'Bomber' name at issue with new football team School district blocks attempt to circulate fliers in the schools BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer Sayreville residents who are forming a new youth football team are at odds with school officials who say the new team's name will cause confusion and a possible liability. The new football organization, formed as an alternative to Pop Warner, is being called the Sayreville Youth Bombers. Since sports teams at Sayreville War Memorial High School go by that name, school officials do not want the school to even appear to be tied to the privately run, nonprofit organization. The couple running the new organization, Nick and Carolyn Pocaro, are miffed that school officials blocked their attempt to distribute fliers in the schools, something that Pop Warner organizations do. Superintendent of Schools Frank Alfano told Greater Media Newspapers that the district will not allow the distribution of the fliers in the schools while the organization is using the name Bombers. "We didn't want people to think that it is affiliated with the school," Alfano said. "I didn't want it to be confused that this is a league we're sponsoring." The new organization, slated to play in the New Jersey Suburban Youth Football League, gives children in kindergarten through eighth grade an opportunity to play with children their own age, regardless of their weight, unlike Pop Warner, Nick Pocaro said. "This league has no weight limit for any children," he said. Younger children who play on teams with kids who are several years older have a different mentality, and may get discouraged if they see less playing time than older, more experienced players, Pocaro said. "Physically and mentally, there is a big difference [between the younger and older players]," he said. "This [newteam] allows a heavier 11-year-old to play with other 11- year-old kids, rather than high school kids." PopWarner teams such as the Sayreville Leprechauns and the Morgan-Parlin Panthers organize players by age and weight in the interests of safety, since players of the same age bracketmight be significantly different sizes, according to GeorgeArmstrong of the Morgan-Parlin Panthers. "You have to be a certain age to play in each division, andwithin certainweight parameters," Armstrong said. Armstrong, who has been affiliated with the PopWarner team for the past 17 years, said the Panthers are a long-established organization, having been in the community for roughly 45 years.He said there is an average of five youth players per year who might be turned down by the Pop Warner team due to weight restrictions. He said these children are encouraged to try out again the next year. The Sayreville Youth Bombers team is a welcome addition to the recreational options available to borough youth,Armstrong said. "Sure, there will be some kids lost to both [the Leprechauns and Panthers] organizations, but themore kids playing football, the better it is as far as we're concerned," he said. Pop Warner players participate in a set number of plays per game, depending on the number of players who are on the team, Armstrong said. "There is a minimum play requirement for each kid and each game," Armstrong said. Nick Pocaro, who was a part of the Leprachauns organization last year, said that by distributing flyers on their own and through word of mouth, he and his wife have been able to getmore than 30 children signed up for the new football team so far. However, theywere upset that theywere not permitted to have flyers distributed to students in Sayreville schools because of the Bombers name. Carolyn Pocaro said the school district initially approved the flyers, but reversed that decision after the Pocaros had 6,000 flyers printed for distribution in the schools. The Pocaros contacted attorney Joseph Sparacio after the school district advised them that they could not use the Bombers name and reportedly told the couple that the Board of Education's attorney would issue a cease-and-desist letter to them if they continued. "They have absolutely no right to prevent themfromusing [the name]," Sparacio said. Sparacio said he coaches the Marlboro Mustangs youth football team, in the same league as the Bombers. He added that the Marlboro High School team is also called theMustangs, and theMarlboro school district never raised concerns about the use of the team's name. "There are probably dozens and dozens of youth football teams in the state of New Jersey that bear the same name on the youth level as the high school team," Sparacio said. Sparacio said the new youth team is about providing an alternative to Pop Warner for children who want to play football. He added that he is willing to volunteer his services to the Pocaros if it becomes necessary. "If the board challenges them, I will represent them pro bono," Sparacio said. Sayreville Board of Education President Michael Macagnone told Greater Media Newspapers that he denied the distribution of the youth team's flyers at district schools because the Pocaros are using the high school team name and logo. He said that while he believes the Pocaros intended no malice by using the Bombers name, it implies that the school has an agreement with the team, which raises liability issues for the district. "I thought it was misleading," Macagnone said. "There is only one Sayreville Bombers football team in Sayreville," Macagnone added. "It resides at Sayreville War Memorial High School under the leadership of [Coach] George Najjar." Still, Macagnone commended Nick Pocaro's efforts, since he is reaching out to children who cannot play Pop Warner due to weight restrictions. "The school district applauds his efforts, because he is helping kids," Macagnone said. The new youth team is holding signups at theAmerican Legion Post 211 building on MacArthurAvenue from8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Nick Pocaro said practices will begin onAug. 15, and gameswill start roughly one month later. Formore information, visit the Web site at www.youthbombers.com.