While most College Football fans have had August 30 circled on their calendar's for some time and NFL fans can't wait for Thursday, September 6, there is one more date that all true football fans should be aware of.

Saturday, August 2.

On Saturday, August 2, approximately 360,000 children, ages 5-16 will take to the football field as Pop Warner football kicks off it's 78th season.  While many of you will be glued to your television sets or heading off to support your favorite college football team, I would encourage you to find a local Pop Warner game and go out and support some of these wonderful and hard working kids! 

Coach Urban Meyer with a few of my Knights at the University of Florida Football Camp

According to the Pop Warner website: "Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. (PWLS) is a non-profit organization that provides youth football and cheer and dance programs for participants in 41 states and several countries around the world. Consisting of approximately 360,000 young people ranging from ages 5 to 16 years old, PWLS is the largest youth football, cheer and dance program in the United States."  Pop Warner was founded in 1929. 

As the President and Junior Pee Wee Head Coach for the Deland Knights Youth Football and Cheer Association, I have been actively involved with youth football for the past five seasons.  As much as I love my Gators and my New York Jets, there is no team that I have a greater passion for then my beloved Deland Knights.  I have committed myself to being the best league president and Head Coach that I can be and I know my kids have worked very hard to get ready for this season, as I'm sure most of these kids have worked really hard to get ready for this season.

For those of us that are big fans of youth football, it is a 365 day a year undertaking.From fund raising in December and January, to attending coaches clinics in February, to off season training and team meetings in March and April, to summer Flag football season in May and June, to training in July and kicking off the season in August, most youth football teams have been working toward August 2 since November of last year. 

Coaching legends Bobby Bowden and Frank Irizarry comparing notes at the 2007 Nike COY Clinic

Even though our team won the 2006 Mid-Florida Conference (the SEC of youth football) Mitey-Mite Eastern Division championship last year, our kids and coaches did not rest on their laurels.  Most of our kids went through rigorous off season training programs.  For example, my son John attended the University of Florida Football camp, played Spring/Summer flag football and worked out three times a week with a personal trainer at the All Star Sports Training complex (you really need to check this out to see the future of training for youth athletics).  This is no longer the exception as it fast becomes the norm in southern youth football.

John and Gators Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong