2022 Pop Warner National Championships

2022 Pop Warner National Championships

Home
Football
- Super Bowl Overview
- Brackets
  - DIVISION 1 BRACKETS
  - DIVISION 2 BRACKETS
  - DOWNLOAD BRACKETS
- Fields & Maps
  - Camping World Stadium Field Map
- Live Football Streaming
- 2022 Football Schedule
- Bracket Reveal Show
- Football Study Hall
- Football Practice Sign-Up
- 2021 Results & Brackets
Event Info
Cheer & Dance
Venues
Photo/Video
Blog
- 2022 Cheer & Dance Blog
History
Linktree

Content

Welcome to the 2022 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Nationals!

We are very excited to welcome all eight regions to the National Championships this year. The largest Nationals to date, 515 teams are traveling to Orlando, Florida in the hopes of capturing the title of National Champion. Over the next four days, 575 performances from across the country will Reach For The Stars at the Orange County Convention Center.

Our home for the third year, the Orange County Convention Center has allowed practice, warm up, performance and awards to all be in the same building, giving our athletes an experience of a lifetime.
New this year, our spectators will watch the athletes on a raised floor, giving everyone an optimal viewing experience. As well, there is a full schedule of our youngest competing Stars, the Tiny Mite Division.

Be sure to check back often to learn about our Region highlight Teams and special heartwarming stories about some of our athletes and coaches.

We thank you for your continued support of Pop Warner and look forward to seeing you in the morning for Day 1 of Competition.

Content

The one who keeps us all in line....
Patti Kirkwood started her Pop Warner Career 38 years ago.   Her first role was the “ways & means position”. The first assignment was to raise money for new cheer uniforms! While Patti was busy with her position role of ways and means, her children were involved as athletes in the program. Her sons were playing football and her daughter, a cheerleader. But it does not end there, her husband Bill, well he was coaching! It was a family affair. And we can’t forget the Grandchildren that went through the Pop Warner program as well. While Patti is enjoying her 38 years with Pop Warner, her sons also continue to give back to the youth of today. They are currently here in Florida, coaching a football team that is heading towards a National Title.
Patti did not stop at that first position within the association. She went on to be Cheer Coach, Treasurer, Team Mom, Scholastics Coordinator.  While being a part of her association, she was also a part of the Chicagoland board. She became the LCDC for Chicagoland, and then moved to her passion which is scholastics. Scholastics is very near and dear to Patti, as she has been the Scholastics Coordinator for the Mid America Region for 16 years.
Patti's role at the National Championships you may ask? Well, she is the Lead Volunteer. She assists in checking every volunteer in, ensuring they have their assignments, meal vouchers, volunteer gifts, schedules, etc. You need something, it is Patti we all call. She is the trouble shooter, problem solver, organizer.
Patti, thank you for the dedication you have given to Pop Warner. You truly represent what Pop Warner is all about!!!   Here is to 38 more years!

Welcome Cary Jr. Trojans to Pop Warner. This is their first year with the Pop Warner family
and are making quite the impression at the

National Championships. After first place finishes at the local and Mid America Regionals, the teams was excited to advance to Orlando.

Their winning streak continued here at Nationals with titles in both Pee Wee and Jr Varsity Pom, as well as High Pom Score of the session.

What an exciting year for these young girls.

The coaches love the support of their parents, the parents love the support of the coaches.
At the end of the day

yesterday, the parents, the coaches and the girls were so excited. What a way to end nationals.

Cary Jr, trojans, we hope to see you back next year!

Content

Teamwork truly makes the dream work! For the ATM Mermaids getting the entire program started was like a dream. Coach Denzel loves to dance and saw a need in his area for a program. To be a part of the current program structure, he would have to commute 45 minutes one way to participate and 45 minutes in the opposite direction for administrative assistance. The underserved population was in the middle of both locations and included kids that wanted to participate in Pop Warner. With the help of the Southeast Region RCDC, coach Denzel’s dream to have dance teams participating this season came true. This new regional receivership program reports directly to the RCDC and has two dual teams, Varsity Pom and Theme Dance team and Bantam Pom and Theme Dance team, both making it to Nationals! “I am so excited to be here and be able to continue a program we worked so hard to have. We were also honored by the city where the team lives", said coach Denzel. The team participants come from all walks of life and have become a cohesive family group. Four girls will age out of Pop Warner this year but are planning to return as junior coaches. The program has received incredible support from the parents, school, community, other LCDCs, especially Greater Miami, and the RCDC. The sky is not the limit for the ATM Mermaids, it's just the beginning! Congratulations Mermaids on your four National Champion Teams and achieving the high score in both Pom and Theme Dance.

