Pop Warner 2025–2026 Official Rule Book
The following are official National Pop Warner practice regulations that govern all LKN Giants practices. These rules exist to protect your athlete and ensure a safe, structured environment for every participant.
S1 Definition of a Practice
A practice is defined as any gathering of players or spirit participants in the presence of at least one coach where activities such as chalk talks, film viewing, conditioning, skills sessions, or scrimmages take place. This includes informal gatherings at a coach's or parent's home if a coach is present and football or spirit activities occur. All practice sessions must include a minimum of 2 coaches in attendance for the entire session.
S2 Pre-Season Start
Pre-season practice may begin as early as July 15. The first week of practice shall be devoted entirely to conditioning — no pads, though helmets are permitted. Leagues may extend the conditioning period beyond this first week.
S3 First Aid Requirement
All practices must be attended by at least one person holding a Red Cross Community CPR and First Aid Certificate, or equivalent certification, if not by an EMT or volunteer physician.
S4 & S5 Practice Time Limits
- Before Labor Day: No more than 10 hours of practice per week (Mon–Sun). No more than 2½ hours per day.
- After Labor Day: Practices are limited to 6 hours per week. No more than 2 hours per day.
S6 Breaks
Break time is not counted against weekly or daily practice limits. A mandatory 10-minute break is required after each hour of practice. Water breaks must be given as needed and when requested by participants.
S8 Banned Drills
The following exercises and drills are banned from all practices and pre-game warm-ups: leg lifts (bent-knee leg lifts are acceptable), neck bridges, Bull in the Ring, and the Oklahoma Drill.
S9 Warm Weather Precautions
- Limit or eliminate laps. Do not assign laps for disciplinary reasons.
- Schedule practices for early evening when possible.
- Give players all the water they want, when they want it. Do not substitute soft drinks for water.
- Coaches must monitor all players and fellow coaches for signs of heat exhaustion or fatigue.
- A mandatory 15-minute break is required in the middle of each practice (not counted against practice time).
S11 Contact Rules
- No full-speed head-on blocking or tackling drills where players line up more than 3 yards apart. Intentional head-to-head contact is forbidden.
- Before Labor Day: Contact (Live/Full/Thud) limited to 30 minutes per day and 120 minutes per week.
- After Labor Day: Contact limited to 22 minutes per day and 65 minutes per week.
S12 Controlled Scrimmages
After completing 20 total hours of practice (10 hours conditioning + 10 hours in pads with contact), teams may engage in controlled intrasquad scrimmages with other teams. Coaches are permitted on the field, game score is not kept, and no player may scrimmage against a team from a different age/weight level of play.