Norwich – Nationally, regionally, and locally, several Norwich Cyclone Pop Warner football players were recently recognized as scholar athletes by the Pop Warner organization.

Mason Edwards and Andrew Mullen were named to the second team National Pop Warner All-American Scholastic Team, while Griffin Mills and Michael Squires III were given an Honorable Mention distinction. National All-American award winners are invited to attend the All-American Scholar weekend held at large venues in major United States cities, generally in late May. As of this time the 2016 venue has yet to be announced.

Additionally, the Cyclones were notified that two players were chosen to the Regional Scholars program. They are Andrew Mullen and Michael Squires.

All four scholar athletes were honored during the football season as local recipients of the scholar athlete award.

“This is a tremendous honor for our local Pop Warner organization, this community and our schools,” said James Edwards, Chairman of the Cyclone Board of Directors. “These young scholar athletes should be proud of this academic accomplishment.”

To be eligible for consideration, an athlete must maintain a grade point average equal to, or greater than, 96 percent. Eligible participants are then evaluated for honors based on their GPA, individual achievements and involvement in academic or other activities.

In 2015, approximately 400,000 children participated in Pop Warner nationally. Of those, slightly more than 2 percent earned the honor of scholastic All-American.

For those wishing to become part of the Norwich Pop Warner program, sign ups will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, May 11 and 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Norwich YMCA Community Room.