Hwy17

Did Sebring change their mascot?

I see that Cavalry Christian in Fort Lauderdale has joined the SSAA Atlantic division. This a solid 2A program and a bit of a surprise to me to see them leave FHSAA.

Yes. Kinda surprised to see that.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17foVM8ciN/?mibextid=Nif5oz I was going to post this a few days ago. Hardee made a coaching change while nobody was watching.

My county aside, you don't think favoritism is going to get shown in larger counties? IMO, it'll all get delegated to the superintendent.

Well as you likely know, there's only one high school in the county I live in. It's my understanding the principal has the final say in who is hired, and can fire for cause within the personal policy adopted by the school board. The last couple of head football coaches were hired based of recommendation of a selection committee that did the interviewing and ranking of candidates. Ultimately it was the principal's decision. A few coaches back, the principal at the time overrode the selection committee and hired the 2nd choice. So back to the question, will this bill require a change in how we hire?

How is this going to affect the hiring and firing process? Would the school board now do that? Will principals no longer have a say in the decision making process? School boards, as an elected board, are by nature, political. If several members of the school board are alums or supporters of a particular school, what keeps them from funding or showing favoritism to one school at the expense of others?

All that's great but it requires a willingness that doesn't exist in FHSAA. Therefore it's time to part ways.

I'm not entirely clear what the SSAA by-laws on transfers is, however if they're able to adopt a policy, even if it's through mutual understanding, then why can't a more established organization like FHSAA do the same? There seems to be a lack of will and desire to pass the buck to the state legislature. To your hypothetical scenario, I don't know of anyone complaining about a transfer who is a legitimate move into the school's zone. Let's no deflect from the actual issue at hand, which is when multiple transfers from neighboring schools all end up at one school at the same time.

The SSAA doesn't exactly separate public from private.

The SSAA Atlantic division has grown from 20 for 2025 to 52 and counting for 2026. With the exception of Okeechobee who would otherwise be 4A, most the schools in it are either rural, 1A or 2A and only a few 3A. The Atlantic division is for schools 800+ in size. I'm curious to know if there's enough interest from the large school independents and the SSAA to create a large school division? Let's say 1600 and up.

Since the bureaucracy that is FHSAA is to inept to fix it, seeking an alternative is the best for us.

More schools keep leaving for SSAA and now they're going to have to consolidate a class. I would not be a bit surprised if this makes even more leave.

Just wait a couple of years. More schools keep leaving fhsaa they'll have their 8 team open division because that'll be all that's left.

I bet economics has something to do with it. Where are the new homes being built?

Most of these don't surprise me. Champagnet Catholic however was a state power house. What made them shut down?

Where's Silver King at? Reckon them Charlotte Boys better get things fixed and quick or else they become another has been. A few more down years and Charlotte might be thinking SSAA. But SSAA requires approval letters from other member schools. Desoto and Lemon Bay gotta be smiling at that.

Like most institutions, it's about preserve the status quo.

More than a few of these "rogue renegades who win at all costs" have done so at the expense of some once really good programs. Once they get a taste of their own medicine they will be the loudest wanting reform to the transfer policies of FHSAA. Some might even want in SSAA, to which I say no.

Hardee, Desoto, Okeechobee have been forced to play up a class in football for years. This is because of the large migrant farm worker population that's here in the fall and gone by spring. FHSAA says we have to count them. Because the leave as soon as the oranges get picked, they're counted as drop outs, which is why we have a high drop out rate. We've been fighting this for decades.

FHSAA might have to combine rural with 1A just to have enough schools to call it a class.

It's the free market at work

So according to Corey Davis's tweet last night, the SSAA Atlantic division is now up to 41! I was told a public school in Jacksonville wanted to join SSAA but the Duval County School Board blocked them from doing so. Such a shame in my opinion. As the SSAA grows, if a significant number of large public schools enter such as the above mentioned Broward schools or the Miami or Orlando area conferences, perhaps the SSAA should create a metro division.

IMG outta be in this open division. But then the rest would want out.

Awesome!