Balancing academics with athletics can be a challenge, but 21 local athletes managed to do it in a big way, even if it meant study sessions in the car on the way to practice.

A group of athletes from the Jacksonville Storm Pop Warner Football League ranked among the top 1 percent of Pop Warner student athletes nationwide academically.

The players were selected from more than 7,800 qualifying athletes across the nation and named to the Pop Warner All-American Scholars Team.

"It was actually kind of exciting when I found out I was smart enough to be an Academic All-American because it's kind of fun to find out you're going to be getting rewarded for being smart and working hard," said Tonya Chaney.

Pop Warner Youth Football is a national athletic organization that places emphasis on academic achievement, citizenship and athleticism. Participants are encouraged to strive for excellence on the football field and in the classroom.

All Pop Warner players must maintain a 70 percent or above average for the previous school year in order to participate. Students who complete the fourth and subsequent grades with a 96 percent grade point average or higher are eligible for consideration as Pop Warner All-American Scholars.

Storm players dedicated at least six hours a week to practice and had weekly games on weekends, but members of the scholar's team still managed to maintain their grades.

"There were certain days that had practice that we had to get there before we had homework done, but (Josh) knew what we required and expected of him as far as his studies," said Michele Alley whose 11-year-old son Josh was named an All-American Scholar.

Alley was impressed with the way the coaches stressed the importance of schoolwork.

"Their coaches, as much as they want those boys out there to be playing football - those coaches were always telling the boys, ?Keep up your grades, school first, sports second'," Alley said. "We had awesome coaches that were constantly telling the boys how important it was for their studies...They are really adamant about them maintaining their grades."

Tyler Waterhouse, 12, played soccer in addition to being part of the Storm team.

Tyler managed to squeeze in his homework before practice most days.

"I'm like most people, I do not like homework. I would get home from school by 3:30 and that would give me about two hours to do homework, but I still didn't like doing it," he said.

Tyler was honored when he found out he had been chosen as part of the scholar team.

"It felt pretty exciting because ... I got awards and stuff for school but never something like that big," he said.