LIVE UPDATES: FHSAA Board of Directors to determine direction of football classifications for 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida High School Athletic Association is meeting this morning at 9 AM EST which will decide on the future of football classifications for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

Follow this article for LIVE updates from the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors Meeting from the Robert W. Hughes FHSAA Building in Gainesville.

PLAN FROM WEDNESDAY: View here

UPDATE NO. 44

FINAL UPDATE

11:42 AM EST — Discussion items on the NFHS Flag Football Rule book which will replace the FHSAA created one will come in the 2026-27 school year. Also there has been rene requests from schools about participating in games on Sundays which will eventually come up for a vote. Report from legal counsel, executive director, president along with comments from the BOD will wrap up the meeting.

UPDATE NO. 43

11:37 AM EST — The motion on the floor for 6 classification plus Rural with required district play (Option A) with vote carries with a 10-3 vote.

UPDATE NO. 42

11:34 AM EST — According to the FHSAA, 492 schools have declared for the FHSAA State Series for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years. Craig Damon is saying these schools declared based upon what is currently in place not what is voted upon.

UPDATE NO. 41

11:33 AM EST — Looks like we will have a new motion on the floor just to vote on Option A with nothing modified now.

UPDATE NO. 40

11:31 AM EST — A lot more discussion happening here. Ricky Bell is going to withdraw or amend his motion on the floor.

UPDATE NO. 39

11:25 AM EST — Trevor Berryhill is saying that it’s too cumbersome and it needs to be scaled back on the option that could be voted on.

UPDATE NO. 38

11:20 AM EST — Paul Selvidio is saying that he is voting for non-district play and going against the grain of those who are wanting district play. He said the FHSAA BOD should be accommodating the needs versus the wants.

UPDATE NO. 37

11:16 AM EST — They are saying the details of what that Florida independent FIT looks like would be voted upon another BOD meeting. FHSAA staff is asking for flexibility to be able to go to five classifications if the independent option takes off. Ricky Bell is mending the motion to give that flexibility. Paul Selvidio is going against this mending of the motion, saying too many what ifs are here.

UPDATE NO. 36

11:09 AM EST — Motion is on the floor is to approve Option A along with the opportunity for independents schools to play in FIT, not for state series schools, making the FIT an independent playoff option for independent schools. Discussion is now on the floor.

UPDATE NO. 35

11:06 AM EST — Johns said at least having a framework to creating something for the independent schools would be there in a vote today and letting them know something is going to be there for them if Option A is voted upon here.

UPDATE NO. 34

11:04 AM EST — Bobby Johns said he is against mandatory district play, but he is ready to vote upon Option A but looking at also doing something for the independent schools and maybe mold the Florida Invitational Tournament into that.

UPDATE NO. 33

11:01 AM EST — Marcus Chambers is bringing up about the unintended consequences of the decision that BOD makes today. Craig Damon is recommending Option A which is posted here again. He is urging Option A.

UPDATE NO. 32

11:00 AM EST — Ricky Bell is saying we (the BOD) needs to make a decision today. FHSAA Associate Executive Director of Athletic Services Scott Jamison is afraid about the possibility of an Independent series which would impact the numbers of teams in classifications and in districts.

UPDATE NO. 31

10:57 AM EST — FACA Executive Director Shelton Crews is telling the BOD to determine what is the path to win a state championship and not to kick the can down the road. Hillsborough County Athletic Director Lanness Robinson is saying a decision needs to be made today. Also saying that it needs to be implemented for a while before looking at changing things again.

UPDATE NO. 30

10:54 AM EST — FHSAA BOD President Marcus Chambers, the Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools is speaking and saying there is a lot of different ideas and voices out there along with a lot of discussion on both sides of the fence on what ever decision comes about.

UPDATE NO. 29

10:49 AM EST — Allen Shirley is saying that he really doesn’t want to kick the can down the road which would delay coaches getting schedules set for the 2026 season. Ricky Bell is proposing saying once a school commits to what they want to do, they need to be locked in which would go against FHSAA Policy which allows teams to declare to go independent two weeks before the season starts which is has caused a lot of headache in recent years.

UPDATE NO. 28

10:48 AM EST — Trevor Berryhill want to see how many schools will declare before the decide on an Independent state series where it would be no required district play versus state series that would require district play.

UPDATE NO. 27

10:46 AM EST — Talking about reopening the declarations for football depending on the direction and the plan the FHSAA BOD takes here, FHSAA Associated Executive Director of Athletic Services is speaking to help allow schools to make a decision of which way they want to go.

UPDATE NO. 26

10:41 AM EST — The ideas being floated, BOD member Bobby Johns is saying that these ideas don’t include the Rural classification. He is saying this could possibly save the Rural Classification. The Rural Classification could be in trouble as a number of schools in the classification in the Panhandle and North Central Florida regions are looking at possibly going a different direction.

UPDATE NO. 25

10:38 AM EST — Thomas Kenna now speaking again… he saying do something for four years, but give the option after two years for a change where they want to be at. BOD Ricky Bell, who is an At-Large member and also the head football coach at Leon High school wants to grow the association and get schools back. He would like to take the King Solomon approach which is splitting the baby, basically as we are gathering to help the schools on both sides of the debate here.

UPDATE NO. 24

10:34 AM EST — One of the things being floated is how to get teams to come back and stop the bleeding that has seen a lot of teams deflect to the SSAA or other options in recent years in the name of competitive balance. Bobby Johns is speaking more on creating the split to help service the groups that don’t want district play. The option for playing a state championship vs not a state championship is a big thing for Johns to not dangle a carrot.

UPDATE NO. 23

10:32 AM EST — FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon now speaking again saying a lot of great points have been brought up. We still don’t have a firm plan on the table yet from the BOD.

