PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
The primary purpose of this organization is to operate and maintain an organized youth football program that will familiarize athletes with the fundamentals of football and cheerleading. Morgan Hill Pop Warner (MHPW) is a non-profit organization interested in building leadership, teamwork, learning skills, and discipline in its young participants. Morgan Hill Pop Warner's goals are to inspire boys and girls to practice the ideals of sportsmanship, scholarship, and physical fitness. The program stresses the learning of these important values that reach far beyond playing and cheering on game day. With such goals in mind, and by providing an opportunity to participate in an organized, supervised environment with emphasis on maximum safety and participation, MHPW offers young men and women a unique experience. We hope you'll get involved, if you haven't already... because, most of all we're all about having fun!
Our objectives are to make the program available to as many interested youths in our area as possible and to provide a safe and positive playing environment for all participants while instilling life-long values of teamwork, dedication and a superior work ethic in the classroom as well as the playing field.
Participants - Any child residing within the boundaries of the Morgan Hill Unified School District or within close geographical locale (getting to practice on time is a must-also refer to Registration Page info) wishing to play is eligible to participate if their age and weight relationship conform with the following divisions: See Registration Page
Players for the Morgan Hill Raiders must live in and around Morgan Hill, South San Jose, San Martin and be attending school within the Morgan Hill Unified School District.
**NEW Policy (established 2007) for Gilroy and Hollister residents must have prior approval by respective Presidents of other associations or you will be placed on waiting list. Exceptions are granted for players who have played for the Raiders in the past, may continue in the local Raiders program.
CHEERLEADERS
Any child residing within the boundaries of Morgan Hill Pop Warner wishing to cheer is eligible to participate if they fall within the following age group. Cheerleaders must be at least 7 years old on or before July 31 and not older than 15 years old on July 31. Cheerleaders will be assigned to a team according to their age. Morgan Hill accepts Mascots with an age of 5 & 6 years old and places them on teams to augment the cheer squad. Siblings may be assigned to the same team at the Head Coach and Girl's Athletic Director's discretion. Mascots could be placed on the Mitey Mite Squad.
THE ROLE OF THE PARENT IN POP WARNER FOOTBALL
The old saying “children should be seen and not be heard” is given a new twist in Pop Warner Football where the parents are seen and not heard, at least not too loudly and NEVER on the playing field.
The support of the parents, both mothers and fathers, is essential to the success of any youth program. This support should be of the off-field variety in such activities as board positions, fund raising, promotions, equipment maintenance, team sponsorship and other volunteer activities, as well as loyal but fair, fan support in the stands on game day.
Parents must never interfere with the aim of the Pop Warner program, which is to teach their youngsters good sportsmanship, fair play and a love for the wonderful game of football.
Parents must never interfere with the operation of the team just because their child happens to be a member of that team. They will be better supporters of the team if they understand just what the coaches are trying to do. The coach is the best judge of his players’ abilities and capabilities, and parents should not question his use of personnel, plays, strategy or methods. The coaching staff will be available after each practice and game to answer your questions and we encourage parents to utilize this time. Should you have concerns please discuss them with your coach first. If you are not satisfied with the result then pursue your conversation with the Boys or Girls Athletic Directors. There is a chain of command to your Board of Directors.
Alcoholic beverages, drugs, and tobacco products (smoking) are not to be allowed on the school premises at any time, because of Pop Warner, State, and City ordinances. Participants will be penalized per Pop Warner rule. Because of spectators’ violation, forfeiture of game can result. In addition the Morgan Hill Unified School District does not allow animals of any kind on the school property. Please leave your pets at home.
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A Team representative will be asking for volunteers to help at the games. Announcers, Timekeepers, spotters, Chain Gang, Down markers, M.P.R. Spotters, etc., will be needed at all games. Please let your Team representative know if you can be of help in any of these areas.
PARTICIPANT RULES AND REGULATIONS
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Attendance at all practice sessions and games is necessary. It is hard on any candidate to miss practice sessions. If a candidate cannot attend due to illness or injury, please call any of his or her teams coaches and explain the absence. Vacations should be scheduled to take place completely either prior to Aug 1 or after Oct.31. It is important that your candidate use this time to concentrate on achieving the most they can during the practice month of August, and focus on establishing a balance between sports and academics Sept to October.
SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Participation in MHPW should be secondary to the participant’s schooling. If, at any time, it is brought to the attention of the MHPW Coaching Staff or Board that a child is failing in school due to their participation in football, the Staff or the Board will meet with that child and their parent(s) or guardian(s) to discuss the matter and, if necessary, suspend the participant until his or her grades improve. In the same spirit, any child that maintains high scholastic achievement during the football session will be eligible for a scholastic award.
Good diet and sleep habits are a must for an athlete. A good diet will give you the source of energy your body needs, and good sleep habits will allow your muscles to rest properly and gain the strength that will be needed in a physical sport.
