitments?

• There is no league fundraising, a great portion of your league fundraising commitment has been included in your registration fee. The cost of the operations of the league and planned growth and investments are accounted for in our registration fees. However, the league may hold additional fundraising campaigns during the season and your voluntary participation would be welcome. Team fundraising is structured by the individual team Staff. Team fund raising is deposited into a team account for use by the team for direct ‘team’ expenses including but not limited to; jersey nameplates, team parties, end of season banquet and post season travel.

How and when will I be notified on what team my child has been assigned to?

• Your head coach will receive the preliminary roster on June 1st. You will be contacted after June 1st by your head coach. Your team meeting will take place in the month of June and scheduled by your head coach.

What is my child’s scholastic obligation?

• The official name of Pop Warner is ‘Pop Warner Little Scholars’. Scholastic responsibility is the most important component of our program. Your child must maintain a 2.0 grade average or at least a 70% passing grade. End of the school year of the previous school year is used to calculate your childs GPA. Please visit the Lil Scholars page for more information.

Are there try-outs?

• Pop Warner does not allow try-outs and accepts all applicants (baring any medical reason they cannot play).

How Big Is Pop Warner?

• Pop Warner has leagues in 42 states, plus Japan, Russia, Germany and Mexico. Last season, over 350,000 boys and girls participated in Pop Warner.

If I Have a Problem with a Team Member?

• If you have a problem with a participant, talk to the coach privately & politely. Sometimes, he/she can help ease a problem. Too often, parents become emotionally wrapped up in a given situation and verbally attack anyone present, so please remember that the coaches and administrators are volunteers, trying to do their best for the children involved.

What if parents say it's none of [Pop Warner's] business how their child does in school; Pop Warner is not school sanctioned? Aren't we invading that child's right to privacy?

• Participation in Pop Warner is a privilege, not a right. If a parent chooses to register their child, they waive certain privacy rights; e.g. birth date, school grades. If they choose not to waive those rights, their child may, sadly, be denied the opportunity to participate.

How can I get more information on the scholastic program?

• Visit the LIl Scholars page or contact the LPW Scholastic Coordinator (lilscholar@lakewoodlancers.org) for more information since they will likely answer your questions.

What is LPW drug and alcohol policy?

• Alcohol and illegal drugs are strictly prohibited on the practice fields, game fields, and in automobiles parked in the lots of these fields. Tailgating is not allowed when alcohol is involved. Any adult responsible for a participant who is found consuming alcohol or using or distributing drugs on the fields, in the parking lots or in vehicles parked in said lots, will be responsible for their player being SUSPENDED for the remainder of the season. This is a national Pop Warner policy.