Redlands Pop Warner Football: Commitment to Safety, Education, and Growth

At Redlands Pop Warner Football, our mission is to give young athletes the chance to learn, grow, and compete in a safe, structured, and positive environment. We believe football teaches lessons that last far beyond the field, teamwork, responsibility, leadership, and respect.

In recent years, questions about head injuries in youth football have sparked important public conversations. While research continues, there is no scientific consensus linking youth football participation to long-term brain injury. Our focus remains on education, safety, and transparency. We welcome honest discussion and mutual respect, knowing that everyone shares the same goal, keeping kids safe and helping them thrive.

Pop Warner’s national medical advisory board, made up of leading neurosurgeons and sports medicine experts, has helped establish the highest safety standards in youth football. These efforts include eliminating kickoffs in younger divisions, reducing contact time in practice, improving concussion response protocols, and requiring USA Football’s “Heads Up” certification for all coaches. Each of these steps is backed by data and designed to create a safer, smarter game.

We believe parents, not lawmakers, should decide when and how their children participate in sports. For nearly a century, Pop Warner has provided choices in both tackle and flag football, supported by trained coaches and safety-driven rules. The modern game emphasizes skill development, proper technique, and shared responsibility between families, coaches, and administrators.

Football will always carry some level of risk, but today’s Pop Warner is the safest version yet—built on knowledge, accountability, and a deep respect for every young athlete who wears the uniform.