THAT S--T WAS FUNNY

QB transferred from Wekiva to Leesburg to TFA in a span of three years. During that span he played for the 7 on 7 team 24K. Again, Im sure its just a coincidence.

Guess who was an assistant coach on that staff at Winter Park. Heres a few hints...He runs the 7 on 7 team 24K. He left Winter Park last year and took the Head job at Leesburg. He then left Leesburg after 1 season and became the associate Head Coach at TFA. Im sure its just a coincidence though.

Yeah the FHSAA would lose revenue with the open division if they kept it an 8 team single elimination tourney. We all know they aint gonna go for that.

Or maybe he left because he values his integrity.

From the Orlando Sentinel.... Scott Grove planned to finish out the high school baseball season as head coach at The First Academy, a prominent Orlando private school he guided to an FHSAA state championship three years ago. TFA administrators decided against that late Thursday, several hours after Grove notified them of his intention to resign. “I did not agree with the direction the school was going, with what’s been happening within the athletic department, and I challenged them on that,” Grove said. “Knowing that we are committing [rules] violations and nothing is being done set off alarms for me,” he said. “In my heart, I knew that since I teach and coach here, it’s like I’m a part of it, and I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.” In a reply to the Orlando Sentinel on Monday, the Florida High School Athletic Association confirmed that “there have been allegations made against The First Academy athletics department.” FHSAA staffer Ryan Harrison said the school is now afforded its “due process to respond,” per policy. Numerous sources, including Orlando area coaches, have told the Sentinel that TFA’s football program has violated FHSAA recruiting policy while also helping pay the tuition and costs of some players through a donor who has a son on the team. New TFA athletic director and head football coach Jeff Conaway denied any wrongdoing when asked by the Sentinel about those allegations in February. “That’s not factual at all. From my understanding that’s illegal,” Conaway said in regard to tuition payments. He also said his coaches were not recruiting players from other schools. TFA has added transfer football players from Boone, Lake Minneola, Leesburg, Osceola and Timber Creek in recent months. Per FHSAA policy, impermissible benefits consist of any form of “arrangement, assistance, discount or benefit that is not generally available to other students in the school or their families or that is based in any way on athletic ability.” That would include school-based financial assistance of any kind “that exceeds the amount for which a student has been approved by an independent financial needs assessment company,” gifts of clothing, equipment, merchandise or other tangible items, and free or reduced-cost transportation for athletes, among other things. Grove is the latest coaching casualty at TFA since long-time football coach Leroy Kinard resigned — according to the school — and was replaced days later last June by Conaway, who previously coached in Arkansas. Boys basketball coach Chris Mayberry is also out after leading TFA to a 389-179 record in 20 seasons, including five final-four appearances and a 2011 state runner-up finish. Friday was his last day as a lower-school physical education instructor, the same role Grove had held. Mayberry’s wife, Becky, is still working as a guidance counselor in TFA’s Classical School program. Mayberry, who briefly left TFA and won back-to-back Texas state titles (2012-13) with 10th-year NBA player Julius Randle on the roster at Prestonwood Christian Academy, holds a 430-202 career record. He opted not to talk about the specifics behind his departure in a Monday morning phone interview, saying, “It’s kind of a mutual agreement.” “I’m resigning from TFA. It’s the right time,” Mayberry said. “I’m interested in staying in basketball, but I really don’t know what’s next at this point. We’re doing what’s best for [our] kids right now. All the decisions will be made on what’s best for them.” The family of six includes Luke, a TFA sophomore basketball player, and seventh-grade daughter Kallie, who plays volleyball at the school. Girls volleyball coach Joe Casalese was fired midway through the fall season. He said former athletic director Will Cohen, now the assistant head of school for Campus Operations, told him he had “lost the locker room.” TFA’s roster included Casalese’s daughter Caroline, a junior player. The Royals were in the midst of their best season (18-11) since winning 17 games in 2018-19. Scott Grove led the Royals as head since the 2014 season. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel) Grove said he alerted Cohen about his decision to step down last week before the Royals were scheduled to play a home game against Groveland South Lake. “I told them that I no longer wanted to be a part of it and that I was finished as the baseball coach, but that I wanted to finish the season for the kids,” Grove said. Cohen told Grove that it would be his decision whether to permit the long-time coach to finish out the spring. He later informed Grove that he was no longer permitted to be on campus and could not communicate with baseball players and parents. In an email to parents, Cohen stated, “Following further reflection and prayer, I concluded that it was best for Coach Grove to do what he had indicated and not return as the varsity baseball coach.” Former Major League Baseball first-round pick Nick Franklin, a Lake Brantley graduate and TFA assistant, was named interim head coach by the school in a social media post. #RoyalsBaseball Coaching Update: pic.twitter.com/ockRIZn9LR — TFA Athletics (@TFA_Athletics) April 6, 2024 “I’m saddened by the way it turned out,” Grove said. “Half my team thinks I quit on them because that’s how the school portrayed it. They just wanted to control the narrative, and they weren’t extremely truthful about that.” Grove’s wife, Dr. Shayne Grove, resigned from her position as TFA principal on Friday. “I’ve lived at the baseball field for the past 28 years of my coaching career because that’s the passion I have for it,” Grove said. “If it’s over, it’s over. I feel I’ve impacted a lot of kids, and that’s why I did it.” Grove, who led Colonial to a state runner-up finish in 2000 and Timber Creek to the state semifinals in 2010 and 2012, was in his 11th season at TFA. He went 555-191 overall since 1998 and 219-60 while with the Royals, which included a 2021 FHSAA Class 3A state championship and 2014 USA Baseball National High School Invitational title. “It’s a shame it has to end this way,” Grove said. “I did everything I could possibly do throughout my coaching career, and at least I can say I’m walking away with dignity and doing things the right way.” Longtime The First Academy boys basketball coach Chris Mayberry, holding the ball, celebrated his 400th career win in 2022 with his wife, daughters and sons, who all have strong ties to TFA. They are from left: Ansley, wife Becky, Cole, Kallie and Luke. (Courtesy The First Academy). This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email staff reporter J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com and varsity content editor Buddy Collings at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.

