Carlsbad Pop Warner Registration

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign my child up for CPW?
Registration for Carlsbad Pop Warner is usually held in March of each year at Valley Middle School in the Multi Use Room (MU). Please be sure to check the Registration page for actual dates, times, locations and forms.

What do I need to bring with me to Registration?

• Both the child and a parent or guardian must be present at registration.
• 2 copies of child's Certified Birth Certificate. (hospital certificate not acceptable)
• Wallet size photo of child (school photo works well) — No hats or anything obstructing the child's face.
• Registration fee - $300.00 ($25 discount for siblings) — We accept cash, check, Visa & MC
• Volunteer fee deposit or buyout fee - $75.00 (a separate check is required)

Why do you need 2 copies of my child's birth certificate?
Pop Warner certifies each child's age by their birth certificate. We keep one copy at the Association level, one copy goes to the National level.

What else does my child need prior to the first practice?
Every child is required to submit a copy of their current year end report card and a Palomar Conference Physical Form, completed by your child's doctor, which must be turned in on Equipment Hand-Out Day, which is usually held in July at the CPW Equipment Bin at Valley Middle School. Please note that your child will not receive their equipment or uniforms unless they turn in these forms.

Why do we need to submit our child's year end report card?
Pop Warner considers academic achievement to be extremely important for all our youth. We must ensure that your child is doing well enough in school so that football or cheer does not interfere with their studies. To ensure this, proof of satisfactory progress in school is required. A 2.0/70% or the equivalent shall be the minimum grade point average acceptable to participate. In cases of doubt or conflict of opinion, a written statement by the school administration shall be deemed final. Please visit the Little Scholars page for more information.

Why does my child need to submit a physical?
Safety of the children is our primary concern. A physical completed by your child's doctor or clinic is the only way we have to know that your child is healthy enough to engage in the physical demands of football and cheer. Pop Warner requires every participant to have a physical prior to the start of the season. The form to be used is provided by Palomar conference and is handed out at registration. You may also download it from the registration link — but please provide 3 copies. Your child cannot practice or participate in any way without it.

What are the Age & Weight Requirements for football?
The following scale lists the age and weight requirements for the 2008 Season:

Division Name	Age Range	Certification Weight Range	Born Between
JR. MIGHTY-MITE	7-8	up to 75 lbs	8/1/00 - 7/31/01
MIGHTY-MITE	7-8-9	45-90 lbs	8/1/98 - 7/31/01
JR. PEEWEE (older/lighter)	8-9-10 11*	60-105 lbs 60-85 lbs	8/1/97 - 7/31/00 8/1/96 - 7/31/97
PEEWEE (older/lighter)	9-10-11 12*	75-120 lbs 75-100 lbs	8/1/96 - 7/31/99 8/1/95 - 7/31/96
JR. MIDGET (older/lighter)	10-11-12 13*	85-135 lbs 85-115 lbs	8/1/95 - 7/31/98 8/1/94 - 7/31/95
MIDGET (older/lighter)	11-12-13-14 15*	105-160 lbs 105-140 lbs	8/1/93 - 7/31/97 8/1/92 - 7/31/93

* The asterisked (*) provisions in each division allow the so-called "older but lighter" player to also qualify. The last year of eligibility falls under more stringent weight restrictions, per above.

* A child's age on July 31 is his/her age for the season. A player may gain 1 pound per week after the second game, up to a maximum of 9 pounds.

There are no weight requirements for cheer; however the age requirements for cheer follow the same scale as for football.

