Pop Warner participants enjoy fun, inspirational days

FALLBROOK – The Fallbrook Pop Warner program recently had a fun Friday followed by an inspiring Saturday.

Fallbrook High School's home varsity game Friday, Aug. 24, was designated as Pop Warner Night, and members of the Fallbrook Pop Warner program were invited to go on the field during halftime to be saluted.

"This event is so exciting for the youth program," said president pro tem and Mitey Mite head coach, Rolando Uresti. "The young players just love seeing the big boys and really look up to them."

The Pop Warner players were given the opportunity to line up and high five the Fallbrook High varsity players as they came on the field.

"This is the highlight for the smallest players, and the excitement on their faces is just so contagious," said team parent, Laura Cherevchenko. "You would think we were at the Super Bowl."

The Pop Warner teams were announced as the players walked onto the field under the Friday night lights, and they received cheers from the Fallbrook High fans as well as from the high school cheer squads. The young athletes did a Warrior chant before running off the field.

The following day, Saturday, Aug. 25, the Fallbrook Pop Warner JV football team and cheerleading squad had the honor of hosting the Palomar Conference Challenger League. The philosophy of the Pop Warner Challenger Division is to provide the framework for local Pop Warner programs to offer a structured football and cheerleading program for participants with special needs.

The Challenger football program is non-competitive and no score is kept. The games are modeled after a typical Pop Warner game with warm-ups, coin toss and national anthem. It was an amazing day for both players and cheerleaders to learn and laugh with each other. It was also a humbling event that the players and cheerleaders will never forget.