Fullerton Junior All American Bears

The Fullerton Junior All American Bears are members of the Orange County Junior All American Football Conference (OCJAAF). Comprised of twenty-nine (29) chapter (city) members throughout the Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties, OCJAAF is the largest youth football and cheerleading organization in the nation. The Fullerton Junior All American Bears are honored to contribute to OCJAAF's diversity, which makes the Orange County Junior All American Football Conference number one in competition. The Fullerton Junior All American Bears are proud to sponsor OCJAAF's core values of "family" and of "community" - the standards that keep OCJAAF and the Fullerton Junior All American Bears a leading youth football and cheerleading organization. Families come in many combinations and we celebrate the word of "family" as meaning: team, the Fullerton Junior All American Bears, community and the OCJAAF Conference. There is nothing stronger than the spirit in the word of family and you will see it and feel it within the Fullerton Junior All American Bears organization and our OCJAAF Conference.

The objective of the Fullerton Junior All American Bears program is to inspire youth, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin; to practice the ideals of health, citizenship and character; to bring our youth closer together through the means of a common interest in sportsmanship, fair play and fellowship; to impart to the game elements of safety, sanity and intelligent supervision; and to keep the welfare of the player and/or cheerleader first, foremost and entirely free of adult lust for glory.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Football Mom Sats Theft Charge Is Revenge By Pop Warner

EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA
July 25, 2007

Football mom says theft charge is revenge by Pop Warner
By Jill Harmacinski , Staff Writer

LAWRENCE - Ines Faucher said she's being harassed by the Lawrence Pop Warner Football League for setting up a competing league for children to play in.

But Pop Warner officials said they are just trying to get back the money they said was stolen from a concession stand.

Faucher, 38, of 20 May St., was charged Monday night with stealing $600 from a Pop Warner football concession stand she oversaw last year. She paid back $200 of the $600 but then decided to stop, prompting a police investigation and her arrest, police said.

She pleaded not guilty yesterday in Lawrence District Court to a charge of embezzlement of more than $250 from a voluntary association.

According to the police report, Faucher allegedly took the money in September 2006, when she was concessions manager for Pop Warner. Instead of depositing the $600 in the league's account, Faucher is accused of bringing the money home. She later claimed the money was lost, and she worked out an agreement with league officials to pay it back, according to a police report.

But Faucher stopped paying and league officials sent her a series of e-mails and a certified letter requesting the cash. Then, last December, Faucher quit the Pop Warner league and helped launch the Mill City Junior Maulers, a group associated with the American Youth Football League. She is vice president of the new league, she said.

Faucher claims she's being harassed by Frederick Elwell, president of the Pop Warner league, because she and seven other board members left and started the new league."They are angry, very angry. It's just revenge," she said yesterday, after leaving her court arraignment. She said she volunteered for five years with the Pop Warner league, often putting in late nights. She has a criminal justice degree from Hesser College and attended two years at Massachusetts School of Law. She works as an administrative assistant in Lowell, she said."I didn't embezzle it," she said of the money. "I wouldn't want to destroy my reputation for $600."And, she said, she's not "going to take food out of my kids' mouths" to pay back money she doesn't owe.

Elwell, reached yesterday, had no comment on Faucher's harassment claim. He just wants to get the league's money back."The proof is there," he said. "The money is missing. ... This isn't my money or your money. This is the kids' money."Profits from the concession stand are used to buy equipment for the players, Elwell said.

Elwell told investigators he called Faucher numerous times, trying to get her to pay the money back, but she never returned his call. Elwell also told police he had a conversation with Faucher's husband, Stephen, who said the couple's son took the money and spent it on a tattoo, food and some jewelry for his girlfriend.

"Elwell told me that he has bent over backwards for Faucher to pay back the money, but now he insists that criminal charges be filed," according to a report filed by Detective Paul MacMillan.

Faucher is due in court on Aug. 30 for a pretrial conference.


Pop Warner eating one another again.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Couple Suing Pop Warner Over Theft Accusations

Couple suing Pop Warner over theft accusations
By BRIAN KELLY
TIMES STAFF WRITER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2009

A former Pop Warner football league official and his wife have filed a $6 million defamation suit against the organization, claiming they were wrongfully accused of stealing money.