Doretta Cramer is the Regional Director of the Pacific Northwest Region.
There are only two Woman RD’s in the pop warner family right now, filling the role of Regional Director. Doretta has been part of Pop Warner Family since 2004.   During her pop warner reign, she has held many positions, from the Association level to League Level and now the RD.   The many hats she has worn range from Association President, League Treasure /President, League Scholastic, VP Regional, Regional Scholastic Director.
When asked why Pop Warner, she responds  “the focus that Pop Warner places on Scholastics. Pop warner believes and promotes academics, and participants must provide report cards at the time of registration. We place focus on academics as well as sports, reminder the youth participants that grades are very important”.
Doretta, like so many Pop Warner volunteers, began their time when her child started in the program. “My daughter was an introvert and I needed to get her involved with speaking with people, learn to be outgoing, etc.   This was the beginning of my involvement in youth sports. Today, one of my daughters is the Regional Scholastic director.   We love giving back to the community. My family was very involved with Pop warner, as my brothers coached football, daughter coaches, and they are very involved with supporting the participants with getting their homework completed."
Thank you Doretta for your continued support of the Pop Warner family.

Farmingdale Howell Lions have a 60 year tradition of success with Pop Warner, with 18 National titles, in the hunt for #20. They have five teams in their organization and brought three to compete in Orlando.  Catching up with the Mitey Mite team on the practice floor, they worked very hard. But the party at Universal had been a lot of fun last night. They really enjoyed the Return of the Mummy as well as the Simpsons and of course the Harry Potter ride.  They love their routine and are very excited to perform it on the big stage. They are especially proud of their quarter turn cradles.

Kirk Park Colts is a inner City Syracuse NY program that has been a haven for inner city kids for years. Shaquoya Howard has been coordinating the program for years and after her daughter Coyseana went the program, Coyseana returned to the program as a coach.  Coyseana also works as a guidance count at one of the city high schools. She heard about a student who people told her reminded them of her & wanted to meet the girl. The girl lost her mother at a young age & no father. She moved around from relative to relative with no real roots. At 17, she was homeless & helpless. And there was a connection between the two. Taking the risk on a troubled girl that could have cost her her job was a chance Conseana felt she had to take. The girl has blossomed under Coyseana’s love & guidance. Her grades have skyrocketed, she is looking into colleges, she joined Kirk Park Bantam & has found an extended family who have given her love, friendship & confidence

What is a Dripping Spring ? It's a stream of national waters that are located outside of Austin Texas. But it is also the name of the newest association from the Southwest Region to attend the National Championships.
The Dripping Spring Tigers are represented by four cheer squads attending Nationals this week, this group is very excited to make the trip. This maroon, red and white team is lead by two new coaches. Such an amazing accomplishment their inaugural year to place first at the Regional Championships, allowing them the opportunity to advance to Florida.
They are a bit unique as they have two sets of sisters on the team, one set being twins, making them even more family as a team.
Welcome to Nationals and Good Luck Dripping Springs!

Content

Inclusivity is a goal of the Algonquin Argonauts program. So they created the INSPIRE TEAM. The inspiration behind the Inclusion program? Easy, no child should ever be left behind. Coach Cheryl had a teacher contact her to see if there was anything that could be done to support a program for children who may not get an opportunity to cheer for such a great program.

Although their first appearance on the Nationals stage, the team has performed at the Chicagoland conference and Mid-America regionals.

The girls also cheer at football games during the season. Typically a quarter or maybe even the first half of every game.
The team is greatly supported by the entire Argonaut program, that they had so many cheer girls asking to be part of this, (teen coaches) they had to limit the number of girls who were going to be teen coaches. It's awesome to see our youth of today, giving back to their community.