Do I need to buy my own equipment and uniforms?
No — Carlsbad Pop Warner provides the following equipment for football players:

• Helmet
• Shoulder pads
• Game Jersey
• Practice Jersey
• 1 pair of game pants and 1 pair of practice pants
• 7 piece pad set
• Girdle
• Belt
• Mouthpiece

Players may also opt to purchase their own Revolution helmets through our Equipment Manager. They may also opt to purchase their own mouthpiece — please note: white or clear mouthpieces are not allowed. Of course, they will also need a pair of cleats. At the end of the season, the players are required to return the following items:

• Helmet
• Shoulder Pads
• Game Pants and Practice Pants

What about Cheer Uniforms?
Carlsbad Pop Warner provides the following items for cheerleaders:

• Shell and Skirt
• Briefs
• Sleeves
• Bow
• Socks
• Practice or "camp" Shorts and T-Shirt

Cheerleaders will be required to purchase their cheer shoes, which run approximately $35 — $40 and will be available for order during Cheer Uniform Fitting Day. They may also opt to purchase a cheer bag and additional socks, bows, sweat pants, sweatshirts, etc. At the end of the season, cheerleaders are required to return the following items:

• Shell and Skirt

There will be a fee charged for any damaged, or unreturned, equipment and/or uniforms.

When does the season start?
Practices begin August 1st with mandatory conditioning, which usually runs 5 days a week, Monday through Friday for the entire month. The first pre-season game is usually the first Saturday of September with the Regular season starting the Saturday after Labor Day. Once school starts, practices drop back to 3 days per week (2 — 3 days for cheer), with games on Saturdays. The regular season continues through the second week of November, with Playoff Games, Bowl Games and Invitational Games running through the end of November. As well, cheer will be competing locally, and possibly regionally, through the end of November. If a team or squad advances to Nationals, the season can extend into the first two weeks of December.

What is "mandatory conditioning"?
During the first two weeks of practice, or the first 20 hours, the players "condition" with only helmets and mouthpieces. The main purpose is to get the kids into shape, used to running and exerting the level of energy required, prior to placing them in pads. This is also the time that they are introduced to football fundamentals, proper tackling techniques, hitting, passing, and receiving drills.

Cheerleaders are also required to meet the 20 hours conditioning period, during which time they will be building endurance and learning the different cheers, routines, stunting, basing, lifts, cradles, etc.

We want to take a vacation; does my child have to come to all the practices in August?
Yes, it is very important that your child attend all the practices during the month of August. As mentioned above, this is when the players are introduced to the fundamentals of football, proper tackling techniques, hitting, passing, and receiving drills. They are also evaluated for positions during this time, and introduced to the team's playbook. If your child goes on vacation and misses practices, he will fall behind his team-mates. Football is a team sport and it takes 11 players executing their jobs to make each play work. Everyone must be on the same page in order for the team to be successful. While the time commitment is extensive, the rewards are even greater and it teaches your child the value of teamwork and respect — please plan your vacations around it.

The same goes for Cheer. During the month of August the cheerleaders also condition. This is the time that they learn the cheers, routines, stunting, basing, lifts, cradles, etc. It is also the time when assessments take place, and cheerleaders are placed in their positions for the season, including the competitive routine. Each squad depends on every girl to execute their position.

What times do they practice?
Practices are usually held in the late afternoons/early evenings and are based around the coaches work schedules, who volunteer their time.

Where are practices held?
Practice locations vary for each team and squad, but the main fields Carlsbad Pop Warner utilize are:

• Pine Field
• Chase Field
• Poinsettia Field
• Valley Middle School (until time change)
• Calaveras Community Park
• Aviara Community Park
• Carlsbad Safety Center
• Hope School — Cheer Only (until time change)

Does my child have to try out to make the team?
Pop Warner prohibits tryouts of any kind for Pop Warner football or cheer. Players attend an evaluation day to ensure that they are placed on a team where their athletic abilities and safety comes first. Specific team assignments will not be made until after registration and evaluations. Cheerleaders will be placed on a squad appropriate for their age, skill level, and experience to ensure their safety as well.

How much will my child play?
Decisions about playing time and positions are made by the Coaches of the team and are the final responsibility of the Head Coach. Pop Warner guarantees that players who attend all practices in a week will play at least 8 to 12 plays in a game, depending on the number of eligible players (most games include 40-60 plays). Pop Warner has a "minimum play rule", also known as MPR, and it is strictly adhered to for each and every game. Coaches will make playing time and position decisions based on hard work, skill, performance in practice, experience and safety. Keep in mind that all teams want to win games, and no coach wants to put a player in an unfair situation where he has little chance of succeeding. First year players may expect less playing time than returning players, until they learn more skills and gain confidence.