James J. and Amanda Weldon, Evans Mills, filed a state Supreme Court complaint Thursday at the Jefferson County clerk's office against Pop Warner Little Scholars Inc., Langhorne, Pa., Pop Warner Junior League Football of Greater Watertown, Pulaski Pop Warner and several officers and directors of the local leagues.

The Weldons claim league officials suspended them indefinitely from all duties with the organization in September 2007 and then, through oral and written statements, led parents and others to believe the suspension was a result of theft of organizational funds.

Mr. Weldon, who could not be reached for comment Friday, claims in court documents that, among other things, the allegations caused him to lose his job as a caseworker with the Jefferson County Department of Social Services.

Mr. Weldon, a former U.S. Marine who was honorably discharged from the service in 1996 because of injuries suffered in the Gulf War, and Mrs. Weldon, a former medical technician in the Air Force who was honorably discharged in 1994, moved their family to Sandy Creek in 2002. A daughter joined Pulaski Pop Warner that year as a cheerleader and a son began playing football in 2004, according to court documents.

In January 2006, Mr. Weldon was elected president of Pulaski Pop Warner after "a heated race" with James Purdy, who was elected vice president. It is claimed in court documents that as a result of the election, Mr. Weldon and Mr. Purdy "were rivals, but they also share a history of animosity" because Mr. Weldon had earlier been named head coach of the Pulaski team, a position Mr. Purdy allegedly wanted.

As president of the Pulaski league, Mr. Weldon was responsible for supervising all of the business affairs for the league. Also in January 2006, he was elected secretary of the Watertown league, in charge of keeping meeting minutes and league records. Mrs. Weldon was elected the same month as treasurer of the Pulaski league, responsible for all of its funds. She also was the league's cheer coordinator.

In 2007, Mr. Weldon was elected vice president of the Watertown league, with responsibilities for selecting and setting game times and locations. In July 2007, he decided to run for president of the league and told President Darren Peebles, with whom he also had allegedly had disagreements, of his decision.

According to court documents, Mr. Peebles phoned Mr. Weldon on Sept. 20, 2007, and told him he was being suspended from both leagues for "knowingly and callously abusing the authorities" of his positions. Two days later, Mrs. Weldon was informed by a cheer coach that she was being suspended for the same reason.

Mr. Weldon claims that at a game at South Lewis on Sept. 20, 2007, Mr. Purdy approached him and said, loudly enough to be heard by parents and players, "Something is going on, you are being investigated for wrongdoing and you are suspended and have to leave the playing field immediately or the police will be called."

Mr. Purdy, Pulaski, referred questions to Pop Warner's attorney, Rosario M. Vignali, New York City, who could not be reached for comment.

The Weldons claim that several comments were made at league meetings that they stole money, including an alleged statement by a Pulaski board member that "Jim Weldon stole money from the concession stand." A letter informing Mr. Weldon of his suspension also was provided to parents.

The Weldons claim their suspension was subject to a mandatory internal investigation conducted by the national Pop Warner organization, but that never occurred. Their attorney twice contacted Jon Butler, executive director of the national Pop Warner organization, but allegedly he never responded. Josh Pruce, national director of scholastic and media relations for Pop Warner, declined comment on the matter, citing pending litigation.

The Weldons also contend they were never provided a hearing on their suspensions and that league boards refused to provide them with specific reasons why they were suspended.
"No proof or evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of plaintiffs Jim and Amanda Weldon was ever produced by any of the Defendants," it is maintained in the legal complaint.

A former treasurer of Pop Warner leagues in Watertown and Lowville has been charged with stealing about $34,000 from the organizations. Lisa A. Staie, Lowville, was charged by state police in early January with third-degree grand larceny for allegedly stealing about $20,000 from the Lowville league and was charged with the same crime a few days later by Watertown police for allegedly taking money from the Watertown league.

It could not be determined Friday whether the thefts alleged to have been committed by Mrs. Staie had any correlation to allegations regarding missing money made against the Weldons.
Mr. Weldon claims in court documents that the allegations against him cost him a $36,000-a-year job with Jefferson County. He appeared before the county Legislature in January 2008 asking for an investigation into his firing, claiming he was not made aware of the allegations that caused his termination.

He claims in legal documents the lost job left him unable to afford the mortgage on his Sandy Creek home, forcing the family to move into an Evans Mills home they had bought with the idea of renovating to rent or resell. According to court documents, the needed home repairs were largely not completed at the time the family had to move.

In addition to libel, slander and defamation, the couple is seeking damages for, among other things, the emotional distress allegedly caused by the theft allegations, the loss of Mr. Weldon's job and the necessity of having to move into a home in need of extensive repair.

The Weldons are seeking $1 million for each of five causes of action, as well as an additional $1 million for punitive damages. They are represented by Syracuse attorney James L. Sonneborn, who was unavailable for comment Friday.

Story courtesy of the Watertown Daily Times

Even when Pop Warner officials aren't breaking bad, they are eating one another.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pop Warner Treasurer, Friend Charged With Theft

Ex-Attleboro Pop Warner treasurer, friend charged with theft of league funds

BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Friday, May 8, 2009 5:47 PM EDT

ATTLEBORO- A former treasurer of the Attleboro Pop Warner Football League and her friend were arraigned today on charges they stole $7,190 from league funds.

Angela N. Menard, 32, of 33 1/2 Benefit St., who was treasurer from 2006 to Jan. 1 of this year, and Marcia Kovalski, 33, of 213 Hillside Ave., pleaded innocent in Attleboro District Court to larceny of more than $250 in a single scheme, according to court records.

Police allege Menard used a league ATM card to make withdrawals on a league bank account and went on a shopping spree with Kovalski, paid personal credit card bills and made purchases for food and gas that were not league related.

League officials went to police earlier this year after an audit showed alleged irregularities with the league's bank account, said Detective Sgt. Arthur Brillon, who handled the investigation. "The allegations are, and the investigation showed, there were ATM withdrawals in an irregular pattern. There were allegations they went on a shopping spree," Brillon said.

Some of the purchases were made in April through June of last year, while the football season runs from August to November.

Menard, who has been involved with Pop Warner for seven years, could not be reached for comment.

Her lawyer, Stella O'Leary of Fall River, declined to comment, saying she had just received a report about the case today.

When reached by The Sun Chronicle, Kovalski said, "No. I don't have any comment. I'm sorry."
The women were summonsed for arraignment and are free without bail. They are due back in court July 29. In a statement released this afternoon, Attleboro Pop Warner said its board was reorganized in January and that a financial audit was performed during the transition and discovered questionable transactions.

"We reviewed our finances with the Hockomock League, considered their input, and voted to turn the records over to the proper authorities for further investigation," said the statement signed by the organization's president, Scott Wilkins.

"The current board is made up of volunteers that share a common goal: We want to have a safe, fun, successful 2009 season. We wish to quell any uncertainties the public may have by assuring that proper checks and balances have been implemented by our new board to prevent similar instances in the future.

"We hope that the press and the public will allow the authorities to process this matter appropriately and allow the board to focus on planning and preparing for the 2009 football and cheerleading season," the statement said.


Pop Warner breaking bad. Nothing new.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Former Pop Warner Treasurer Charged With Theft

Former Pop Warner treasurer charged with theft
1:58 PM, Jun. 24, 2011

MIDDLESEX COUNTY — The former treasurer of a Pop Warner football league has been charged with stealing $19,795.69 from the organization, law enforcement officials said.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and Robert Hubner, director of the Woodbridge Police Department, announced Friday that Janet Thomas, 45, was released on her own recognizance after she surrendered at the Woodbridge Police Department on June 21, 2011, on a charge of third degree theft.

The charge was filed following an investigation by Detective Anthony Penicaro of the Woodbridge Police Department and Investigator Lisa Collins of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Officials said it was determined that Thomas obtained funds in various amounts from the Port Reading Saints Football Association between January 2010 and January 2011, while she served as treasurer.

The investigation began after Saints officials found financial discrepancies and contacted police.


Story courtesy of New Jersey Today

Pop Warner breaking bad again.