Cheer Spirit And Philosophy 

Oceanside Pop Warner’s cheer program is designed to inspire our young girls by teaching them the important values of dedication, team work, friendship, leadership and good sportsmanship.  We encourage all of our girls to meet each new task with a “can do attitude”, and to believe and trust in themselves as well as each other.

Our goal is to teach these girls how to support one another and to encourage their teammates through positive reinforcement and mutual respect for their team, their coaches, and OPW.

OPW strives to make Cheer leading a fun, learning experience with lessons that follow them far beyond the spirit of cheering.  Each squad is designed to work as a team representing their fellow football players during the games and to demonstrate their athletic abilities on the field and during competitions.  Coaches and volunteers are dedicated individuals who enjoy working with and teaching these young girls while embracing Pop Warner’s National Philosophy of “Academics and Athletics go hand-in-hand”.

We hope to develop each child a feeling of accomplishment and success in a fun-filled atmosphere.  Participating in Oceanside Pop Warner Cheer leading program provides children the unique opportunity to perform in an organized, supervised, safety-oriented and fun environment.

Season 

We kick off the season on August 1st. Non-competitive teams, Flag, Jr. Mitey Mite and Mitey Mite, will end with the Local Competition held at the end of October or through the beginning of November depending on bowl games.

Competitive teams, Jr. Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Jr. Varsity, and Varsity/Unlimited will cheer at games through the beginning of November and may then continue with a competition season through the end of January.

Practice Schedule

Practices will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Park or an indoor facility.

From August 1st through Labor Day practices for cheer teams typically practice 5 days a week, Monday – Friday, 2 hours per practice.  Practices are typically between the hours of 5:30-7:30pm.  Practice for Flag is only 90 minutes long and ends at 7:00 pm.

After Labor Day practices for cheer teams will drop down to 3 days per week, 2 hours per practice. The days of the week, hours of practice and duration of practice will vary according to the coach’s schedule and the availability of the football fields or indoor facility.  Practices are typically held from Tuesday – Thursday, between the hours of 5:30-7:30pm.  Practice for Flag is only 90 minutes long and ends at 7:00 pm.

Why Practice is Mandatory

Cheer leading is a team sport.  As such, it requires the active participation of every member on the squad.  Each member works together to form a friendship based on trust, this is especially true in the stunt groups.

Cheer leading is a unique sport in which each athlete’s safety is dependent on teamwork, trust, and the responsibility of the whole squad.

If one cheerleader misses practice, she may have a negative impact on the squad.  The squad may not be able to practice a difficult routine without her or would have to continuously adjust stunt routines, causing confusion with the rest of the cheer squad members.

Furthermore, a missed practice takes time away from the rest of the Cheer squad.  One of the cheer coaches must step out during practice and teach what was missed.

As a result, attendance at all practices and games is mandatory.  Please make an effort to schedule your summer family vacations during June and July.  August is a critical month where skill-sets are being evaluated and positions determined.

Cheer Competitions 

Cheerleading is not just about the games.  Our girls not only practice hard to be there for their fellow OPW football players and families, but they are also ramping up and preparing for their biggest day of the season…The Palomar Conference Cheer and Dance Competition!!!!

The Cheerleading competition is a very exciting and worthwhile experience for our girls.  Not only do they showcase to their family and friends the culmination of all their hard work during the cheer season, but they also compete against girls their own age and skill level.  Many parents are simply amazed at how much their child has grown and learned during the season.

Watching the girls during the competitions will make you realize what talented, dedicated, and hard-working individuals each and every one of them are.  Their spirit and energy is truly contagious!

Oceanside Pop Warner participates each year in the Palomar Cheer and Dance Competition, which is our local league for Pop Warner.  This event is mandatory for all OPW Cheer participants.  The Palomar Cheer and Dance Competition is usually held on the last Sunday in October (dates are subject to change) at the SDSU Viejas Sports Arena.  Cheer Teams (Jr. Pee Wee level and higher) will compete with other local teams for advancement to the Regional Cheer Competition.  While Flag and Mitey Mite Cheer Teams attend the event and showcase their skills, they do not compete.

First and Second placed teams will attend the Wescon Regional Cheer Championships to qualify for Nationals.  The Wescon Regional events are held every year on the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving.  The venue location for the event is subject to change as the  Wescon Regionals comprises of 12 leagues and approximately 480 teams.

The First and Second placed teams at the Regional Cheer Competitions are then invited to perform at Disney’s Wide World of Sports at Disneyworld in hopes of winning a national championship for their local association.

In addition to the Pop Warner Cheer Competitions, our Competitive Cheer divisions can participate in outside-Palomar Conference cheer competitions. For the last couple years, our Lady Pirates have competed in the JAMZ National Cheer Competitions. In January 2016, our 2015 Jr Midget Cheer team won 4th place in the JAMZ National Competition held at Las Vegas, Nevada. Go Lady Pirates!!

JAMZ Camp 

All participants will attend JAMZ camp held during the first weekend in August.  Exact dates, times, and locations will be announced as the season gets closer.  Fees are an ADDITIONAL cost to you and NOT paid for by Oceanside Pop Warner.

Games 

Games will begin on TBD .  Games are on Saturdays and are mandatory.  The home games may be played at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Oceanside High School, or El Camino High School.

Please visit https://www.wccpopwarner.com/home for a complete list of those associations.Parents are responsible for transportation to and from games.