Pop Warner Little Scholars honored

FALLBROOK — Football fans congratulated 24 Pop Warner athletes before the Fallbrook High School varsity team took the field on October 23.

All achieved academic excellence and met the criteria for All-American status as established by the National Office of the Pop Warner Little Scholars organization.

The young student-athletes honored included: Charles Bickel, Steven Branham, Clayton Dale, Michael Edgar, Anthony Fadaol, Beau Gallegos, John Grantham, Adam Grosz, Court Hammond, Colin Hutchins, Dominick Iacovino, Matthew Kinzie, Jeffrey Mangold, Alex McCarty, Cody Meyer, Zachary Moistner, Monty Navarro, J.D. Pickell, Ryan Roche, Justice Rodgers, Amanda Russell, Tyler Russell, Sharon Schneider and Zeke Young.

What is an All-American? 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 Pop Warner program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand; good scholastics are required for participant eligibility during the regular season.

The standards set by the program give athletes a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for academics and athletics that will help them develop later in life.

More information on Fallbrook’s program can be accessed at http://www.fallbrookpopwarner.org.