Dr. D

With all the off-season discussion, don't forget the FHSAA regular season kicks off in 5 weeks. Last year, 460 teams competed in the 8 FHSAA championship classifications. This year, 458 teams are competing in the FHSAA. Not exactly the mass exodus that some were hoping for or predicting, but maybe it is coming down the road. Or not. In case you forgot your team's district or region foes, here are the 2025-26 FHSAA classifications: https://fhsaa.com/sports/2020/1/28/FB_classifications.aspx Information on the SSAA football season can be found here: https://www.sunshinestateathletics.com/page/show/5114520-football

This the FHSAA definition for the issue at hand: An “impermissible benefit” is any arrangement, assistance or benefit that is not offered or generally made available to all students and/or their families who apply to or attend a school, or that otherwise is prohibited by FHSAA rules. Receipt of a benefit by a student-athlete or his/her family is not a violation of FHSAA rules if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the school’s students or family members and is not based in any way on athletic interest, potential or performance. A student who is found to have accepted an impermissible benefit will be ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition for one or more years at the school to which the student accepted the impermissible benefit and may be declared ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition at all member schools for one or more years. Specific examples are listed here: https://fhsaa.com/documents/2020/4/14//Policy_37_2_2.pdf?id=71 There is no mention of the impact of blood relations, nor am I familiar with the NCAA regulations during Marcus Vick's career from 2002-2005. But these are the regulations that apply in this case.

For clarity, it appears that Northwestern, not the FHSAA, administered the suspension. Not sure that does, or does not, render the arguments here moot, but one could argue that the school is trying to get out ahead of this.

Interestingly, Pensacola Woodham High School closed in 2007. It reopened as a middle school later in 2007, which was also later closed. The building now houses West Florida High School. Woodham went 35-1 during the 1982-84 seasons, winning the Class 4A state championship in 1982 and 1984. They were known as the "Titans", much like another team with an epic history of their own (T.C. Williams in Alexandria, Virginia).

I would add the 2021 Pine Forest team that lost to Tampa Jesuit, 35-29, in the 6A championship game. But your point about Pensacola teams is well stated. I don't see any serious contenders from that area this year.

I agree that this is an interesting concept. But Florida has 67 counties, and what might work well in your county could be a bust in others. No question that you could potentially get more money invested, better coaching, and better quality of play with regional all-star teams. But you lost me when you state that you would get better fan support. While high school football may be transactional to some, it is still an emotional experience for many. It's not just the play on the field; it's about the sights and sounds in the stadium on Friday night, and if the home team wins, all the better. Yes, the hardcore fan will always make an effort to see an "all-star" game, but I don't think that holds true for the casual fan who knows the QB who lives down the street or has a son/daughter in the band or some other personal connection to the school. I'll travel 50 miles to see my local school play on Friday, but I personally would not travel 20 miles to see a game with just a handful of players from my local community, no matter how high the quality of play. And I think that's true of the majority of fans who typically attend games and support their local high school. My belief is you would end up with the typical AAU basketball crowd - parents, hardcore fans, scouts, and hangers-on. Again, probably a better model for the football purist, but I don't see it being more popular in terms of fan support in large parts of the state.

You raise a good point. Let's look at the 2025-2026 tuition for some of the powerhouse schools frequently mentioned herein. STA: $16,500; C-M: $17,150; First Academy: $26,270; AH-P: $42,700(!). I'm sure these are all excellent schools and well worth the money to those so inclined. But makes one wonder how these players from "extreme poverty" (as described by one poster) can afford to pay these rates. Obviously, they are receiving "financial aid" to offset all or some of the expense. I guess they are allowed to do that. But is that same financial aid available to a young lady from the same background who wants to take AP courses and play in the band? Maybe; I guess it's a matter of priorities. Either way, it's easy to see why people are suspicious of these schools and the advantages they possess.

