The football and cheerleader teams have broken away from their former affiliation with the San Jose Police Athletic League and realigned themselves with Pop Warner.

It's the team's second season under the Pop Warner organization, and Campbell Wolverines athletic director Roy Ayala is counting on the Wolverines fresh start to help the West Valley squads grow.

Pop Warner's philosophy is different from PAL's, Ayala said; the league emphasizes scholastic achievement and awards the players who do well in school. It's not just about football.

Wolverines' president Jessie Cantu, who has been coaching Pop Warner for 11 years, added the league also has a different philosophy when it comes to a player's size.

"In PAL a kid can be 50 to 75 pounds heavier than another player on a team," he said. "That is not allowed in Pop Warner."

In the top squad--midgets--no player can exceed 150 pounds. In PAL a player can weight as much as 180 pounds.

The league also has strict rules when it comes to finance.

"We have to account for everything," Ayala said.

It was the lack of financial accountability that resulted in the conviction of former Wolverines' president Kimberley Marshall on embezzlement charges. The amount exceeded $20,000 and the Wolverines were never able to recover under the PAL organization.

But that's all "water on the bridge," Ayala said. "We are going forward and creating a better program."

Cantu said, "We want the dollars that come into the league to go back into paying for uniforms and equipment so the kids are safe."

For Cantu, helping jumpstart the fledging league is a way to give back for the positive experiences he had as a football player.

"I grew up playing football and had great coaches," said Cantu, who lives in Willow Glen. "I want to share that with these kids."

The organizations is looking for youth who are enrolled in the Campbell Union School District and live in the communities of Campbell, Willow Glen, Rose Garden, West San Jose and Los Gatos. The team practices and plays at the Campbell Community Center, 1 W. Campbell Ave. Children ages 5 through 15 can register for the football or cheer squads.

The Wolverines will be holding registrations from 1 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the Campbell Community Center next to the snack shack. For more information contact Roy Ayala at 408.250.7914.