Media Contact Only: John A. Stokes, (202) 673-2195; Kerrin Torres, (301) 562-2012 (BGCGW)

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced today that their youth football program has joined the Pop Warner Little Scholars Football League. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (BGCGW) has held the Pop Warner charter in DC since 1996 and with the addition of DPR to the charter for the 2008 season, there is now a unified youth football program in DC. 

Pop Warner’s emphasis on academic success and teamwork exemplifies the goals of the growing partnership between DPR and BGCGW.  With both organizations continuing their goals of improving program offerings, the consolidation of the two largest youth football programs in DC brings immediate benefits for both players and parents on and off the field.

“By working together, DPR and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington have brought the District a true citywide youth football program,” said DPR Director Clark E. Ray.  “No longer will families have to choose which program to play in and no longer will programs be competing against one another for players or fields.”

”We are excited at this opportunity to broaden our programming partnership with the District Government and DPR with the addition of their youth football teams to the Pop Warner charter,” said Kevin Dowdell, Acting CEO of BGCGW.   “Pop Warner’s commitment to combining athletic achievement with academic success is a great example of the holistic approach that BGCGW’s programming supports.”

The newly combined DC Pop Warner football league will be comprised of 113 teams and over 2,800 youth athletes, ages 5 to 15 years old.  The league has two divisions which compete against regional teams during the playoffs (Division 1 and 2) and one division which only competes against DC Pop Warner teams during the playoffs (Division 3).  All three divisions feature six Pop Warner age/weight divisions of play; Tiny-Mite, Mitey-Mite, Junior Peewee, Peewee, Junior Midget, and Midget.

The regular season for Division 1 and 2 runs from September 6 to October 18, 2008, with playoffs beginning on October 25.  The Division 3 season runs from September 13 to October 11, with playoffs beginning on October 18.

Founded in 1929, Pop Warner football is the only youth football program (local, regional and national) that sets and enforces a strict age and weight matrix which reduces the risk of injuries. Pop Warner is also the only national youth sports organization that requires its participants to maintain academic standards, a 2.0 GPA, in order to participate.

Each weekend, DC Pop Warner football games will be played on nine football fields across the District, with games kicking off at 9:30 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm, 3:30 pm, and 5 pm.  Football field locations are listed below:

• Coolidge Senior High School, 6315 5th St., NW
• Dunbar Senior High School, 1301 New Jersey Avenue, NW
• Fort Stanton Community Center, 1812 Erie St., SE
• Harry Thomas, Sr. Community Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd., NE
• Kenilworth-Parkside Recreation Center, 4300 Anacostia Ave., NE
• King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St., SW
• McKinley Technology High School, 151 T St., NE
• Roosevelt Senior High School, 4301 13th St., NW
• Rosedale Recreation Center, 17th and Gale Sts., NE

Coolidge and Roosevelt will host two additional games every Saturday at 6:30 pm and 8 pm.

Additional information about the DC Pop Warner Football League is available on DPR's website, DPR.DC.GOV, in the "Athletic Programs, Youth Sports" section.

For more information: DPR Athletic Programs Administration, (202) 671-1700 or BGCGW Pop Warner office, (202) 388-8196.