When asked what is one of the hardest parts of coaching this wonderful inspire team? Coach Cheryl responded "It's finding a routine that fits all the girls. Each girl brings a unique feature to the team, and you want to ensure that you are meeting the individual needs of that child. You want to ensure you're allowing the child to demonstrate her skills. The girls are vocal, they have opinions of what they want to do, and how they want to be a part of this team. They will voice they don't like practicing, or don't like something about the routine, or their position on the mat. The coaches and team coaches listen to them. After all it's their team."

The inspire team accommodates the athletes from ages 5 to 18. they currently have an athlete as young as age 6 and one that is age 15.

We all enjoyed watching them perform today. We are hoping they return the nationals next year, and we will see some new faces that have been added to the team

Go inspire team!!!

"We Can Do It Again!"

The Naples Hurricanes Varsity Show Cheer 4 received the high score award last year at Nationals and are ready to do it again. This team of 18 participants, which includes 17 girls and Rick, have worked extremely hard on perfecting their skills in stunts, motions and tumbling. “We took the scores sheet and used it as a guide on how we can do better”, said Coach Kara. This team has a special place in her heart because at the end of the season , she will lose ten of the 18 participants due to aging out of Pop Warner. But there may be a silver lining! A few of the girls plan to return as junior coaches. They want to share and pass on the knowledge as well as the experiences they've had in Pop Warner. It will be a great asset to the next team as they rebuild. We look forward to seeing them again next year at Nationals. Go Hurricanes!

Gettin' Their Dance On
The Rahway Chiefs have jump-started their cheer organization with a leap into the world of dance. And they are on fire bringing 3 of their 4 teams down to Nationals in their very first year with dance. They are excited to be bringing a Tiny Mite, Junior Peewee and Peewee team to Orlando, all doing hip hop.

While the Varsity team did not qualify for Nationals, they are excited to be down in Orlando supporting the 13U Football team.

The coaches describe their participates as “incredibly energetic “ and they “truly love to dance.” They are all very good students, proud of the grades they get.

All three teams had good practices and are ready to bring the heat to the performance floor tomorrow.

No excuses, do the work!
When you ask Head Coach Kristina Smith, what the motto is for her team, her response will always be,
“No excuses, do the work!” That is an Association motto that has always served The Edgewood Eagles
well, and they stand by it wholeheartedly.
This year, the Edgewood Varsity Large PW3 team are coming back as the defending 2021 National
Champions, also including the top score in their division. With only a handful of returning athletes,
Kristina has molded three separate teams into one to become the Varsity PW3 team that we will see this
year.
As Kristina will tell you, she is a demanding coach, but she only demands the best because she knows
that is what they can give. 100% is always attainable, and she will tell you that her athletes have given
100% dedication to their team and routine in order to be down here competing this year once again.
She will tell you that her kids have mostly grown up in the Edgewood program knowing that they can be
Champions at all levels. They have been able to see many teams over the years make it down to the
National competition, even if they did not bring home a trophy. “Just getting down here with the
competition that we have in New England is something to be extremely proud of,”, she says. At this she
also says that this is the end of a true era where the last member of her PeeWee PW4 team will be
graduating this year. She will have a total of 11 graduating seniors this year.
At the end of the day Coach Kristina has the utmost confidence in her athletes and their skill levels. She
never hesitates to let the team know when she is proud, and they truly feed off her praises. She feels
that her team absolutely has what it takes to win another National title this year and cannot wait for
them to showcase their talent and hard work tomorrow.
We wish them luck for 2022!

The Apex Cougars Peewee team brought home a National Championship title in 2021 with the highest score of the day in their division. This year they are back but they are a Junior Varsity team. Coach Amanda Jobs returns all her team from last year and added 4 brand new cheerleaders.

For Coach Jobs, the toughest part about coaching a sideline routine is time management. You have to plan for enough time to teach two routines. But when you start asking Amanda about her favorite part of sideline, her face lights up. " I love sideline cheer-it's so visual with the flags and the poms and the signs."

She does admit there are a lot of little details that go into making a successful sideline routine. "The poms have to hit just right , the signs have to be visual-lots of details."

Adalin is in her 6th year with Apex and loves the energy that sideline cheer encompasses. "It's such fun to perform with all the signs and poms and you really have to perform when you do sideline." She loves the final stunt of their sideline performance.

Coach Jobs is really excited to bring this team to the Junior Varsity level and wants everyone to understand that Sideline is "truly fun."

Defending National Champions and 2021 Highest Score Team
Champions are not born. They are built! The South Pasco Predators Varsity Show Cheer Team have been building this family for more than five years. In 2021, the Predators were not only crowned as National Champions, they achieved the over-all high Score of the 2021 PW2! This team has grown up together, which makes for an unbreakable bond. The bond reaches outside cheerleading to the girls attending events and regular day-to-day activities. “This team has become a safe place for some of us who need a supportive family.”, said some of the team members. The family bond has allowed this team the success of being a five-time National Champion and a three-time National Grand Champion. When asked why they keep returning to Pop Warner, the girls responded, “Coach Kaitlin is the best coach we ever had!” Because of the coach Kaitlin, nine of the girls will be returning as junior coaches. The returning girls as junior coaches helps to lessen the blow of this being the last time these girls will perform together due to aging out of Pop Warner at the end of the season. For this reason, this performance will be very emotional. If we had to choose three words to describe this team it would be determined, resilient, and dedicated. All great characteristics of CHAMPIONS!

One Team, One Ohana

Ohana Means Family! This statement rings true for the Hanapepe Colts Varsity Show Cheer Team. Attending Nationals from Hawaii, the home island of Kauai, this team illuminates the true meaning of Ohana. With four coaches and their board member Elden, who the kids made the team dad, this team is excited to have made it. Cheering since age five, most of the girls will be aging out this year except one, and all stated, "This is the best year ever!" The future of this team is still bright, being the kids are willing to come back to coach. Coach Marissa said the team would not be here without community support. Parents had numerous fundraisers, including family fun game nights, to help the team get to Pop Warner Nationals. The funds also helped two other teams, who will also be attending this year as well. Their motto is "One Team," which is fitting for this team who shows the true meaning of Ohana, nobody gets left behind!

All we do is Twin, Twin not mater what
Seeing Double Times 2! Seeing double is the norm for coach Monika of the Camden Blue Devils Wrath Varsity Small Show Cheer team. She had the pleasure of working with two sets of twins this season. One set on the Mitey Mites team and one set on the Varsity. As first-time cheerleaders with a dance background, Varsity cheerleaders Nico and Vayln have been a pleasure to work with this year. The girls fit right into the team dynamic, which made for a more cohesive team. According to Coach Monika, they make her job a breeze. She said, “The girls look out for one another and are always willing to help!” Well, we know coach Monika will always have twice the fun! Good Luck, Camden Blue Devils Wrath Varsity Small Show Cheer Team!

Content

It is funny how life sometimes comes full circle. Tara Staley cheered from 1st grade through 8th grade
for the Winter Springs Grizzlies in the

Southeast Region. Her mom, Michelle, was her coach. After aging out of Pop Warner, Tara was a member of the Winter Springs High School cheer team. She feels her experience with Pop Warner definitely prepared her for high school cheerleading. She wasn't quite ready to leave Pop Warner just yet, she continued with the Grizzlies a Jr Coach for two years with her mom.
Although Tara did not have the opportunity to participate in the National Championships as a cheerleader, life comes full circle and she is the Event Lead for the 2021 Cheer & Dance Championships with Florida Citrus Sports. She has been an integral part of the success of our event this year. Thank you Tara for all your hard work!

Content

NEW ENGLAND REGION WEDNESDAY SPOTLIGHT TEAMS

The Wolcott Eagles, coached by Andrea McNerney, have been working hard to perfect their routine. Despite changes and struggles, they come together as team to do their job. Once qualifying to represent the New England Region at The Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance

Championship, this Junior Varsity team started fundraising. They had great success with pizza parties, canning and a pasta dinner to offset travel expenses.

Now that the Eagles have landed, they have enjoyed time on the parks. Harry Potter and the roller coasters top the list of favorite rides. They look forward to Pop Warner night at Universal Studios and more team bonding time.

In the final days of preparation, The Manchester Connecticut RedHawks, tragically lost one of their own, Jaidyn Buldoc, sending shock and perspective throughout Connecticut and New England. As a tribute to Jaidyn, all of Connecticut is dedicating their performances to her. Coach Andrea asks that you keep Jaidyn, her family and team in your thoughts.

