Pop Warner Set to Host Regional Competition

Warren will serve as host for the  2011 Eastern Region Pop Warner Football Playoffs, Saturday, with New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., coming to compete.

"It's a great thing to happen for our program," Watchung Hills Pop Warner President Andy Marion said. "I think the reason we have been selected is because we have such an outstanding facility. Typically, they will go to a very large high school with all of the trappings—as one of the most impressive Pop Warner facilities, we have been awarded these games."

Marion said the facility will host regional playoff games for four levels: Pee Wee, Jr. Pee Wee, Midget and Junior Midget. The games will be played between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Winners of championship brackets held through November from each level advance to the Pop Warner Super Bowl at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World, Orlando, Fla.—where a Watchung Hills team played in 2006.

As the host organization, Watchung Hills Pop Warner Football & Cheer has planned a full day of festivities to showcase the township of Warren, as well as the world class football complex operated by WHPW. There will be fireworks, compliments of Garden State Fireworks, various vendors such as Kona Italian Ice, and Mayor Gary DiNardo, Deputy Mayor Carolann Garafola and Warren Township Committeemen Vic Sordillo and Mal Plager are expected to be on hand to greet attendees and also handle coin toss ceremonies throughout the day.

"Watchung High School Regional Band will be there to lead the teams out on the field and we are bringing in a group of bagpipers who lead the teams out as well," Marion added. "It makes it really special for the kids."

Adding to the special event will be a full menu of foods at the snack shack—including pulled pork, sausage and peppers, ziti and meatballs.

"The snack shack will feature home-made dishes brought in by parents, so this will now culminate in a cook-off to identify which is the most popular home-made dish," he said. "It seems like home-made chili and pulled pork are very popular, as well as home made ziti and lasagna. We are trying to see which dishes are selling the fastest and are most popular. It's more of an informal selection.

"The parents who operate the Snack Shack will come out after the last game—the midget game—and declare a winner," Marion added. "My bet is that it will be between the meatballs and the pulled pork and the chili."

Marion noted the event will serve as a showcase for the township, as well as a possible boon to area businesses.

"Once again by bringing in people from other states and towns, we will showcase Warren as a town that is supportive of our youth, it will bring people into town who will be staying overnight in various hotel locations and they will eat in our restaurants, spend money in our businesses, resulting in a great opportunity for our businesses, and for our residents to feel very proud of what Warren is today," he said.

"We are  very excited about it and I think its also great for Warren Township," Marion said. "Bringing people into the town from other parts of the region—hotel stays, eating at restaurants—bring some revenue in the town. And the best thing about it is that is showcases Warren as the great place that it is. It's a win not only for us, but great for the township."

Marion said the selection of Warren was based not only on the facility, but also on the program's successes.

"You become known throughout the region and you build a reputation based on success," he said. "Part of it, too, is that last year we were selected to hold the Mountain Valley Conference Championships. That was really successful. Everyone in the conference was impressed with the way things were carried out. We have done things to make it a special experience for the kids."

Founded in 1929, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the nation’s oldest and most tenured youth organization in the country with over 425,000 members covering 42 states.  It is the only national youth organization in the country which rewards its members for outstanding performance in the classroom.