Local Pop Warner teams combine forces

ALBANY — Two area Pop Warner football programs have joined forces as the football season approaches in Southwest Georgia. The Lee County Warriors and the Dougherty Xtreme are now one and  called Xtreme Warriors.

“It’s a big move for both of us,” said head coach Daniel Cruz. “We have had our programs for so long but both have seen a decline in numbers since the pandemic. We are all in this together anyway and close by so sometimes you have to put your ego aside and it just makes sense for us to work together.”

There are other Pop Warner programs in South Georgia, but all of them branched out from the program that Cruz began in Lee County in 2012. Pop Warner Scholars is the largest youth football and cheer organization in the United States. More than 400,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 16 play Pop Warner football each year.

“There is a whole lot more to what we do than just football,” Cruz said. “Pop Warner requires report cards and there are other things you’ve got to do other than just play football. Plus, our coaches have to go through training every year to keep certification. It’s a big deal.”

The Pop Warner football season opens in August but the Xtreme Warriors are working out two days a week now to get ready.

“All of this extra time is free,” Cruz said of the extra workouts the kids are getting. “You pay to join to play the season, but all of this we are doing now is extra and our coaches are out here doing extra because they are all in it for the kids.”

Cruz was instrumental in getting the Pop Warner football team started in Lee County back in 2012 after coaching rec football for 10 years. 

“I think Pop Warner is more competitive,” Cruz said. “When you are playing rec ball you just play each other. With Pop Warner, we play teams from all around South Georgia. It gives the kids better competition.”

There are still openings available for youth who want to play, and the Xtreme Warriors were working out in Lee County during June, but workouts now are taking place Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Albany State practice field on East Campus. The organization is planning a kickoff event on Aug. 3 in the parking lots of the old Harvey’s grocery store on North Slappey. The event will include games, rides, food trucks and more. 

By Joe Whitfield
Sports EditorJoeWhitfield[email protected]