When and where are the games played?
All of the games are played on Saturdays. Our home games will be played at Carlsbad High School or Valley Middle School. The times of the games are determined by the number of teams competing and field availability. A schedule of games will be distributed at the start of the season. Away games will take place at different locations within our Conference. Cheerleaders are expected to attend all Saturday games to "cheer on" the football teams they have been assigned to.

What other cities could we travel to for games?
Palomar Conference is made of 16 different Associations from the following cities. Teams may not necessarily play teams from all the cities listed below:

Carlsbad Escondido Fallbrook Menifee Murrieta Oceanside Poway Ramona

Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos San Dieguito San Marcos Temecula Torrey Pines Valley Center Vista

Can I choose what team my child is placed on?
In short — NO. However, Carlsbad Pop Warner makes every effort to ensure that families with siblings in the same qualifying age and weight bracket be placed on the same team wherever possible. If your child is a returning player, he may track (move up in division), or he may be grandfathered (stay down in the same division) Based on Age and Weight.

Cheerleading squads will be assigned to football teams based on various criteria, of which sibling issues will be a priority.

Why is there a volunteer fee? What happens to my deposit?
Football and cheerleading are very labor-intensive activities to organize and teach. In order to carry out all of the tasks related to holding practices and games, we need more help than can be provided by the coaches and board members. In order to provide a quality program and therefore a fun experience for your children, we are asking parents to spend at least four hours helping their team or league with various tasks. CPW will hold a deposit check until you have fulfilled your four hour requirement, at which time your deposit check will be returned to you. Your team parent or Business Manager will be responsible for tracking your hours.

How can I volunteer?
Carlsbad Pop Warner is made up entirely of volunteers, and without our volunteers, our program wouldn't exist! There are many ways to contribute four hours of volunteer time and we have found that most families generously contribute more than the required four hours. Following are a few areas that we can use your help:

• Setup/ Breakdown: Help setup/clean up before/after games and special events.
• Fundraising: Contact businesses & individuals for financial and in-kind donations.
• Special CPW Events: Working various activities/events such as: Walk-A-thon, Cheer Uniform Sizing, Cheer Fun Day, Cheer Competition, Picture Day, Equip. Handout/Turn-in
• Teams/Games: Work with teams/squads during practice and games. For Example: Assistant Coach, Team Business Manager, Team Parent, Chain Gang, Minimum Play Checker, Announcer, Clock Operator, Team Photos, Team Video
• Please contact any board member or your child's coach to see where you can help out!

How can I become a Sponsor?
Sponsors are the lifeline of the program. The money that is raised each year through sponsorships, our Walk A Thon and Charger Season Ticket sales go to supporting the program and to help offset the many costs associated with running the program. Some of the costs we incur are:

• Field Light Usage
• Conference Fees
• Equipment Fees
• Uniform Fees
• Background Checks for Board Members and Coaches
• Travel Fees
• Referee Fees
• Insurance

Each year, Carlsbad Pop Warner gives out Scholarships to needy families so that every child will have the opportunity to participate. We will never turn a child away due to financial constraints. Your sponsorship dollars make that possible. To become a sponsor, please contact any board member, or click on the sponsor's link and download the Sponsorship Form. You may mail the completed form, along with your check to:

Carlsbad Pop Warner , P.O. Box 297, Carlsbad, CA 92018

How do I apply for a Scholarship?
The Carlsbad Pop Warner (CPW) Scholarship Policy is to provide financial assistance to those with economic need or financial hardship, and who meet the eligibility criteria. CPW does not give full scholarships; some payment from parents is required. All information that is provided to CPW in response to the Scholarship Application remains confidential and will not be shared for any other purpose. The information you provide will determine your child(ren)'s eligibility to receive a scholarship. There is non-refundable $50 fee due at registration, which will be applied to any balance due for the cost of registering your child(ren) in Carlsbad Pop Warner. Scholarship forms will be available at Registration.

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