FOR THE LOVE OF SCIENCE

The Science Cheerleaders have been a Pop Warner partner for quite some time.  These impressive women are professional cheerleaders from the NFL, NBA, NHL and college teams with careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). They playfully challenge stereotypes to inspire, engage, and empower girls to pursue their dreams in STEM. Their organization has utilized Pop Warner athletes in experiments such as sending microbes into space and setting a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of cheerleaders simultaneously performing a cheer in 2011.

For the first time this year, amongst the Science Cheerleaders attending the National Championships is a former Pop Warner cheerleader.  Sydney Record cheered with the Naples Hurricanes, from the Southeast region, from 2003-2011.  Sydney didn’t stop cheering after Pop Warner, she continued throughout high school as well as while she attended college at Hartford.  She also had the opportunity to cheer at NCA College Nationals.  Sydney is very appreciative of the almost ten thousand dollars that she was awarded from the Pop Warner Little Scholars Scholarships during her years in Pop Warner.

 Sydney is currently in her last year at Duke Medical School. She will become Dr. Record in the spring of       next year.  Her desire is to pursue a surgical residency specializing in breast reconstructive/oncology.  

 As if attending medical school is not enough, Sydney is cheering for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team,   once again she is a Hurricane! She is currently in her second season with the Hurricanes and was named   Rookie of the Year her first season.

 Sydney is grateful for her experience with Pop Warner and contributes her personal and professional   accomplishments to lessons she learned while in the program. “I started young. I wasn’t the best flyer or   tumbler, but I loved the sport.  I set goals for myself, and I didn’t quit. I also learned that every member of   the team is valuable. But most important I learned to KEEP SMILING.”

Welcome back to Pop Warner Sydney! Keep that beautiful smile going and we wish you the absolute best in your last year of medical school.  Hope to see you next year at the National Championships.

SOUTHEAST TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT

 First time's the Charm! For the Palatka Panthers Jr. Varsity Sideline Cheer team it feels like a dream.  They   are the first from their area to make it to Nationals and are carrying the torch proudly.  The coaches are so   proud of this team of seven girls.  The participants have really come together, not only as a team, but as a   cohesive family group.  It may have been easier to do since Jr. Coach Cira has a sister and cousin on the   team.  She is really enjoying the time spent with her family and other girls on the team.  Coach Cira said, “   On a normal day, there are sisterly interactions, which allows back and forth conversation, but as a coach   they have to put on their listening ears.” Coach Cira is a previous aged out cheerleader who has come back   to help the team. Coming to Nationals with her team is the way she chose to spend her birthday. What a   way to give back!

WESCON TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT
What a great group of coaches and athletes!
This is the West Covina Bruins First time coming to Nationals. They have been together for several years. This is their first year as a Pop Warner Team, and they have celebrated many firsts. Coming from the Wescon Region and scoring big back home the Bruins have been so very excited about their Pop Warner experience.
Coach Jasmin has lead these athletes in a positive direction with the help of her wonderful assistant coaches and were ready to hit the competition floor as soon as they arrived here at Nationals.
Congratulations to them on their 2nd place win here at Nationals.

EASTERN TUESDAY SPOTLIGHT

The Colonie Bantam team is a group of athletes who have cheered for Pop Warner for most of their lives.  As they began to age out, many of them became Student Demonstrators and then Coach Trainees but they still missed the thrill of performing on the Pop Warner stage.  When the rules changed last year, extending Pop Warner ages to 18, they knew this was a sign that they needed to give it one more shot. In house, they are known as C-4 (which initially just stood for Colonie Level 4 but is also a well-known explosive).

There are 10 on the team, one male and 9 female athletes.  Of those 10 athletes, 5 are related (sisters and cousins).  Every one of them has come through the Colonie Pop Warner program.  9 out of 10 do or have been active Student Demos or Coach Trainees for Colonie Pop Warner.  The 2 head coaches for the team, Rachel Geissler and Rachael Blaine have been long-time coaches of these athletes.  As well as being athletes on their Bantam team, the athletes also serve as youth coaches on Rachel and Rachael's younger teams. Jon Geissler, a team coach and also our Cheer Coordinator, is the husband of Rachel Geissler.  This team is truly a family affair. As in any family, they

rarely make it through a practice without a quarrel and there are always lots of opinions when changes need to be made but, at the end of the day, there is nothing but love.  These kids picked their own music and choreographed their own routine (with guidance from the adults).  As some of them are aging out this year, this will be the last performance on a Pop Warner Nationals mat so they plan to leave it all on that mat.  They are also leaving a rich legacy of dedication and commitment to Colonie Pop Warner.

WESCON MONDAY SPOTLIGHT

Coach Ashley  and her team are from the Kailua Pop Warner in Oahu.  These awesome girls have been together since they were 5 years old. This will be the last time that these girls will be cheering here at the Pop Warner Nationals. They will all be aging out and will be missing their Pop Warner Days, but are so thankful for their coach and their support staff that they have had throughout the years.  Probably one of the hardest obstacles that the team has persevered through would be the time change  from the Island to the mainland. But these athletes have done it all with a smile on their face and excitement that they couldn’t contain. 
Each athlete was responsible for fundraising for their trip here. From the creative ways that they were able to earn money by , selling leis, cookie sales , dinners, these girls made it happen. They were so fortunate to have so much support from their communities, coaching staff and will be forever grateful for their time in the Oahu Pop Warner Cheer Program.  Their efforts were successful...They are leaving Nationals with a 2nd place National Win! 
We wish them all the very best on their next journey wherever life takes them. 

NEW ENGLAND MONDAY HIGHLIGHT

EASTERN MONDAY HIGHLIGHT
Canastota Pop Warner has been around for a lot of years.  But their cheer program has never made the trip to the Pop Warner Cheer Championship - until this year.  

Welcome to the 2023  Pop Warner Cheer & Dance Nationals!

  Welcome back to the 2023 Pop Warner Cheer and Dance National Championships!   Teams
  from all eight regions will travel to Orlando, Florida to convene at the Orange County
  Convention Center for the opportunity  to be crowned National Champion.  The largest   
  Nationals to date, with 597 performances,  expect an action packed four days of cheer and   
  dance performances!  Our athletes have been waiting for this opportunity since practice started 
  August 1st, and will strive to Reach for the Stars.

  Our home for the fourth 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.  

  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 look forward to sharing our brightest stars
  with you.

We thank you for your continued support of Pop Warner and look forward to seeing you in the morning for Day 1 of Competition with our Level 2 teams and Core Performances.  Also be sure to check out our social media pages and tag us in your posts with #PopWarnerCheerAndDance.

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.

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!

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 

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.

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!

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!

NEW ENGLAND REGION WEDNESDAY SPOTLIGHT TEAMS

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. 
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.

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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.

SOUTHEAST REGION MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS
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”. 

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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.  

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.