News Room

Well after a long August and a wet Labor Day weekend we are up a running! Week two games proved to be competitive and exciting. Thanks to each of you for making the weekend a success.

I want to take a moment to address sportsmanship and parental conduct.

Recent emphasis at all levels of play have been placed on good sportsmanship. We all know what good sportsmanship looks and sounds like. It's not TO taking out a sharpie and signing a game ball...or the taunting and chest pounding that we see after a great play...this is called entertainment and makes for good TV.

Sportsmanship is about respecting your opponent, paying recognition to their efforts, and applauding the skill level they have achieved.

Knute Rockne is quoted as saying "One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty preaching it." Our challenge going forward is to practice good sportsmanship.

On parental conduct...most of us have seen the recent home video of an assistant coach at a youth football game in Sacramento running at, and leveling, a player from the opposing team. Some media outlets have referenced that the incident took place at "a Pop Warner game", which is incorrect. The incident involved teams in the Delta Youth Football League, which is not a member of Pop Warner.

When I first watched the above incident on the news I would like to say I was shocked. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I have overheard far too many conversations during my tenure in Pop Warner, that tells me we must continuously monitor the adult conduct on our sidelines.

As parents and adults we must set the example for our children. Children are the greatest of imitators, good and bad. Our actions soon become theirs, lets build a strong positive future by setting the right example.

In my younger days, whenever I showed my more intelligent side, my Grandmother always tugged on my ear and told me to obey the Golden Rule. There are many versions of the Golden Rule, but this is my favorite that I would like to share.

"Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence."

Be humble in your victories and learn from your defeats.

Russ

FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF CHEERLEADING

Southeastern VA. Pop Warner Commissioner of Cheering

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FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF FOOTBALL

Football Commissioner; Rex Sims

There seems to be an excessive amount of foul language being used on the fields. We have had several complaints and a few penalties due to this. We need your help in curbing this. Please relay to your coaches that it has been discussed with the officials and the following will occur from now on;

The officials will inform the coaches that no cursing will be tolerated.

The first time they hear inappropriate words being used, it will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The second time, will result in an unsportsmanlike penalty and the player being ejected, no matter if it was the first offender or not.

There should be no room for 9, 10, 11 or even older kids using words that are being used on the field. And this is not a part of good sportsmanship, which is what, above all, we should be teaching the kids.

Rex

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