POP WARNER LITTLE SCHOLARS, INC. - Organizational Structure
The Organization:
Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is a 501(c)3 corporation of the Internal Revenue Code as defined by the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988 overseen by a Board of Directors and by the National Staff, headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania (North Philadelphia).
Eight PWLS Regions across the United States:
The eight Pop Warner Regions are geographically divided in over 43 states, including Hawaii and Alaska. Each Pop Warner Region has a volunteer Regional Director, Vice Regional Director and Regional Cheer and Dance Coordinator.
1400 Associations make up PWLS' 160+ Leagues:
Teams in various age/weight divisions make up the local associations. These associations raise funds to offset costs for fields, buy equipment, and pay referees. In a large city, an association may consist of one or more neighborhoods. Many of these associations have their own appointed board members who make local decisions and carry out national policies. In a suburban area, the association may be one or two towns adjacent to one another.
Local Teams and Squads:
The local teams and squads make up the Divisions of Play and the Associations. Each team consists of 16-35 (35 maximum) players and or a similar number of cheerleaders and dancers. Each team plays within the age/weight divisions of play, under one certain association. Teams from one association will play teams from other associations in their designated leagues. During the post-season, teams that win their leagues will compete in regional and national competition if they elect to do so.
160+ Leagues:
Pop Warner's Leagues are made up of boards of directors in a certain community that schedule games, hire officials, declare champions, enforce National rules and generally administer local programs.
Within each association there are Divisions of Play:
There are Nine Divisions of play, all determined by a strict age/weight scale to ensure safe and balanced competition.
AGES AND WEIGHTS FOR TACKLE AND SPIRIT PROGRAMS:
Tackle Football Divisions of Play
Age/Weight Division
Age
Certification Weight Range
TINY-MITE
(older/lighter)
5-6-7
No older/lighter
35-75 lbs
No older/lighter
MITEY-MITE
(older/lighter)
7-8-9
N/A
45-90 lbs
N/A
JUNIOR PEEWEE
(older/lighter)
8-9-10
11*
60-105 lbs
60-85 lbs
PEEWEE
(older/lighter)
9-10-11
12*
75-120 lbs
75-100 lbs
JUNIOR MIDGET
(older/lighter)
10-11-12
13*
85-135 lbs
85-115 lbs
MIDGET
(older/lighter)
11-12-13-14
15*
105-160 lbs
105-140 lbs
JUNIOR BANTAM
(older/lighter)
12-13-14
15*
120-170 lbs
120-150 lbs
UNLIMITED
(older/lighter)
12-13-14-15
No older/lighter
170+ lbs
No older/lighter
BANTAM
(older/lighter)
13-14-15
16*
135-185 lbs
135-165 lbs
*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.
Weights do not apply to Spirit program. Spirit program follows the above ages only.
AGES FOR FLAG FOOTBALL:
AGES
Division
Age Range
Cub
5-7
Bobcat
8-10
Wildcat
11-13
Panther
14-16
Types of Spirit Squads
1. Traditional Spirit
Traditional Spirit squads compete during the Pop Warner playing season from August 1st through December 31st.
2. Year-Round Spirit
The year-round season begins August 1st and ends July 31st. A Year-Round squad must compete in one competition from January 1st to July 31st. *Note: Year-Round Cheer Medical and Registration due by February 1, 2006.
* Tryouts of any kind within Pop Warner are prohibited.
The ages of all spirit participants in the program shall correspond to the overall ages that the League is permitting for players, unless League rules dictate that the ages of the spirit squad shall correspond to the playing ages of the team with which they are associated.
CHEER & DANCE DIVISIONS
Division Name
Age Range
TINY-MITE
5-6-7
MITEY-MITE
7-8-9
JUNIOR PEEWEE
8-9-10-11*
PEEWEE
9-10-11-12*
JUNIOR MIDGET
10-11-12-13*
MIDGET
11-12-13-14-15*
JUNIOR BANTAM
12-13-14-15*
UNLIMITED
12-13-14-15
BANTAM
13-14-15-16*
*The asterisked (*) provisions in each division are for those leagues/associations that carry “older but lighter” football players. The age of the spirit participant may match the age of the football players in that same division. (i.e., if the league permits a football player to be a 13 year old, older-lighter junior midget, then the spirit squad may also sign-up a 13 year old participant on the corresponding cheer/dance squad.) The spirit participant is matched in age only, weights do not apply.
* Only a League that requires the ages of the spirit squads correspond to the playing ages of the team with which they are associated shall be permitted to send spirit squads to any competitions sanctioned by PWLS outside their League. Outside their league would be defined as PWLS Region or PWLS National Competition.
* A squad, regardless of the ages of its spirit participants, must be rostered, certified and registered in the same age division as the football team with which it is associated (e.g., it cannot cheer at midget games and compete as a junior midget cheer squad). The only exception to this rule is a squad registered as “Cheer/Dance without Football”. Reference Rule 1 - Formation of Squads for the definition of Cheer/Dance without Football.
* The participant’s age on July 31st of the current year shall be the participant’s age for the coming season.
Pop Warner Structure
