Florida head football coaches react to results of the FHSAA emergency meeting
There was plenty of reaction all around the Sunshine State when it came to the results of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) emergency Board of Directors virtual meeting that took place Tuesday afternoon.
The meeting confused those watching around the state and ended with the board voting 9-4 in favor of the following:
• Returning to classifications 7A-1A with a rural division based on school enrollments; Thus ending the 2-year cycle of the Metro-Suburban system
• Requiring football teams to play district football games
Tabled for a later time will be the Open Division, which would be a separate classification of the top eight teams in the state based on a power ranking system at the end of the regular season.
SBLive Sports Florida reached out to various head coaches from all over the state to get their reactions to the results of Tuesday’s FHSAA meeting. Down below are quotes we’ve attained from head football coaches on their thoughts.
“The (FHSAA) Board of Directors meeting was disappointing to say the least. All of the protocols that we went through to pass the Metro/Suburban Proposal were totally ignored. No Football Advisory Committees, no AD Advisory Committee, no data supporting their agenda. The original proposal was dissected in order to pass, the BOD did not even know what they were voting on much of the time. Language was thrown into it that was vague and not explained. The procedures and the policies that are in place were circumvented for the end goal. Everyone should have to play by the rules, even if you are at the top. I was embarrassed watching this process, and I believe the BOD was as well. If you follow the data, it proves the Metro/Suburban model accomplished exactly what it set out to accomplish. We said it when we started this, it will not change who you play in districts or regular season. Metro will play Metro & Suburban will play Suburban. The difference will be the competitiveness later in the playoffs. This is exactly what came about. Lake Wales, Bradford, Florida High, Cardinal Mooney and so many more provided excitement for the first time in many years to their communities. We were very proud of that, sad to see it end so fast.” - Madison County head coach Price Harris
“I am indifferent about it. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other about requiring district play or not. We will find a way to get games. My biggest disappointment about the meeting is the way it was handled and run. No one seemed to know what they were doing there. Also, didn’t go through proper channels to get approved. Also left the meeting without voting on open division which was a part of the proposal . It just wasn’t done well and our student athletes deserve better.” - Bartram Trail head coach Cory Johns
“The way I understand it the system was changed two years ago to achieve competitive balance and based off the data that was shared. The Metro-Suburban model achieved that goal. The reality that is not being talked about is with the transfer portal in college being normalized that has trickled down to the high school level especially with our state being school choice. Metro schools draw from a much larger population then suburban schools so just by sheer numbers that is why traditionally the power house metro schools are more talented than the power house suburban schools. I would have liked to seen one week added to the season where the champions of the metro division played the champions of the suburban division. This would have allowed every school in the state the opportunity to compete for championships against schools that are playing with similar circumstances as well as give the metro schools the opportunity to say they are the overall state champions. The one thing they did get right was settling district championships on the field. The computer should never dictate who gets to play for district titles." - Port Charlotte head coach Jordan Ingman
“I thought after all the hype about district playoffs and a top 8 team playoff, the results of the meeting were anticlimactic. I expected some big changes. I’m happy with how ever they decided to do it. Just ready to get the new districts so we can schedule games.” - Sarasota Riverview head coach Joshua Smithers
“I think the board got it right! The Metro-Suburban was something that the schools in South Florida never really had an opportunity to discuss. I like the traditional approach.” - Cardinal Gibbons head coach Matt DeBuc
“I’m disappointed in the outcome of the vote on the suburban/metro classification system. I felt like the rush to get a vote was evident in the confusion of the board members and the disorganized nature of the meeting.” - South Walton head coach Phil Tisa
“Consistency in the state of Florida non existent! Whether or not the Metro-Suburban was best fit, it was voted on 2 years ago and thrown away 2 years later! Seems like it was rushed and the Board of Directors had to make decisions that they weren’t ready to make! Who is affected, students anth and coaches of the state not the FHSAA.” - Lecanto head coach Jacob Coulson
“I’m frustrated we still can’t schedule we have to wait on classification and districts. We are 30 minutes from Alabama and we lose out on the opportunity to schedule teams across the state line, because it seems like our state is always dragging their feet. If we are going to have a committee to decide what football does. Wouldn’t it make sense to have more football coaches or AD’s that have been football coaches in the process on the committee?” - Crestview head coach Thomas Grant
“Why don’t the FHSAA ask coaches for their thoughts? I feel like every two years we have to make changes. It’s very embarrassing and it shows lack of structure.” - Wiregrass Ranch head coach Mark Kantor
“At the end of the day it is almost impossible to create a system that makes everyone happy.” - Clearwater Central Catholic head coach Chris Harvey
-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl
