FHSAA abandoning metro-suburban classification system after just two years

It’s time for yet another change to Florida high school football.

Just two years after moving to a metro-suburban structure the FHSAA board approved a new 1A-7A plus a rural classification system.

Fort Myers head football coach Sam Sirianni has been around for decades.

He told me there’s no perfect system.

“I think everybody will roll with the punches,” Sirianni said. “At the end of the day the good teams will still get rewarded and there’s always still a path to whatever goal you set.”

That path will still require mandatory district games for football.

The second vote taken Tuesday did keep that system in place.

What wasn’t on the agenda, but on the forefront of many minds recently is name, image and likeness cash for high school athletes in Florida.

South Fort Myers Head Football Coach Willis May is not a fan.

“I mean, do high school kids really need to be getting paid to play high school football?” May said. “We’re not pros. That’s where they’re supposed to be making a living in the pro game.”

There are more than 30 states that allow NIL compensation for high school athletes, Florida is not one of them.

The board will consider making changes to its playoff system later.

Among the proposals are having district tournaments at the end of the football season and implementing an eight-team open division.