UPDATE NO. 22

10:29 AM EST — FHSAA Associate Executive Director Scott Jamison is saying reclassification would still happen every two years based on FHSAA policy. Says the BOD can change things if they want to. He says an independent FHSAA state series should be called a State Championship. Jamison said he doesn’t want to take this away for those who don’t want to have a mandated district schedule. He says a lot of coaches are still wanting mandated district play.

UPDATE NO. 21

10:25 AM EST — Trevor Berryhill now speaking again about backing what Bobby Johns has proposed. So this idea might have some support.

UPDATE NO. 20

10:23 AM EST — BOD Bobby Johns now speaking again and he is talking about a point of separating schools who want district play vs. non-district play and giving the best of both worlds. So far a lot of different ideas being pitched. He also suggesting an FHSAA Independent playoff system, but suggesting not calling it a state championship. Those are for teams not interested in a state championship. Suggesting requiring district play for the state championship bracket while creating something else for those that don’t want it.

UPDATE NO. 19

10:16 AM EST — BOD member Trevor Berryhill is now speaking again. He likes what California does that does not have districts as they seed brackets based upon the rankings. However, it seems most are against this thought including a lot of coaches in the state.

UPDATE NO. 18

10:14 AM EST — BOD member Paul Selvidio who is the Head of School at Community School in Naples is speaking now. He is a proponent of not requiring mandatory district play. He is proposing a requirement of number of region games and not having district play as a requirement. Selvidio was at one time the head football coach at Community School, so he has experience with coaching football. He is saying the fear that is there from the coaches is not really there or won’t be there.

UPDATE NO. 17

10:10 AM EST — BOD member Allen Shirley is speaking up on requiring mandated district play given there are quite a few teams that have a hard time getting games. He understands the other side of it as well.

UPDATE NO. 16

10:07 AM EST — BOD member Thomas Kenna, Athletic Director from Cape Coral High School is speaking about the process and has expressed the various thoughts. Kenna expressed in the workshop from last week stating that enrollment shouldn’t be the only basis for classifications in Florida. He is proposing creating districts based on student enrollment and allow mandate district scheduling and allow teams to also schedule tougher games. He is also proposing that rankings be clearly defined. We will try to get a copy of this idea if this is something that the BOD goes with.

UPDATE NO. 15

10:03 AM EST — BOD member Trevor Berryhill, Athletic Director from The Master’s Academy (Oviedo) who is in the SSAA for football is speaking. He is stating that needs to go for like four or even six years. He say this should not be done every two years in changing things with classifications. He says it causes “way too much stress” for the entire state. He wants to see a plan implemented and see how it goes for four years.

UPDATE NO. 14

9:59 AM EST — Bobby Johns is leading off the comments to start off the comments from the BOD. He is bringing up the concerns he has. He is speaking about the successes for when he was coaching at Wewahitchka. He is asking if there is an option to not alienate the schools that are just trying to have a competitive team on the football each Friday night. Also sounds like we might be hearing some other ideas, plans or options.

UPDATE NO. 13

9:54 AM EST — Speakers so far have included Shelton Crews from FACA, Price Harris from Madison County. Harris is speaking the process that used to happen with the process which has been bypassed for second time around. Ty Lawrence from South Sumter and Jamie Rodgers also are going up to the Board as well to speak.

UPDATE NO. 12

9:36 AM EST — Damon is asking for flexibility to move teams up or down a classification and determine the size of classifications and determine how many districts there are per classification.

UPDATE NO. 11

9:33 AM EST — FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon is now speaking on this as they introduce the item. Public speakers are about to come up here. Again we are looking at 6 classifications plus Rural now instead of 5 classifications plus Rural.

UPDATE NO. 10

9:31 AM EST — We are now going into the report of the Operations Committee which is where football classifications discussion is about to happen. Policy 36.4 is a discussion item, not an item up for vote.

UPDATE NO. 9

9:19 AM EST — The BOD is now moving to the report of the Governance Committee which should take too long with two action items to add Array Global as recognize accrediting agency for schools in the FHSAA and then a change in Policy 36.4 for Impermissible Benefits. After that the classifications will be up.

UPDATE NO. 8

9:18 AM EST — The motion on Policy 9.11.2 carries unanimously 13-0.

UPDATE NO. 7

9:15 AM EST — Discussion about Policy 9.11.2 – Financial Reporting to help simplify adding an exception to financial reporting for any sport that engages ins a singe round series after district tournaments and before FHSAA hosted state finals. This would be a policy change.

UPDATE NO. 6

9:13 AM EST — Report of the Finance Committee is ongoing from FHSAA Associate Executive Director of Financial Services.

UPDATE NO. 5

9:09 AM EST — Adoption of the agenda and approval of the BOD meeting minutes from September 21-22 is ongoing with the report of the finance committee coming up.

UPDATE NO. 4

9:07 AM EST — Some coaches here in attendance at the BOD with Madison County head football coach and athletic director Price Harris and South Sumter head football coach and athletic director here among those in attendance. Brock Canaday from Baker County and Jamie Rodgers from Bradford is also here.

UPDATE NO. 3

9:03 AM EST — FHSAA Marketing team is introducing some members from Suncoast Credit Union with their new partnership with the FHSAA as introduction of guests get underway for the BOD meeting.

UPDATE NO. 2

9:00 AM EST — The FHSAA Board of Directors meeting is now underway here in Gainesville.

UPDATE NO. 1

8:37 AM EST — There appears to be a new update that will either go six classifications plus rural with required regular season district contests or the same option as presented on Wednesday that will not required regular season district contests that was presented prior to the Operations Committee on Sunday.