Metuchen Pop Warner  Football and Cheer has been providing the youth of Metuchen the opportunity to develop their athletic skills in a fun and safe environment for the past 48 years. The program is committed to making football and cheerleading a rewarding and safe experience for our children.

The program emphasizes commitment, respect, responsibility and scholastics. Our goal is to inspire the young people to achieve the ideals of sportsmanship, physical fitness and academic excellence.

The organization is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. The members of the Board of Directors are not compensated for the time they work throughout the year to keep the running. All coaches are also volunteers who put in many hours during the season.

Registration fees only cover a small portion of operating expenses. Metuchen Pop Warner relies on snack bar revenues, and other fundraising efforts to support the program. All funds are put back into the program to pay expenses and make improvements. Some of the expenses incurred each year include both the upkeep of existing and the purchase of new equipment and uniforms, field maintenance and game day expenses (referees, EMTs, etc.), insurance, membership dues, background checks,  and other administrative expenses.

Metuchen Pop Warner is a proud member of  Pop Warner Little Scholars (PWLS), and is subject to the rules and regulations set forth by them.  We are part of the Raritan Valley Conference (RVC) which in addition to Metuchen is made up of teams from Clark, Manville, Bound Brook, Middlesex, the Parish of St Cecelia’s, Kenilworth and Roselle Park. RVC feeds into the Eastern Region, which has teams from 6 different States made up of a total of 27 total conferences.

Practices, Games, and Competitions

In August and up until the first day of school in Metuchen all teams practice outside on the field at Edgar School.  Once school starts football moves over to Myrtle and Charles fields under the lights.  Practice schedules and locations are given out to each team once the season starts.  All indoor cheerleading practices, once school starts, take place at Metuchen High School.  There are occasions when the practice locations may need to be moved and notification is sent out as timely as possible.

Practice will begin this year on Monday, August 2nd. During August, competitive teams in both football and cheer will practice 10 hours a week, usually, 6-8pm, Monday through Friday.  Younger teams will usually practice three days a week.   After school starts, no teams will practice more than 3 days a week. The specific schedule is left to the discretion of the football and cheer directors.   

The football schedule consists of 8 regular season games played mainly on Sundays (there could also be 1 or 2 Saturday afternoon/night games depending on Holidays or where we play).  Gametimes start with the youngest kids (9:30am) and end with the oldest kids. MPW plays 4 home games at Edgar School and 4 games away within the towns from the RVC.  In 2009, one home game was played at Metuchen High School so it is possible that one home game will be played there. 

Teams in the Junior Pee Wee division and older are eligible to compete in post-season competition based on their win/loss record. Post-season competition may include regional championships and Bowl games which can run through Thanksgiving. Cheerleaders are required to accompany their teams to these events.

There will be a local cheerleading competition for all cheerleaders on October 9^th .  Competitive cheerleading squads (potentially girls 8 years old and above) may advance to additional competitions throughout October and November. If any competitive cheerleading team finishes first or second at the Regional competition in November they will move onto the National championships in Orlando in early December.

What to Expect - General Items

Although uniforms are provided by Metuchen Pop Warner,  parents/guardians will be expected to purchase some additional equipment/accessories.  Anticipated additional costs for football is approximately $50, for cheerleading it is $175-$350.  Costs decrease significantly after the first year (for returning players).

There will be a mandatory football and cheerleading meeting in May.   One parent or guardian from each family must attend in order for a child to participate.   This is where information regarding practices, mandatory fundraisers, camps, and upcoming events will be distributed.

Please be aware that there is restricted access to the practice and game fields. Only rostered personnel and certified volunteers are permitted inside the practice areas and inside the game field areas, and they must be wearing their Pop Warner ID badge at all times.

All families must fulfill their fundraising obligations. 

Sponsorships

We are always looking for sponsors. If you know of a business or individual willing to make a contribution, we’re interested!  We offer many different levels of sponsorship to choose from. Metuchen Pop Warner is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, and contributions are tax-deductible (consult your tax professional).

Forms for signing up sponsors are available for download on the website.    

Media Releases

Metuchen Pop Warner occasionally utilizes press releases, newspaper photos, website articles, and website photos to highlight and recognize our participants, teams and squads. No personal information such as home address or phone numbers will be provided to any outside entity by the MPW without your permission. Children's name are not used in conjunction with any photo's printed or posted.  If you do not wish us to use your child's image and/or name in this fashion, you must notify us in writing.

Chain of Command

In order to keep things running smoothly, there is a Chain of Command in place within our organization.   

If any parent or staff member has a question or a problem, the following steps will be followed to address the issue:

• Speak to your Head Coach about it. If you are the Head Coach, see the Commissioner and follow the Chain of Command from that point.
• If your Head Coach cannot resolve the issue or answer the question, you may request that the Head Coach set up a meeting with the Football or Cheer Commissioner.  
• If after meeting with the Commissioner, the issue has not been resolved, you may request a meeting with the Commissioner for all people involved.  
• If there has been no resolution, the Commissioner will take the issue to the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors agrees, the Commissioner will take the issue to the proper authorities at the League level.
• Any violation of the Chain of Command will can result in a penalty set forth by the Board of Directors.

Code of Conduct  

1.) Parents agree to encourage good sportsmanship at all times by setting a positive example for all children

2.) Parents agree to pledge support of all participants, including teammates and opponents, coaches, referees and spectators

3.) Parents agree to demonstrate a positive attitude towards MPW football and cheerleading, not embarrassing yourself, your child or any other participant by yelling or creating a scene, while applauding good effort in victory and defeat

4.) Parents agree to demand a healthy environment, refraining from alcohol, drugs and tobacco use at all practices, games or other MPW team events

5.) Parents agree if a problem or concern is identified, you will calmly seek solutions at a proper time and location, refraining from confrontations in front of children

6.) Parents agree to make MPW Football and Cheerleading FUN!   Violation(s) of the Code of Conduct could result in disciplinary action (e.g., suspension from attending games, practices and/or events, ejection from the playing field area and/or park complex, etc)

Scholastic Awards

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is the only national youth sports organization in America that requires its participants to perform adequately in the classroom before permitting them to play. We believe that the standards we have set give these children a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for academics and athletics that will help them develop later on in life.

Proof of satisfactory progress in school is required. A 2.0/70% or the equivalent shall be the minimum grade point average acceptable to participate.

Each year, the most academically accomplished Pop Warner kids compete for Academic All-American status. This process begins at the association level and up through each of the eight Pop Warner regions to the national level. The PWLS All-American Program requires a minimum 96% grade point average to apply for All-American status.

For the 2009 season 25 children from Metuchen Pop Warner were nominated All-American status.