TACKLE FOOTBALL/CHEER
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why does registration cost so much?

LMHPW is a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, from Coaches to Board Members. LMHPW incurs expenses for maintaining football equipment such as helmets, pads, entire game uniforms, etc. Damaged or worn out equipment must be replaced every year, and helmets must be certified each year for the safety of the players. Other expenses may include the field maintenance, storage facilities, field lights, insurance, game officials, West Coast Conference fees, CPR training for coaches, coaching clinics, and basic picture packets for football players and cheerleaders, just to name of few. You may be asked to participate in individual team fundraising which would go directly to your child’s team fund.

2. What equipment is issued by LMHPW and what do I need to purchase on my own?

LMHPW issues each player the following items: game pants and game jersey. Each player will be given a LMHPW spirit wear. You will need to purchase the following: a certified helmet (conducted each year by the helmet manufacturer), shoulder pads, practice pants, cleats (no metal), jock strap, compression shorts/shirt, 7 pad girdle and any extra or special mouthpieces, and socks. Equipment issue will be held on a specified date prior to the start of practice in July. Players and AT LEAST one parent MUST attend Gear Distribution. It is the player’s  responsibility to maintain all equipment in good condition once issued.

3. How will my child be placed on a team?

There are WCC, and LMHPW rules about the placement of players on teams. All registered players who are not on a wait list are eligible for a roster spot in their division. All players are evaluated during pre-season conditioning camps and will be assigned a roster spot according to a draft by the coaches. Evaluations are intended to place an eligible player on an appropriate team. All players will be placed in the lowest Division possible, based on their age. This will be done at the discretion of the LMHPW Board for the safety of our players and to keep our teams competitive in the WCC. If LMHPW registration has generated enough players within a single division to form multiple teams, any means necessary to form additional teams may be used (evaluations, tracking, blind draft, etc.) as long as the rule of registration is followed. National Teams will take priority. Assignments to teams are final after team certification which takes place in August and involves confirmation of player age and academic eligibility.

5. Who will be my players coach?

Coaches are all volunteers. Head Coaches are required to interview before the LMHPW Football Director and Executive Board and after they have been selected, they will contact their players by email or for a pre-season team meeting. At these meetings coaches will introduce their coaching staff and provide their players families with up-to-date information for the coming season and locations and times. If you are interested in a coaching position, either as a Head Coach or an Assistant Coach, please contact our football director at [email protected]. 

NOTE: For the safety of all of our children in the Pop Warner program, it is a National Rule to have a Sexual Offenders Report and a Criminal Background Check conducted on every volunteer that will have contact with our children. This includes Board Members, Coaches, Team Parents, Business Manages, etc. You can download a Volunteer Application Form from our website.

Note: Keep in mind that while a winning record is nice to have, team records do not play a part in the Head Coach selection process.

6. How much will my child play?

Decisions about playing time and positions are made by the Coaches of each 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.

7. Why do I have to submit a school report card?

A player must submit proof that he/she is academically fit to participate according to National Pop Warner regulations. This requires a GPA of 2.0 (70%) and above. National Pop Warner Little Scholars recognize all players that have maintained a 96% GPA and above for the entire year prior and are in 5th grade or above. The Little Scholars Director will contact you if your child meets these requirements.

8. How many days a week will my child be required to practice?

No team or squad may schedule more than ten (10) hours of practice per week before Labor Day. No more than 2.5 hours may be scheduled on any one day. Practice will be held five days per week at the beginning of the season, which starts July 15th. After Labor Day, practices will be held four days per week and are limited to six (6) hours per week. Once games start, practices will be three days per week, plus one game each Saturday. Each Head Coach will set practice days/times. The season starts July 15th with a two-week mandatory conditioning (20 hours). Players will not be able to make contact during practice if they have not completed the first 10 hours of conditioning. Please try to
schedule family summer vacations prior to this date. We strongly recommend that your child begin to prepare for this at least one month prior to the start date. Game schedules will be provided to the Head Coaches as soon as they are made available by the WCC.

9. How long Is the season?

Start Date: July 15th
The LMHPW season officially begins on July 15th and will continue through the end of November and possibly through the middle of December, if your child’s team enters Regional and/or National championships. Though the season begins July 15th, please be aware that there are some dates that are important for the player to be present, such as Equipment Issue and Team Meetings prior to July.

10. Will my child be required to travel to other fields to play?

Yes. Conference teams include Carlsbad, Escondido, Fallbrook, La Costa Canyon, Murrieta Valley, Oceanside, Poway, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Marcos, Scripps Ranch, Temecula Valley, Torrey Pines, Valley Center, Vista, Lakeside, Santee, San Carlos, Rancho Hills, Skyline, Point Loma, El Cajon and the Imperial Valley.

At the time of registration, the game schedule and locations have not yet been determined. The location of the fields where games will be played is listed on Zorts and also posted on all team apps throughout the season, with links to maps and driving directions. The schedule is made through WCC, not LMHPW, and these are the only official games to be played.

11. How will I receive communication throughout the season?

LMHPW requires all head coaches to hold a team meeting prior to the start of practice. It is recommended the meeting occur as soon as Rosters are provided to the coaches. There will be a LMHPW Board member present at all team meetings, to answer any questions and to facilitate the accurate sharing of information. Each team will be required to have both a Business Manager and Team Mom. The team staff will be introduced during the team meeting. All league communication will be provided to the team mom for each team. It is the responsibility of the head coach and team mom to ensure all players are provided updates and notifications throughout the season. During the meeting, the following will be discussed:

• Team Staff Introduction
• Contact Information/Team App/Fundraising
• General Coaching Philosophy
• Team Policy regarding discipline, including penalties for misbehavior/missing practice/tardiness
• Team Practice Times/Location
• Minimum Play Rules
• Parent Code of Conduct
• Equipment Care

12. Is it possible that my child will participate in tournament or championship games out of the San Diego area?

Yes, there is that possibility. The Regional Championship games will be hosted by West Coast Conference Pop Warner, but the National Championship games are always held in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World facilities. If a team wins at Regionals and looks like they will advance to Florida, additional fundraising will occur to help offset travel expenses. Please be aware that some “upfront” fees are required and must be paid before traveling to National competitions. All travel and hotel expenses are the responsibility of each individual player and family. There are also other travel opportunities to locations such as Las Vegas. These options bill be discussed with the Head Coach of each team.

13. What if my child has non-LMHPW activities scheduled during practices and/or games?

Please do not schedule non-LMHPW activities during practice and game times. Football requires a serious commitment. Coaches enforce strict practice rules in preparing for games and there will be consequences for missed practices and/or games. Remember, August is the month of conditioning, learning, and teaching skills needed during the season and it is necessary for your child to participate. Please plan family vacations before the start of the season, to eliminate any conflicts.

We hope that by reviewing the above “Frequently Asked Questions” you have gained a better understanding of LMHPW!

If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,
LMHPW Board of Directors