SR Pop Warner emphasizes safety; registration is open
By Hector Trujillo
The Scripps Ranch Pop Warner Football and Cheer Association hopes to emulate it’s success from last season when the 12U football team made a post-season run to the semifinals after victories over Poway, Ramona and Carlsbad.
“Our teams had good success last year,” said Scripps Ranch Pop Warner President Gary Harrison. “Our Cheer teams scored top finishes in the West Coast Conference cheer competition.”
Approximately 200 athletes in both football and cheer compete in Pop Warner’s West Coast Conference from ages 5 through 14 with safety being a top point of emphasis. Scripps Ranch Pop Warner follows the United States Football Development Model (FDM) which focuses on age-appropriate, skill-based progression ranging from non-contact to full 11-player tackle. The program emphasizes safety, requiring all coaches to be certified in USA Football’s Youth Coach Course and enforcing strict age-weight matrices to minimize injury risk.
“Our top concern is making sure injuries are down and that’s why every coach gets certified,” Harrison said. “We teach proper tackling and blocking with all the fundamentals to keep things safe.”
Player safety coordinator Tara Sheridan monitors all aspects of Scripps Ranch Pop Warner’s safety protocols across both football and cheer, along with ensuring all coaches are trained and certified in accordance with USA Football. Home games are played at Scripps Ranch High School football stadium; season starts on July 15 with mandatory practices. The first game is slated for Aug. 15, with June 30 being the last day to sign up.
“At the end of the day, we’re using football to teach kids discipline and teamwork, Harrison said. “My number one job, and the job of every coach in this league, is to make sure every child who walks onto that field walks off it better, stronger and safer than they arrived.”
Harrison joined the Scripps Ranch Pop Warner program in 2022 after coaching 10 years at Scripps Ranch High School, and has two sons playing youth football with the Scripps league growing in enrollment every year since 2021. Scripps Ranch Pop Warner was also recognized as one of the nation’s top football organizations in 2025, achieving Gold Status in the USA Football League Excellence Program. USA Football is the governing body for American Football in the United States.
“The game has evolved, the coaching has evolved and the safety standards have evolved right along with them,” Harrison concluded.
Registration is now open for the 2026 season for both football and cheer. For more info on the upcoming season or to sign up visit www.scrippsranchpopwarner.com