Pop Warner Team of the Year

Pop Warner Little Scholars is an international program that operates for the benefit of its youth participants. Since 1929, the program’s philosophy has been:  Academics and Athletics go hand-in-hand.  Pop Warner strives to make the game fun for all boys and girls.  The program stresses lessons of value far beyond the playing or spirit days of the boys and girls involved, such as; self-discipline, teamwork, concentration, friendship, leadership, and good sportsmanship.  With such goals in mind, and by providing an opportunity to participate in an organized, supervised environment with emphasis on maximum safety and participation, Pop Warner offers young men and women a unique and memorable experience.

Pop Warner is the first real football or cheerleading experience for most of the participants.  At every level, Pop Warner Football seeks to develop well rounded young men and women who learn not only the fundamentals of football and cheerleading but also the importance of education in an environment conducive to developing sound mind, body and character – and having an enjoyable time along the way.

Pop Warner Football in the Mecklenburg County area has been sponsored by the Mecklenburg Optimist club since 1957.  The Little Panthers’ League has grown from 23 teams in 1994 to 100 for the 2016 season.  It is currently the largest Pop Warner league in the Mid-South region. The Optimist Club recognizes scholastic achievement by presenting scholarships to deserving players and cheerleaders each year.  In addition, at the conclusion of the season, the Doc Martin Sportsmanship award is presented to deserving teams in each age/weight division.

The Pop Warner Little Panthers’ Defensive/Scholastic Team of the Year is determined by the defensive prowess and cumulative scholastic achievements of the entire team.  The Lake Norman Giants Jr. Pee Wee D1 team coached by Scott Hauser finished the regular season with an 8-0 record; trailing only once all season. The Optimist Bowl Champions have not only excelled on the playing field by outscoring their opponents 278-25 through eight games, they also have a team grade point average of 94. Seven players on the team have GPA’s over 96 and are candidates for Pop Warner Scholastic All-American recognition.