Naugatuck Hounds Coach Jillian Porter is proud of her Junior Pee Wee team. They earned the right to compete at The Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championship after competing in the New England Region Competition. The team came together to raise travel funds by having a “Pints for Pop Warner” night. It gave the adults an opportunity to have some fun. The team arrived over that last few days and have gotten some park time in. They were allowed to go to Pop Warner Night at Universal Studios but had a strict 10pm curfew. Diagon Alley is a team favorite. No matter what happens when the Naugy Hounds run out onto the mat, Couch Jillian wants everyone to know, “We are Naugy, couldn’t be prouder.”

It’s been quite a week for the Edgewood Eagles Varsity level 2 team. Coach Naomi Tejada and her team traveled from The New England Region to represent the little State of Rhode Island in a big way! Edgewood is represented by four cheer teams and a football team at Pop Warner National Championships. So far, the week has been filled with parks and fun but most of all support for each other. When one team is scheduled to perform, they all show up to support each other. Today is this varsity team’s day! As they prepare to hit the mat, they are reminded to “ do their job” and their “attitude is everything”. Best of luck Edgewood.

Head coach Sarah True has earned the right to bring her Reading Rocket’s teams to The Pop Warner Cheer and Dance National Championship four times, but this a first for this Junior Varsity team. They traveled from the New England Region to represent their town of Reading Massachusetts with pride. To help offset the cost of traveling, the team had success with canning days and raffle items.

Once they arrived, they took advantage of Pop Warner Night at Universal Studios. The team’s favorite rides included the log ride and Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey but today is about competing. As the team prepares to run out on the mat, they are reminded that they “are stronger than yesterday” Good luck Reading!

EASTERN REGION WEDNESDAYSPOTLIGHT TEAMS
The Delran Bears Varsity are all very experienced with competing at Nationals & have picked a few habits that have become traditions that

keep the team focused on their goal. They always treat the warm up area the same way, doing their warmup routine in exactly the same way. Including a little down time together for a calming prayer. They believe their consistency is key to their return trips to Nationals.

While they have kept their eyes on their prize, they have managed to have a little fun while in Florida. They are looking forward to spending more time in the parks.

Carthage,NY is a military community. Most of its residents are military families. So the Carthage Comets coaches always try to keep their participants’ home life in mind. The kids have had a great time since coming to Florida. They enjoyed the Universal Party but made it an early night to be ready for competition. The team does have a little cheer they like to do before each competition. But their big thing is a Tik Tok pose they love to hit together. Good Luck Comets!

The Camden Blue Devils Peewee team has had a great trip so far! While it snows at home, they have taken full advantage of the temperatures to enjoy their hotel pool. And they were able to spend pretty much the entire day yesterday at the parks. They enjoyed so many things at the parks, they could not agree on their favorite.

They were able to agree that their ending is the best part of their routine. And they love getting so intense when they “stomp the competition.”

Content

NEW ENGLAND REGION TUESDAY HIGHLIGHT TEAMS
The Stratford Renegades came from the New England region to show what Stratford can do. Coach Latanya Tubman has made the journey to The National Pop Warner Cheer and Dance Competition 6 times. It’s the second time for most her her team. They put the work in both on and off the mat. This Junior Varsity team of 21 raised funds through sponsorships, canning and the popular Krispy Kreme fundraiser. Now that they are here, Coach Latanya tell her team they’ve “got this”. The team, knows they can do it and looks forward to some time in the parks once they finish competing. Go Stratford!

New England’s East Bay Warriors are making the most of their first and last first trip to the Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Competition. This small but close group of cheerleaders will age out at the end of the season. The sadness of ending their Pop Warner careers has been put off a little longer. When it ends, it will be together.

Coach Andrea Rodrigues is proud of her team and all they have accomplished. After finishing up their competition today, the team is looking forward to Pop Warner night and getting on some of the rides. Most of all, they look forward to doing it together. Go East Bay Var-si-tay!!

MID AMERICA REGION TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT TEAMS
Laporte Slicers are a varsity team from Mid America Region. Their colors are a bold Orange, Black and White. They are a busy squad, participating in both dance and cheer this week. Their favorite you ask...and overwhelming POM. It is their "fun" routine. We also have two boys on our team. Like all teams, much fund-raising was needed to get here. For team bonding- they had a “Friendsgiving”.
"We love to cheer and dance and thank our coaches for everything they do for us."

