West Florida - Heartland, Suncoast, SWF - LET'S DO THIS!

[Hwy17 432]

This is in reference to Coach Lee of Auburndale and Vinnie Portell, sports editor of the Venice Gondolier tweet on twitter today

It was mentioned today about forming independent conferences of teams in the Polk/Heartland and also the suncoast area.  Here's what I think:

Total number of public high schools in each county:

Polk - 16

Lee - 15

Manatee - 7

Collier - 7

Sarasota - 5

Highlands - 3

Charlotte - 3

Hendry - 2

Hardee, DeSoto, Glades (Moorehaven), & Okeechobee - 1

 

Total - 62 public schools

 

I'll call this the West Florida Alliance.   Break them down into 6 conferences as follows (names given have some historical significance)

Orange Blossom Conference - 10 teams:  Lemon Bay, Clewiston, Moorehaven, Lake Placid, Avon Park, Frostproof, Fort Meade, Tenoroc, Mulberry, Discovery Academy.

Heartland Conference - 10 teams: Lebelle, DeSoto, Hardee, Sebring, Okeechobee, Lake Wales, Lake Region, Booker, Bayshore, Southeast

Peace River Conference - 10 teams:  Charlotte, Port Charlotte, North Port, Palmetto, Lakewood Ranch, Braden River, Parrish Community, Auburndale, Winter Haven, Lake Gibson

Ridge Conference - 10 teams:  Manatee, Venice, Sarasota, Riverview, Lakeland, Kathleen, Jenkins, Bartow, Haines City, Ridge Community

   -  Playing round robin, this gives 10 games.  For a 10th game, play one opponent from one of the other conferences

 Southwest Conference - 11 teams: Immokalee, Naples, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Dunbar, South Fort Myers, Riverdale, East Lee, Lehigh, Cypress Lake, Gateway

Coral Coast - 11 teams: Cape Coral, Mariner, Island Coast, Ida Baker, Estero, Bonita Springs, Barron Collier, Golden Gate, Lely, Palmetto Ridge, Gulf Coast

 - Playing round robin, this gives 10 games!

 

I believe these conferences would be competitive from top to bottom and have teams that are similar in size as well as past performance.  At season's end, organize bowl games for teams that won 6 or more games.  These conferences are regional but within easy travel distance and also preserves many long standing rivalries.  

Also, for fun, I think this would make for a good conference for area private schools:

 West Coast League - 10 teams: Naples First Baptist, Bishop Verot, Cardinal Mooney, Berkley Prep, Tampa Catholic, Jesuit, Lakeland Christian, Clearwater Central Catholic, Cleawater International, American Collegiate.

Also, start the season 3 week of September to run through the second week of December with the bowl games.

I know this is a lot to swallow, and involves a lot of moving parts.  Feedback please!!!

 

 

 

 

[THIS_IS_DILLARD 397]

I love it and I’m not even from that part of town great Analysis

[Hwy17 432]

 

4 minutes ago, THIS_IS_DILLARD said:

I love it and I’m not even from that part of town great Analysis

Even if you don't win your conference, you have the opportunity to play a bowl game if you win 6.  I could see each conference putting 3 teams in a bowl.  Also, we don't have to have conference champ play conference champ.  Create a committee to assign bowl games.  Similar to college football.

 

[Jesse 93]

9 hours ago, Hwy17 said:

 

Even if you don't win your conference, you have the opportunity to play a bowl game if you win 6.  I could see each conference putting 3 teams in a bowl.  Also, we don't have to have conference champ play conference champ.  Create a committee to assign bowl games.  Similar to college football.

 

Meaningless games, only state titles matter.

[Hwy17 432]

2 minutes ago, Jesse said:

Meaningless games, only state titles matter.

From the looks of it, there won't be a playoff this year.  Beats nothing.