COACHING NEWS: Perisee resigns after two seasons at Freedom (Tampa)

TAMPA, Fla. — Ron Perisee announced on social media Tuesday that he has resigned as head football coach at Freedom (Tampa) after two seasons.

“I’ve resigned as Head Football Coach at Freedom High School,” Perisee wrote on X. “Coaching these young men has been an honor. I leave knowing I gave my all and remain committed to supporting the players and school. I’m excited to focus on what’s next.”

Perisee compiled a 5-14 record during his tenure with the Patriots, including a 3-6 mark in 2024 and a 2-8 record in 2025. The team failed to win any District 4A-8 games this season.

Despite the losing records, Perisee’s time at Freedom marked a significant milestone for the struggling program. In 2024, he guided the Patriots to their first victory in three years, snapping a 30-game losing streak that dated back to 2021.

Perisee took over the program in January 2024 after Christopher Short resigned. He previously served as head coach at Leto High School, where he went 6-14 in two seasons but helped turn around a program that had won only six games between 2010 and 2021.

Before his tenure at Leto, Perisee coached at Alonso High School from 2018-2019 and also served as an assistant coach at Freedom in 2021.

Freedom has not announced a timeline for naming Perisee’s replacement. The Patriots have struggled in recent years, going 8-60 overall since 2019.

The change at Freedom (Tampa) marks the fifth coaching change to be reported on the 2026 Florida Coaches Moving Van by FloridaHSFootball.com.