Jack Arnett - 2023
Immediately after H.S. Jack joined the United States Marine Corps. He spent two years in the Marines and is a combat veteran of Vietnam. Jack has been married to his wife Linda for over 50 years. They had two sons, Derrick & Ryan, which led Jack into becoming involved in Pop Warner.
Jack was a founding member of the LaPorte Pop Warner Association in Indiana in 1977. He coached in LaPorte for 4 years. During that time his 1980 team was named as the 1980 Academic National Champion. In 1982 Jack became the President of the Lake Porter Pop Warner Football Conference (currently Northern Indiana Pop Warner Little Scholars). Under his leadership the league grew to over 200 football teams and over 180 cheer squads. In 2007, Jack was appointed Mid-America Vice Region Director, a position he held for one year before becoming Mid-America Region Director in 2008, a position he has held ever since.
During his time as Region Director, Jack authored numerous rule and policy changes at the national level. He is very proud of having led the effort to bring age-based football into Pop Warner. The many changes he has championed over the years have impacted and provided opportunity to thousands of Pop Warner participants across the country.
Jack is planning on retiring from Pop Warner at the end of his current term, following the 2024 season. That will conclude an amazing 47-year Pop Warner career of service. He will tell you his proudest moments have come watching his son and grandson participating in and winning Pop Warner National Championships.
Robin Arvanitis - 2023
Robin began her Pop Warner volunteer career in 1991 with Tri-Town Pop Warner. While at Tri-Town , she served as a cheer coach, cheer coordinator and board member for 27 years. In that time she coached hundreds of participants and taking over 25 teams to nationals and winning 4 national championship titles. Robin took over as LCDC in 2018 and has enjoyed leading Northern Indiana and it’s cheer participants through many successful competitions and events.
August 2023 will mark Robin's 32nd year in Pop Warner, with no end date in sight.
Millie Kimmons - 2024
Millie began volunteering in 1991. She started out as most moms do, dropping off her son at football practices and going to games. Shortly thereafter, she became a team mom for her daughter's cheer team. It was onward and upward after that. Millie became an assistant coach, then head coach of cheerleading teams. She became the Bolingbrook association coordinator. Soon after, she became the Regional cheer and dance coordinator for the Mid America Region and has held that position for the past 18 years. During her tenure as the coordinator, the number of cheer participants has grown from just a few teams competing, to many teams of both cheer and dance competing at the region and national levels. She also has held many clinics and improved the skill levels of cheer and dance teams. The Mid-America region has had many placements and winners at the national level under her guidance.
Patti Kirkwood - 2024
Patti's role with Pop Warner began 40 years ago. She became a coach. Then she rose to becoming a Chicagoland board member serving in multiple positions. In addition to serving in these positions, Patti volunteered to work at the national cheer championships for many years, and continues to this day. Patti also served as the Regionals Scholastics Director, a position she has held for the last 19 years. When Patti began her job as a Regional Scholastic Director, the region did not have an awards ceremony for it scholars.
Ida Mileham - 2024
Ida started in 1995 as a team mom in Hoffman Estates. She later became a cheer and dance coach. Ida later became the cheer association coordinator. Ida also joined the regional board as a member. Ida has helped the region with her computer skills and supervises the roster software and coaches certification.
Brian Lidgard - 2024
Brian started out in Laporte Indiana as a coach for his three son's football teams. He became president of the Laporte Pop Warner Association and held that position for many years. He later became president of the Northern Indiana Pop Warner league. Brian also became the certifications director for the Mid America region. In addition to these responsibilities, Brian attended the Pop Warner Superbowl and handled certifications of cheer, dance, and football teams at the national level. Brian loved being around the kids with his lanyard full of ribbons given to him by many cheer ands dance teams. He emceed many cheer and dance competitions. One of his greatest joys was getting to help coach his grandchildren in football.
Richard “Chappie” Woods - 2024
Richard started volunteering as a coach in 1972 in Gary Indiana. In 1973 he became president of the Gary Broncos. In 1995 Richard re-vitalized Pop Warner by uniting three separate programs into the Gary Steelers. Under his leadership, Gary Pop Warner achieved many success in the community and in Pop Warner, sending many teams to the Pop Warner Superbowl to compete. Richard joined the Northern Indiana Pop Warner league board and served for many years. HE helped convince this board to become competitive in all divisions at the regional and national levels. Richard still attends some games and other Pop Warner events.