Gang,  

The new year is upon us and we are already in the planning stages to make the 2008 season our best yet.  Many of you have provided feedback on areas that we need to focus on and improve in as we move forward.  

A recap of 2007, SEVA fielded 96 football teams in 7 divisions of plays (Flag thru Midget) and 32 Cheer squads…This means we had close to 3000 participants in our conference.  We played a total of 384 football games spread out over the 8 Week season and capped the season off with an all day cheer competition.  

Of the teams that participated we sent 12 (Football) 8 (Cheer) teams forward into the Regional play-offs, crowned 2 Regional champions on Thanksgiving weekend in Charlotte NC.  

At the National level we represented Virginia quite well, one 3rd place team in football and our cheer squads ranked in the top 10 nationally.  

This success is largely do to your efforts and commitment to provide a quality youth sports program for the children in our area.  

We will be adding some the new web pages this season based on feedback.  The first will be a playing  Rules page!  "Hopefully" this will consolidate and answer some of those often asked question during the course of the season. In addition we will add a Parents FAQ page, which further explains the rules of Pop Warner and dispels some of the myths.  

Welcome Kathy Carraway, Scott Bracken and David Birdsong our newest members of the HLA executive board.  Kathy joins us as Assistant Cheer Commissioner, Scott Bracken is now our Scholastics Coordinator and David Birdsong has accepted the responsibility as Assistant Football Commissioner.  

New forms have been posted on the Pop Warner forms pages as of 1/9/08.  These will be the only accepted forms for the 2008 season.  

Some of the areas we are working on include the development of a Challenger Program, introduction of a Spring Flag program and exploring the possibility of hosting an Invitational Cheer Competition in the late Spring/early summer.  

This year also mark the first year that all Head Football Coaches will be required to attend a Nationally sanctioned Pop Warner clinic in order to become head coach.  

We are excited about the 2008 season and look forward to hearing from you!

Be humble in your victories and learn from your defeats,

Russ  

About Southeastern Virginia Pop Warner (SEVPWFC) 

Southeastern Virginia Pop Warner Football Conference is a 501c3 Non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of our youth, working under a charter from Pop Warner Little Scholars Inc. as a member of the Mid South Region. 

The area of the conference consists of the cities of Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Franklin, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Gloucester, and Smithfield, Virginia and the counties of Isle of Wight, Southampton, Sussex, James City, York, Gloucester and Surry, Virginia. (cites in red have active Pop Warner Associations) 

The objective of our program is to inspire youth to practice the high ideals of fitness, citizenship and character. To bring our youth closer together through the means of a common interest in sportsmanship, fair play, honesty, loyalty, courage, scholarship, fellowship and reverence. To impart to the game, elements of safety, sanity and intelligent supervision and to keep the welfare of the youth first and foremost at all times. Winning of competitions is secondary, and that the molding of character is of prime importance.

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is a non-profit organization that provides youth football and cheer & dance programs for participants in 41 states and several countries around the world. Consisting of approximately 360,000 young people ranging from ages 5 to 16 years old, PWLS is the largest youth football, cheer and dance program in the United States. 

Pop Warner was founded in 1929, continues to grow and serves as the only youth football, cheerleading & dance organization that requires its participants to maintain academic standards in order to participate. Pop Warner’s commitment to academics is what separates the program from other youth sports around the world. As the only national youth sports organization that requires scholastic aptitude to participate, Pop Warner is committed to developing America's young people on the field and off.

Each year Pop Warner continues to expand its efforts in team and activity participation, as well as visibility and outreach in the community. Since 1929, the Pop Warner Programs Philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. At every level, Pop Warner programs seek to develop well-rounded young men and women who learn not only the fundamentals of football, cheerleading, and dance but also the importance of education in an atmosphere conducive to developing sound character while having a good time. 

The mission of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. is to enable children to benefit from participation in team sports and activities in a safe and structured environment. Through this active participation, Pop Warner programs teach fundamental values, skills and knowledge that children will use throughout their lives.

Objectives: To encourage and increase youth participation in football, cheerleading and dance. To ensure a safe and positive playing environment for all participants. To instill life-long values of teamwork, dedication and a superior work ethic in the classroom and on the playing field. 

Positive Experiences: Pop Warner programs have no tryouts or cutting of rosters. Everyone participates under mandatory rules of play. On-field coaching is allowed for younger age levels. Individual awards are given only for academic excellence, not for on-field activities. 

Safe Playing Environment: Players are matched by age and weight levels. There are strict mandatory equipment requirements. Pop Warner provides Coaching Clinics and Risk Management Training. An enforced national rule book incorporates time-tested rules. A full-time executive staff supports all local associations and assists in sound policy creation To Learn More about Pop Warner visit their website at www.popwarner.com