Welcome to our Football Family! Our program is a non-profit organization that relies solely on donations. All personnel are strickly VOLUNTEER, but each is CORI certified for your child's protection.
Who can participate?
Children living in Arlington and Winchester or a student attending either school system are welcome to participate in football or cheerleading, provided they meet the following basic criteria:
- Are between the ages of 5-15 as of July 31st
- Maintain a 70% scholastic average
- Meet the age (cheerleaders and football players) and weight (football only) limits set forth by National Pop Warner Little Scholars organization
What is required for a child to participate? (visit Registration page)
Each player or cheerleader must provide the following information to participate for the every season:
- Payment in full in order to reserve a roster spot (discounts for more than two children in same family)
- Original or Certified Copy of Birth Certificate (no copies or Hospital certificates)
- Completely filled out Release/Parental Consent Form
- Doctor’s Clearance Form or Note, dated on or after January 1st of the season year, indicating approval to participate in sports (this can also be a physical exam on record)
- Year-End Report Card (June of same year as season) - to be turned in on or before the first practice
What team will your child be assigned to?
Pop Warner has very strict guidelines regarding it's participants to ensure their safety and enjoyment. Football players are placed on teams according to age and weight. Cheerleaders are placed on teams according to their age only. More information can be found on either the
Football Info page or
Cheerleader Info page.
When and where are practices?
Throughout the month of August and up until Labor Day weekend, practices for football and cheerleading run
four nights,
Monday through Thursday, with a maximum of
10 hours of practice each week. After Labor Day, practices are limited to
6 hours per week. Practice times and locations vary based on scheduled dates, but can be found on our
Practice Info page.
When does the Pop Warner season begin and end?
According to Pop Warner Little Scholars National rules, the Pop Warner season begins August 1st of each year. Arlington Pop Warner participates in the Middlesex League of the Pop Warner Football Conference of Eastern Massachusetts (PWFCEM). The regular season/football games start the Sunday after Labor Day and completes on the last Sunday in October. If a football team or cheer team qualifies for post season activities, the football games and cheer competitions at the Conference and Region level are held in late October through November. The National Pop Warner Super Bowl Football and Cheerleading Championships are held in early December.
When and where are the games played and what towns/associations do we play?
There are eight (8) regular season games played on Sundays, beginning the weekend after Labor Day and running through the last Sunday in October. Playoffs for all divisions, except Mitey-Mites, begin in late October or early November. Home games are held at the Arlington High School Varsity Field. Arlington Pop Warner plays in the Middlesex League of the Pop Warner Conference of Eastern Massachusetts, which currently includes teams from Saugus, Lexington/Bedford, Watertown/Belmont, Woburn, Stoneham, Reading, Wakefield, Waltham, Lexington, Melrose, and Burlington.
What equipment/uniforms are supplied and must the participant provide?
Equipment and uniforms are provided to all children. Uniforms must be returned at the end of each season in good condition. Football players must provide their own football cleats, practice shirt, girdle, and athletic supporter. Cheerleaders are responsible for purchasing (at a minimum) bodysuit, briefs, and cheer shoes. More information can be found on either the Football Info page or Cheerleader Info page.
What is the parental commitment?
Most importantly, you do your children a great service by making sure they get to practices and games on time, and with the right equipment/uniform. In addition, Arlington Pop Warner relies heavily on parents volunteering their time. There are many activities that go into making Pop Warner a great experience including working the concession stand, charting the Mandatory plays, working on the "Chain Gang" -- and it's a great way to get to know the parents of your child's teammates. Please help out in any way you can! Parents are required to volunteer their time in concession stand during home games. You will not be scheduled to help during your child’s game, rather for 1-2 hours before or after your child’s game (at a minimum of 1-2 game days). If you want to volunteer to work concessions at the home games, please let us know, we can use the help.
