Behind the Scenes at the Pop Warner Super Bowl

The Making of Pop Warner’s Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships

The Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships is among the largest youth sports tournaments in the world. There are nearly 100 football teams and over 500 cheer and dance squads. Making sure things run smoothly requires lots of committed people – mostly volunteers – doing a whole bunch of work. So we decided to bring you behind the scenes to meet just a few of the people who help create such a wonderful week.

ARMYE WITHERSPOON Volunteer

How did you get involved with Pop Warner? I’ve been involved with youth sports for over 26 years because of my son. He’s always been really active and started out playing basketball, karate and Pop Warner football. Now his son (my grandson) plays Pop Warner football, too.

What is your role during the Super Bowl? Over the years I’ve played many different roles within the Pop Warner organization. I started as a team parent and then moved on to coach, commissioner and member of the conference board.

Now, I volunteer throughout the year, not just during the Super Bowl or even the season. And I just do whatever needs to be done. My group of volunteers from Mid-Florida covers all the fields in a variety of roles —announcing is just one of those roles. As a volunteer, you don’t pick the job, you do the job.

What is your favorite part of this week? Definitely seeing the smiles on all the kids’ faces.

JOHN PHELAN Show Director for Disney Parks Live Entertainment

How did you get involved with Pop Warner? I’m a show director for Disney Parks Live Entertainment so I’m brought in to help Pop Warner plan out all the entertainment that’s put into the Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships. I’ve been with Disney for 35 years and have been involved with these Pop Warner events for about eight or nine.

What is your role during the Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships? We start meeting with Pop Warner in March when they come down to Florida for on-site visits. They meet with my team and I to figure out everything from set design and music to the lighting. We stay in close touch throughout the year to make sure everything is all set for when they come down for the events.

What is your favorite part of this week? I’m a big football guy, but I have to say that my favorite part of the week is seeing the enthusiasm from the cheer and dance competitors. They love the Parade of Champions and get really excited during that portion of the event. It’s a really nice tribute to all that Pop Warner does to create such a special week.

JENNIFER CLOUTIER Head Rules Judge

How did you get involved with Pop Warner? I was a cheerleader in high school and college, and then began coaching after I graduated. While I was coaching, I also started judging some local events. I became quite busy judging and as an official, and that’s when I started doing more Pop Warner events. I’ve been participating in the Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships for about 15 years now.

What is your role during the National Cheer and Dance Championships? I’m one of the head safety judges so I check for legalities and deductions. I also answer any questions the coaches have about their score and how deductions may have been applied to their performance.

What is your favorite part of this week? I really enjoy Thursday’s event, which includes the ESPN live stream. It’s so great to see the kids’ hard work get recognized and I would actually love to see it expand to more days. It’s exciting and I know the kids get a kick out of all the cameras and seeing themselves on TV.

I also love watching some of these teams come through all the levels - starting at six or seven years old and competing until until they hit high school. It’s really wonderful to see their hard work pay off for them.

KAREN POPE Region Cheer and Dance Coordinator (New England)

How did you get involved with Pop Warner? I started in 1983 as a cheerleading coach in my hometown of Leominster, Mass. From there, I became the League Cheer and Dance Coordinator (LCDC) in Central Massachusetts. I did that for around six years and then became the Region Cheer and Dance Coordinator (RCDC) for New England -- and I’m actually the longest reigning RCDC from any region.

What is your role during the National Cheer and Dance Championships? I work directly with Lisa Moroski, Pop Warner’s National Cheer and Dance Commissioner, to help run the event. I help with performance order, media books, trophy and medal set up, and the music station. I also stay in contact with the other RCDCs to ensure a smooth, successful event.

What is your favorite part of this week? I’m not sure I have a favorite part. What’s most important is the overall experience and what it does for some of these kids that haven’t had many of these opportunities. The overall picture of what it represents is really special.

DONNA REBARCHAK Volunteer Coordinator

How did you get involved with Pop Warner? I got involved with Pop Warner many, many years ago. My daughter was a cheerleader for Pop Warner so I started off as a cheer coordinator and coached her team.