With football season fast approaching, the sights and sounds of Apopka Pop Warner have returned to Northwest Recreation Complex. 

Every team took the field Tuesday evening in full pads as players and coaches continued preparing for the 2026 season. From the youngest flag football players learning the fundamentals to the program’s oldest athletes getting ready to defend championships, practices marked another step toward opening weekend. 

Apopka enters the season looking to build on a successful 2025 campaign that saw three teams advance to the Mid-Florida Championships. The organization’s 6U and 13U squads both captured league titles, while the 13U team enters the new season seeking its third consecutive championship. 

One of the biggest changes this season comes on the sidelines. 

After leading the 13U team for the past year, Cedric Bryant has moved down to coach the 10U squad. Apopka Pop Warner President Ken Bryant returns to the sidelines to take over the 13U team as it looks to continue its championship run. 

Tuesday’s practice session offered a glimpse at every level of the organization. 

The 6U and 7U flag teams worked through team drills as the program’s youngest players continued learning the game’s fundamentals. The 8U squad, led by Coach Papa, scrimmaged during practice, while Cedric Bryant’s 10U team also held live scrimmage periods in preparation for the season. 

Coach J.R. Robinson guided the 11U team through a full practice session, while Coach Lowman’s 12U squad took part in scrimmage action. The defending champion 13U team, coached by Ken Bryant, focused on team drills as it prepares for another title defense. 

The first opportunity to see the teams in game action comes Saturday at the Mid-Florida Pop Warner Jamboree at Showalter Field in Winter Park. 

The day begins at 9 a.m. with the 8U and 9U teams taking on Winter Park and Oviedo. The 10U and 11U teams follow at 11:10 a.m. before the 12U and 13U squads close out the day at 1:10 p.m. against the same opponents. 

While the jamboree serves as a preseason tune-up, it also marks the unofficial start of another season for one of Central Florida’s most successful youth football organizations. 

With championship expectations returning for several age groups and a new crop of young athletes beginning their football journeys, Apopka Pop Warner hopes to once again make its presence felt throughout the Mid-Florida conference this fall.