Independence Patriots are from Mid America. Our colors are red white and blue. We are a dual team performing two routines today. They love both dance and cheer and it’s hard to choose between the two teams. We took first at locals, first at regionals. We were at a cheer competition with our high school team and we scored higher than them. Meagan has been the head coach for several years. She is also the league coordinator and the association coordinator Meagan had also coached her daughter for many years and she is now one of the teen coaches. Good luck patriots!

SOUTHEAST REGION SPOTLIGHT TEAMS
Faith…Trust…Believe……(FTB) is the moto of the Lakeside Panthers Pee Wee Show Cheer Team. The coaches of this team are committed to building a connection with the girls that will last for years. This team consists of various levels of cheer experience that aren’t noticeable

during the performance due to the cohesiveness of the team. They work together as more than a cheerleading squad as a family unit. As with any family, having so many different personalities ranging from quiet, sassy, strong, sweet to the life of the kids' party, makes this team one to be reckoned with during performances. The head coach of this team leads by example. She's not only dedicated to her team, but also to her East Georgia Association, and the league. The team's dedication extends and is reflected in the parents' support. The coaches and team wanted to say, “Thank you for the support of their parents, Jeremy McCoy, Marvin Cole, and Nick Dunn.” Nothing like the heart of a Panther!

Unity is strength! The Wesley Chapel Coyotes Junior Varsity Show Cheer Team experienced their first time in Pop Warner, and they are loving it. Coach Cristen thinks the focus on scholastics and education is one of the great aspects of the program. This awesome group of young ladies has learned that wonderful things can happen through teamwork and collaboration. They made it to Nationals and the team is extremely excited about attending. The family environment this team provides allowed the quite more reserved members to break out of their shells which made the team bond even closer. The head coach is familiar with consistency in coaching being a basketball player learning and studying the art of cheerleading to teach the girls. To take the team support to the next level, the coaching staff consists of three sets of husband and wife duos with one set not having any kids in the program, which means they have a team full of kids. Despite any and all challenges the coaching staff and parents have mapped out a path to continue serving the kids of the Wesley Chapel Coyotes!

Coaching with heart! Coach Pamela of the Ocoee Bulldogs Varsity Level 1 Sideline Cheer Team has been coaching in some form for fifteen years and loves every minute of it. “Being a head coach for two years and making it to Nationals for the first time has been amazing”, said

coach Pamela. This team consists of six girls that have cheered together since tiny-mites and have worked with new additions to the team seamlessly. The team has tremendous parental support, and one has supported his daughter since mitey-mite. He is now an assistant coach on the team and enjoys everything about it. “I am the fun coach, but I still make sure we get the job done”, said coach Brian. The team likes having coach Brian because he makes them laugh when things get intense.

Hard work pays off! Is the moto for the Weston Warrior Varsity Level 2 Large Show Cheer Team. Coach Kim Black couldn’t be prouder of the team. There are 33 girls on the team, and they work together as a unit to support each other through practice, local competition, Regionals and now Nationals. “I have a number of young leaders on the team that assist with keeping things in order”, said coach Kim. With the support of the parents for this number of girls you can never go wrong. When kids want to return to a program year after year because of the positive experience, skies the limit for the association and staff. Teach them and they will come. Great work Warriors!

Large and in charger! This is the first time at Nationals for the Parkland Rangers Pee Wee Level 2 Large Show Cheer Team with a large team and they are super proud of all the girls. Coach Kerry has two assistance coaches to work with this fun-loving team. They are excited with the choice to move up with a large team. “With 26 girls each with their own personality but can still work together which got us here”, said coach Kerry. With all the hard work preparing for competition the girls all said they love school as well, so they made sure grades were still priority. Scholar athletes! Go Rangers.

Being talented can help win competitions, but a team working together wins championships! That is what the Dougherty County Xtreme Panthers Varsity Theme Dance Team came to do at Pop Warner Nationals. Coach Jordan and coach Anaya are always working towards being great leaders and inspire the team. “The girls are like family and are very protective of each other”, said coach Jordan. This year has been a learning experience for the entire team, but it has worked out perfectly. The coaches and the girls have grown together this season and with the support of the parents made it to Nationals. Awesome job Panthers.

EASTERN REGION TUESDAY HIGHLIGHT TEAMS

The Harrington Jr Spartan JV team have really enjoyed their time in Florida. They have had the chance to spend quite a bit of time at Universal, especially enjoying the Harry Potter 3D ride & The Hulk.