Good health and hygiene practices are important when participating in youth sports activities. Players should wash their hands and change their clothing after practice, games and competitions. Practice gear and uniforms should be washed according to the manufacturer's instructions after each use. Players must come to practice games and competitions with clean uniforms and practice gear.
Players should not come to practice if they are sick or have a fever. They should contact their coach to report an absence. All cuts, scrapes and abrasions should be covered with a bandage before participating in cheerleading or dance. Parents should refer to the MRSA (Menthicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria) information handout "MRSA in Athletes" for information on prevention. This document can be viewed at the MRSA Resources website at:
http://www.mrsaresources.com/Downloads/MRSAinAtletics.pdf
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CONDITIONING
During the first week, beginning the last weekend in July, the candidate is subjected to a vigorous training program that is designed to build the strength and stamina needed to cope with the physical contact.
In accordance with Pop Warner regulations, we are allowed to carry a maximum of 35 players per team. If we have an unusually large number of sign ups, more than one team per age and weight group may be formed.
All candidates are initially separated into appropriate groups in accordance with their ages and weight as described in CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY.
MANDATORY CUTS
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VOLUNTARY CUTS
A player shall be considered a voluntary or “self cut” player when he/she simply no longer shows up for practice or games of their own free will. Typically, this player may be a “curiosity seeker”, who comes out only to quit when contact begins or who does not wish to keep up with the conditioning program. He/she may be removed by his parents or go on vacation, or may be failing in school. Whatever the reason, the team does not tell them they are cut. He cuts him/her self or their parents cuts them.
All candidates that have been put on a team roster must be certified. Certification includes the verification of age and weight. Certification is conducted by the Commissioner of Peninsula Pop Warner. The candidates age is verified by his birth certificate. Weights are verified in the presence of the Commissioner, and if all requirements are met, his picture and certification form are stamped “approved”. The current year’s report card will be required to complete your certification. Once the candidate is certified, he will be allowed to gain 1 pound per week during the regular season after Game #1. Spirit squads (cheer) are exempt from weight restrictions.
Certification is usually held close to Labor Day (end of August) with season play beginning immediately afterward. All players MUST certify. There is no makeup day unless you are ill and can provide a doctor’s statement to that effect.
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CHEER CERTIFICATION
All candidates that have been put on a team roster must be certified. Certification includes the verification of their age. Certification is conducted by the Commissioner of Peninsula Pop Warner. The candidates age is verified by her birth certificate in the presence of the Commissioner and if all requirements are met, her picture and certification form are stamped “approved”. The current year’s report card will be required to complete your certification.
In the event that a candidate is found to be unable to cope with the physical requirements of cheerleading, the problem will be discussed with the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the candidate before any action is taken.
All practice sessions will be held at Britton middle school. It is the responsibility of each participant’s parents to provide transportation to and from ALL sessions and games. On days that it is difficult for you to bring and pick up your child, you must make arrangements with another team parent. Children who are not picked up at the end of practice by their parents may be dropped after the second warning.
PRACTICE TIMES
Practice times will be set by the Head Coach of each team. The following guidelines may be helpful. Practice will begin the last weekend of July. From first practice until school starts, there will be at most, 5 practice sessions per week. Practice sessions will be a maximum of 2½ hours duration totaling a maximum of 10 hours per week.
(4 - 2 ½ hour practice sessions = a total of 10 hours, 5 - 2 hour practice sessions = a total of 10 hours.) Breaks will be given but are not included as practice time.
When school starts, practice sessions will be reduced to a maximum of 3 days per week with a maximum of 6 hours per week. Break times are not included as practice time.
All home games will be played at our "BRAND NEW" OUTDOOR SPORTS COMPLEX!! Located at 16500 Condit Road, Morgan Hill. Regular season away games will be played within Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. The Jamboree (first game) and playoff games are fundraisers for Peninsula Pop Warner Football and are the only games that have entry fees. Game schedules are given out to the Head Coach at PLAYER CERTIFICATION.
TIMES/DAYS
All home games and most away games will be played on Saturdays. However, due to field and/or referee availability some games may be played on Sundays.
The expression, “I’m in it for the kids,” is often heard from adult volunteers when discussing their service in the capacity of administration or coaching. Yet, when it comes to players, some protection is needed from time to time to assure the players do truly come first.
Therefore in Pop Warner Football, a Mandatory Play Rule, or MPR for short, has been established. This rule guarantees each player will see a minimal of game action.
The MPR gives each player on a team's roster a minimum of six plays per game.
All six of the plays must be from the line of scrimmage. If the play results in a penalty, the down is nullified and must be replayed. Kick-off and kick returns do NOT count as a play towards the MPR. The MPR applies to all games; pre-season, out of conference, regular season, local playoff and championship games, as well as post season bowl games.
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