Let's stick with 2025 and FHSAA teams. Preseason Kickoff Classic Games must be played on August 14-16 (i.e. Week 0). The first regular season playing date (Week 1) is August 21. Below is the schedule for the Broward County National Showcase. Any game played on or after August 21 counts as a regular season game for FHSAA teams. August 21 – Piper (Florida) vs. Peachtree Ridge (Georgia), 4 p.m. at Dillard HS August 21 – Archbishop McCarthy (Florida) at Cardinal Gibbons (Florida), 7 p.m. August 21 – Monarch (Florida) vs. Bolles School (Florida), 8 p.m. at Dillard HS August 22 – Corner Canyon (Utah) vs. West Broward (Florida), 4 p.m. at Dillard HS August 22 – American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania), 7 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas HS August 22 – Dr. Phillips (Florida) at Dillard (Florida), 8 p.m. August 23 – Mater Dei (California) at St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida), 4 p.m. August 23 – Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) vs. St. Frances Academy (Maryland), 8 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas HS

What I find interesting is the wide disparity in transfer rules across the country. Unlike the NCAA, there is no national standard for the number of transfers allowed or when one is eligible after transfer. Some states require a one-year waiting period after transfer, some allow immediate eligibility after the first transfer, and some (like Florida) have a much more liberal set of rules. Tennessee just passed a rule that states a student can transfer once without an address change and not lose any athletic eligibility, and you would have thought they made a deal with the devil to hear the reaction of most high school coaches and administrators. Can't imagine their reaction if they worked in Florida.

Aside from the competitive aspect, Georgia teams have no incentive to schedule tough non-region games because state playoff qualification is based solely on head-to-head, round-robin play in 6- to 9-team regions (top 4 teams qualify in each region). Since Georgia doesn't use silly computer rankings to determine state playoff qualification and seeding like Florida, teams can schedule as tough or easy non-region opponents as they prefer. It might make sense for Florida teams to schedule tougher non-district opponents for competitive reasons, as well as to improve their FHSAA MaxPreps' strength of schedule component, but since no one really knows what goes into the FHSAA MaxPreps' rankings, we really don't know if tougher scheduling pays off in the end.

Thank you for prompting me to do further research. Windermere's situation in 2017 is too difficult to research, although your facts are accurate. Innovation applied for and received an exemption to the 3-year waiting period per the exemptions provided in Bylaws 3.4.1.1.4 & 3.4.1.2.4 -- A newly opening school created by the consolidation or division of the student populations of existing member schools is exempt from the application and provisional periods if a) the new school is governed by the same Board as the existing member schools; and b) the new school meets all other qualifications and conditions of membership. This exemption allowed Innovation to compete in FHSAA championship series/competition in the 2024-25 year, as the girls' soccer team did (although the football team elected to compete as an independent). This exemption could possibly apply to PSL Legacy and any other newly opening schools which meet the above criteria. Sorry for any confusion I may have created.

The FHSAA Bylaws don't distinguish between traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools or university laboratory schools, so I'm almost certain this process applies to all schools applying for FHSAA membership. I know in the past that schools have applied for a waiver to the 3-year waiting period, but there are no provisions for such a waiver in the FHSAA Bylaws, and I'm not aware of a waiver ever being approved.

Any first-time high school must successfully complete an application period (one year), followed by a provisional period (two years) before it is eligible for full membership in the FHSAA. During the application and the provisional period (three total years) the school is permitted to compete against other schools in the state of Florida in preseason and regular-season competition. The school is not permitted to participate in any state championship series/competition in any sport during this three-year period. The school is not placed in a district for the various sports, but essentially plays as an "independent" during this period. After the successful completion of the second year of the provisional period, the school is voted on by the Board of Directors for full membership into the FHSAA. If admitted, the school is eligible to compete in the state championship series/competition in the various sports. The football team would then be placed in a district based on its student enrollment, although there can be adjustments depending on the number of grades (9-12) and rate of enrollment growth in the high school.

Any updates?

Frequent road warriors, North Miami Beach, were edged by Auburn 49-0 this past season. The guaranteed money must have been worth the 600+ mile trip and the beat down.