When do practices begin?

• Practice officially begins on August 1st
• During August, teams practice 5 days a week to meet their safety and conditioning requirements
• Beginning in September, teams will practice 3 days a week throughout the remaining season
• Practices will last 2.5 hours, including water breaks
• August practices will be held at various OUSD campuses and City of Orange Parks
• Beginning in September, practices will be held at Handy & Hart Parks

How long is the season?

• Most teams will play a 10 game season
• Scrimmages begin in mid August
• League games begin late August
• Mighty Mite and up may qualify for playoffs and championships, which would extend the season into early December

Where and when are the games played?

• All home games are played at Hart Park in Orange
• Away games can be played as far South as San Clemente, and as far West as Long Beach, and as far North as Arcadia
• A tentative game schedule is prepared by The Orange Empire Conference and provided to us in mid August with league game times & locations
• OEC has the authority to alter a game schedule at any given time due to unforeseen circumstances. Please be patient and understanding with your coaches and team moms when OEC makes changes to your schedule (sometimes at the last minute) when emergencies arise

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 turn in a FINAL report card for the upcoming season
• The required overall grade point average required is 2.0 (C average)
• Scholastic waivers are available for those participants who do not meet the scholastic eligibility standards
• ALL participants (football and cheer) who play under a scholastic waiver must abide by the specific criteria required by National Pop Warner

What is the expected behavior of players, parents, and guests when attending practices, games, or other team events?

• All are expected to be on their best behavior and follow the Pop Warner Code of Conduct for participants and spectators all all practices, games, events, pizza parties, etc.
• No violence, threats of violence, weapons, drugs, alcohol, or any other inappropriate language or behavior will be tolerated at any practices, games, events, pizza parties, etc.
• If unable to abide by the Pop Warner Code of Conduct, the player, parent, or guest will be escorted off of the property with the possibility of expulsion from The Orange Chiefs organization
• Additional legal repercussions may result depending on the infraction

What does my player receive with registration fees?

1. Use of football helmet
2. Use of shoulder pads
3. Use of Practice jersey
4. Use of Practice pants 
5. Use of Game pants
6. Personalized game jersey to keep
7. End of Season Trophy

What do my registration and team fees cover?

1. Pop Warner Assessments
2. Referee fees
3. Insurance
4. Travel to Nationals
5. Field use & fees assessed by city
6. Stadium, field, scoreboard maintenance/repair fees
7. OEC Administrative costs
8. National Pop Warner Fees

What is the refund policy?

    1. We cannot process Refunds after April 30th. 

What equipment do I need to buy for my player?

1. Football Cleats (solid rubber-molded soul)
2. Athletic Supporter with cup
3. Extra Mouthpiece with strap

*Optional equipment must be approved by Pop Warner

Please check with your coach regarding Pop Warner’s list of approved items, such as: solid rubber molded cleats, certified gloves, clear face shields, forearm sleeves, etc. prior to your purchase. Items not approved by Pop Warner will not be permitted for use during practices or games.

Could I provide an individual or corporate sponsor?

Absolutely! We are a non-profit organization and rely on community sponsors to keep our fees down. Please download a sponsor form from our website, choose your sponsorship level, and attach a check. It’s tax deductible!

What are my parent/guardian participation expectations?

We need parents to assist with various participation activities in order to provide a positive experience for all of our players and make the season run smoothly for everyone. We are all volunteers and rely on the support and assistance of all families for a successful season. Examples include: chain duty, snack bar duty, game snacks, must-play tracker, field set up & clean up, head coaches & assistant coaches, etc. *buy-out options may be available if you are unable to volunteer your time. **some volunteer positions require a mandatory background check.