But they came to Florida with a purpose & went to work to achieve it. They have a habit of making Tik Toks before competition. And just before they take the competition floor, they take hands to form a circle and perform a spirit cheer.
Best of luck to you Harrington!

In this day and age of flying, it was no surprise to the Northeast Bulldogs that their flight was delayed and got them into Orlando too late for their scheduled practice time. Ever resilient, the team rolled with the changes & took advantage of a little pool time instead. When they got to practice mat, they made good use of the mat time. They are excited to be finally getting to the parks!

The Saratoga Springs Tiny Mites were beyond excited to be here at Nationals! They have busy watching the older girls competing

yesterday and “swimming at night” in the pool at the hotel.

When they got to warms ups, they were ready to go! They enjoy performing their routine & are always ready to do it again. They love when they tumble together & enjoy synchronizing their skills.

Toms River Angels has a long & storied tradition attending Pop Warner Nationals. For some of this team that will age out this year, it was their 10th year coming & competing. This creates a few team traditions. They have a talisman that a team mom gave them years ago that must be kissed & then offered up to God to kiss by each girl.

They also perform their “head to belly” ritual. One girl lays on her back on the floor, the next lays down on her back with her head on the first girl’s belly. The next girl lays on the floor with her head on the second girl’s belly. Once the whole team is laying down & connected, they close their eyes & Coach starts with music. This helps them get into the routine & grounds them before nerves can build up. Seems to work for them-

Content

SOUTHEAST REGION MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS

There is a first time for everything, so make it the best! For the Lutz Chiefs Mitey-Mite Show Cheer, it has been exactly that. Coach Amy and the team is loving their first year in Pop Warner. As an educator, she has a wealth of experience working with young people, and this group has made it a great experience. Being a first-year cheerleader can be challenging, but this team makes it look easy. Not only were they able to gain cheer experience, but they were also able to increase their tumbling skills to have thirteen young ladies who can now complete back walkovers. The Mitey-Mite team has the complete support of their parents who made sure they had everything needed to attend Pop Warner Nationals, which makes being a coach that much easier. If you ever get a chance to have a conversation with this group, there will never be a dull moment. The spunky personalities of the girls make you love talking to them because they make continued communication seamless. After watching the outstanding performance at Pop Warner Nationals, all that can be said is Coach Amy would be proud!

MID-AMERICA REGION MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS

For the Highland Titans, of the Mid American Region, this is a dream come true. After their first year at the National Championships, they are already planning their return next year! This team is quite unique with their skills...every athlete is a flyer. Although they know every role is vital, they love the opportunity to fly.
We did a lot of fundraising to get here: Raffles, tagging outside of 5 below, and businesses in town gave donations. They are enjoying every part of the trip so far from the pool and warm weather, to lots of girl time to just hang out and talk. "We love our coaches and they push us hard. We don't want to go back to the cold!!! See your next year!!

Tri city wolverines - welcome to pop Warner!!!
The Blue and Gold Tri city Wolverines are new to mid America pop Warner and to Chicagoland and are very excited to be participating in the National Championships for the first time.
What does cheerleading mean to the girls? Stunting, friendships, how to have great sportsmanship. "We are having fun, enjoying the pool, Universal
Studios and of course, the wonderful cheer competition!!"
When asked about their coaching staff, "We have great coaches. They are the best. They make us practice hard!!"

Were Back!!! Plainfield Saints, from the Chicagoland Conference, are back to be back at the National Championships. This black and gold team are very excited about their new uniforms this season.
"We took first at conference and first at regionals. We are hoping to place in Nationals."
They love all the elements of a cheer routine, but their favorite by far is stunting. They really like to make new friends as they have been together all season.
Girls are coming back, and so are our coaches. Our coaches are amazing and they make us work hard. They want us to do our best. One of their favorite coaches is Teen Coach, Gia. love to hang to hang out with our Teen Coach, Gia. "She is really good with us, and we love having her our teen coach."
Good Luck Plainfield Saints!

NEW ENGLAND REGION MONDAY SPOTLIGHTS

Everyone in New England is happy to be back on the mat after a year off, that includes the Derby Red Raiders. They traveled from Derby Connecticut to compete in the Pop Warner Cheer and Dance Championship in Orlando. This Pee Wee team of 11, coached by Lauren Anderson, is having a great time. Yesterday the Hulk became a fast favorite, but today is all business. The smallest town in Connecticut has, is on a mission.