Would be interesting if Bucholz, Homestead and Booker T are home/away two year contracts. That would be some long and tough road games for the 2025 season. I like that they are scheduling tougher the last few years. Would be crazy if they returned the favor next year and traveled down to Dade twice.

Nice 7 on 7 team. Whos gonna block for all those skill guys? Wheres the love for the O lineman?

The quarterback is on his 3rd school in 3 years (Wekiva, Leesburg, TFA). Oh, and so is the asst. coach that brings in all of the kids.

Never mind I just looked his hudl up. He is from Canada, like most of the team was. I do see he has an Auburn offer. If he stays in the U.S. it will be a great "get" for someone.

Crazy time we live in. Where is he originally from?

Who dat?

Teaching and coaching at the high school level is a THANKLESS job. Teachers and coaches have a direct influence on our youth's future. Public servants don"t get paid nearly enough.

Nailed it. Those PE classes can have 50+ kids in them. Not an easy day of work for sure.

I know a Dude that made 59K (teaching salary + asst ftb coaching stipend) in a school district in florida . He moved to georgia and is now making 98K (teaching salary + asst ftb coaching stipend).

Yeah thanks to the both of you. I know it takes a lot of time.

SOFT

A 32 team open division would destroy the credibility and water down the other classes. An 8 team open division would put the super teams in one division while maintaining some competitiveness in the other classes.

Just another example.... Can you imagine running a business like the FHSAA is ran?

Darlington posted the same thing on footballscoop.com which has a national high school job posting board. Dude does not care at all.

It wont last long. Its just the new hot thing in that area. Kids will have their few minutes of fame when they get to announce they are transferring and get to read all the comments on social media. Then it will be over, and they will be left with what they have. Just feel bad for the good coaches who actually cared about those kids and worked hard towards their progression on and off the field. The schools that have success year in and year out will continue to be successful because of those good coaches who are in it for the right reason. Just feel bad for the kids and parents who are being taken advantage of from these "street agents" because of their naiveness.

Recruiting is illegal but as we all know it is rarely enforced. Speaking of recruiting, I heard a small 1A christian school in Orlando is actively recruiting. kids from all over central florida. Kids leaving central florida powers to go to an average 1A private school. Man times have changed.

Windemere may have something to say about that.

I can't believe were even talking about this. The fact that this is even a possibility is disturbing. This will push a lot of good coaches out of the profession, which will allow "street agents" to take over more than they already have.

Good luck to the high school coaches out there. Your gonna need it. Sheesh

Thanks Gatorman. Good stuff with the links attached