ABOUT US

Hamden Hurricanes is a youth football and cheerleading association organized and administered by an all-volunteer charter known as the Hamden Fathers Football and Cheerleading Association (HFFCA), established in 1969.

The Hamden Hurricanes are affiliated with National Pop Warner Little Scholars Association. We work to introduce boys and girls to the great sports of football and cheerleading with an emphasis on sportsmanship and scholarship.

The HFFCA is a non-profit, tax exempt organization registered with the Federal Government as 501(c)(3) that has been in existence for over 40 years. Our league consists of over 400 boys and girls who participate yearly in the exciting sports of football and cheerleading. The HFFCA is regulated by the rules of Southern Connecticut Pop Warner (SCPW) and Pop Warner Little Scholars® (PWLS), which is a national non-profit organization which is in its 81st year of operation with over 400,000 participants in the United States. We require all of our participants to maintain academic standards in order to participate. The mission of the HFFCA is to enable children to benefit from the participation in team sports and activities in a safe and structured environment. Through this active participation, Pop Warner programs teach fundamental values, skills and knowledge that children will use on and off of the field and throughout their lives. 

Since safety is a major concern of PWLS, several policies are in place to address safety. The matrix that Pop Warner uses enables kids to compete with kids of similar age, and therefore reduces the risk of injury. Volunteers and coaches are being trained every year to offer the best and safest programs for the participants. These volunteers and anyone who provides regular service to the league or has access to or contact with the participants must undergo background checks annually, which is in place to protect the children.  There also is a Minimum Play Requirement (MPR), which assures all children will play. PWLS annually publishes a new rulebook, which incorporates lessons learned from the previous season. The HFFCA adheres to the aforementioned rules and values as a member of PWLS. The HFFCA participates in a minimum of 8 regular season games, which traditionally begin Labor Day weekend. There is an additional opportunity to extend our season by qualifying for a playoff berth. The HFFCA fields tackle football teams in four divisions based on age;

• 6U
• 8U
• 10U
• 12U
• 14U

The HFFCA also has a Flag Football Division for participants aged 5,6 & 7. At the end of the season, SCPW has league championship playoffs, which result in a league champion at each level for each division (except flag). The eight remaining teams enter the national playoff bracket with an opportunity to travel to Disney World in Orlando, Florida to play for the National Championship.

The HFFCA has a competitive cheer program. Not only do the cheerleaders support the football teams on Sundays at games, but they also prepare for the annual SCPW competition in October. Winners and the runner-ups qualify for the State and New England Regional tournaments and have an opportunity to compete for the national championship in Universal Studios.  The HFFCA has cheer squads in six divisions based on age;

• Tiny-Mites
• Mitey-Mites
• Junior Peewees
• Peewees
• Jr. Varsity
• Varsity