The Chelmsford Cougars are happy to have escaped the New England cold. They have traveled to The Pop WarnerCheer and Dance Championship from Chelmsford Massachusetts. This Junior Varsity team of 19 is all business right now. They’ve worked hard for months to get to this moment. Most of the team arrived on Saturday but are waiting to have a few extra days of vacation once they perform today. They will hit the parks knowing they did their best. For now, the reigning New England Champions are on a mission that will leave you wanting more.

The New Britain Raider Varsity team made their way from Connecticut to represent the New England Region at the National Cheer and Dance Competition in Orlando. They’ve had their ups and downs all season. Their head coach Jasmine Mireles beams with pride. Her team of 9 has worked hard to master their routine and rise to the challenges. They’ve made time to to get to the Universal Studios where the Hulk and the Simpson’s ride are a team favorite. They team is even more excited to get out on the mat, show how they sparkle and let their coaches how much they appreciate them, especially Coach “Jazz”.

EASTERN REGION MONDAY SPOTLIGHTS
The Monroe Wolverines Mitey Mite team has been enjoying their first trip to Nationals. The team enjoyed some time in the park on Sunday. The Hogswart 3D ride was a huge hit with the team.

They also shared some Team Wish traditions. When they curl their hair the night before competition, the last curler in must be a different color & they make on wish upon putting it in. They also have a star they write their wish on & place it under their pillow. Their wishes came true today as they were crowned National Champions!

The Phoenix Firebirds Junior Peewee team is proud to be the first team from their association to attend Pop Warner Nationals. This Phoenix should not be confused with Phoenix Arizona-this Phoenix is located is the snowy lake effect world of Central New York State.

They came to Florida with fire in their eyes. They had a very focused practice, relaxed with a little pool time & enjoyed a team dinner at Hard Rock on Sunday. After a strong performance, they are excited to be getting to the park & riding The Hulk.

The Lower Perk Longhorns were excited to spend a day at Universal. They seem to have done it all - Harry Potter World, the Simpsons, as many rides as they could fit in - and are more than ready to go back as soon as possible. But first things first - they have a routine to perform

SOUTHWEST REGION MONDAY SPOTLIGHTS

Today’s first Southwest Region spotlight team of the day is the South Central Cougars, all the way from the Alamo City - San Antonio Texas. These 5 girls are here representing San Antonio’s oldest Pop Warner organization. Lilli, Mandy, Mia, Maggie, Jalen, and coaches Norma & Desiree - you rock - Day by Day!!

Today’s second Southwest Region spotlight team is the from San Antonio Texas.
Coach Ash loves you girls!
Hustle, hit, we never quit! Let’s go girls!

The Southwest Region‘s third spotlight team is the 7-1-9 Outlaws from Pikes Peak Pop Warner.

Coach Desirey has been with the 7-1-9 Outlaws since 2019, the year the organizations cheer & dance program began.

Let’s do this 7-1-9 Outlaws!!!

Today’s fourth Southwest Region team spotlight is the Las Lunas Tigers from Las Nunas New Mexico. This is the Tigers inaugural season. They are the only New Mexico Pop Warner team to make it to the National stage.
Way to go Tigers!!

We are so glad you are here!

2021 Cheer & Dance Championship Blog

Welcome to the 2021 Pop Warner Cheer & Dance National Championships!

After a challenging 2020 season, we are excited to welcome back all eight regions to the National Championships this year. One of the largest Nationals to date, more than 500 teams are traveling to Orlando, Florida in the hopes of capturing the title of National Champion.
Our new home in the Orange County Convention Center has allowed practice, warm up, performance and awards to all be in the same building, giving our athletes an experience of a lifetime.

We do have some new additions to the National Event this year. For the first time, our Tiny Mite teams will compete for a National Title. As well, the Awards Ceremony will be in a separate location to give our athletes the opportunity to enjoy the experience and soak it all in.
Be sure to check back often to learn about our Region highlight Teams and special heartwarming stories about some of our athletes and coaches.

We thank you for your continued support of Pop Warner and look forward to seeing you in the morning for Day 1 of Competition.