Florida H.S. Football - 16 Years of Change

[LAZL]

While updating my master list of football playing schools, I noticed something interesting that has taken place since I first began ranking all the teams 16 years ago. Back in 1999, the state of Florida had 407 schools playing football. In 2014, we had over 550. That averages out to over 9 new teams per year. Not a huge surprise considering the growth rate of our state in that time period. However, of the 407 schools in 1999, only 16 (4%) were not assigned to a classification. In 2014, there were 81 teams (15%) not assigned to a classification.
What really jumped out at me though, was the number of schools we've lost during the same timeframe. I found a total of 80 schools that played football at some point from 1999-2013 that no longer field teams. The vast majority of these 80 schools were not assigned to a classification when they played. Some of these were due to school closures or mergers. Some went to 7-man leagues and others just cancelled their programs. So it appears the growth numbers might be deceiving. Looking at this data, it seems to me this trend will continue. Tiny schools giving football a shot and then hoping they can survive. Just food for thought. Anyway, here's a list of those schools that have stopped playing since 1999:

Academy (Coral Springs)
Academy at the Lakes (Land O' Lakes)
Apalachicola
Archbishop Carroll (Miami)
Barrington Christian (Florida City)
Bay Point (Miami)
Bradenton Prep
Brevard Christian (West Melbourne)
Broward Christian (Plantation)
Calvary Christian (Ormond Beach)
Calvary Christian (Winter Garden)
Cape Coral Christian
Carrabelle
Central Florida Prep (Gotha)
Chattahoochee
Choice Prep (Miami)
City of Life Christian (Kissimmee)
Coral Springs Christian
Cyber High (Sanford)
Eagle Nest Christian (Panama City)
Eastland Christian (Orlando)
Evangel Christian (Lakeland) - closed, restructured and re-opened. Now Victory Christian
Faith Baptist (Brandon)
Florida Air (Melbourne)
Florida Chr. Institute (Fort Myers)
Fort Lauderdale Christian
Grandview Prep (Boca Raton)
Greensboro
Havana Northside
Heritage Christian (Kissimmee)
Heritage Prep (Orlando)
Hernando Christian (Brooksville)
Hollywood Christian
Imagine School (North Port)
Lake City Christian
Landmark Christian (Haines City)
Life Christian (Kissimmee)
Lighthouse Christian (DeLand)
Maranatha Christian (Tallahassee)
Master's Academy (Vero Beach)
Miami Christian
Miami MacArthur North
North Lauderdale Academy
Northwest Christian (Miami)
Oasis (Cape Coral)
Orlando Lutheran
Panama City Christian
Parkway (Miramar)
Peniel Baptist (Palatka)
Perf. Arts Christian (Sunrise)
Pine Castle Christian (Orlando)
Posnack Hebrew (Plantation)
Premier Academy (Pompano Beach)
Princeton Christian
Providence Christian (Riverview)
Redland Christian
Riverhills Christian
Seacoast Christian (Jacksonville)
Shanks (Quincy)
Shekinah Christian (Jacksonville)
Sheridan Hills Christian (Hollywood)
Solid Rock Christian (Miami)
Sonrise Christian (Lakeland)
South Florida HEAT (Fort Lauderdale)
South Florida Prep (Oakland Park)
Spirit of Christ (Miami Gardens)
Summit Christian (West Palm Beach)
Tampa Baptist
Temple Christian (Titusville)
Temple Heights Christian (Tampa)
Upperroom Christian (Lauderhill)
Vanguard School (Lake Wales)
Victory Prep Christian (Orlando)
West Gate (Tampa)
West Oaks Academy (Orlando)
Westlake Prep (Davie)
Westwood Christian (Miami)
Woodham (Pensacola)
Woods Haven Prep (Hollywood Beach)
Zion Academy Fla (Bradenton)

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

Please let me know if I'm wrong but it appears all of these schools are/were private school.

 

[blackpopsicle]

Vouchers?

 

[gatorman-uf]

Apalachicola and Carrabelle were consolidated into Franklin County Schools in 2008

 

[Wavebb]

HardeeWildcatFan posted on 12/21/2014...

Please let me know if I'm wrong but it appears all of these schools are/were private school.


Pensacola Woodham was a public that closed in '07. It became a middle school. They were a football powerhouse in the early 80's. At least that's how Wave remember. The Fightin Titans or something like that. Wave open to be corrected if he incorrect. WAVE OUT!

 

[Nulli Secundus]

Originally posted by HardeeWildcatFan:
Please let me know if I'm wrong but it appears all of these schools are/were private school.

The four public schools below immediately came to mind as I use to live in the area:

Shanks (Quincy) & Northside (Havana) were consolidated into East Gadsden High
Chattahoochee and Greensboro were consolidated into West Gadsden High

 

[pcboy]

Beat me to it Nulli I am hardly ever on here, but I was going to note that about the Gadsden County schools and the Franklin County Schools since I worked there after graduation. I am actually down from Michigan and visiting family and friends in Lakeland right now.

Happy Holidays.

 

[Choctaw_fan]

Wavebb, you are correct. Woodham High became a middle school in 2007. The school is most noted for alumni sprinter Justin Gatlin but they were in the playoffs many times in the 1980. It was noted in Wikipedia that they had a period from 1982-84 where they went 35-1, losing their only game to Choctaw by a score of 9-7.

The district built both Pine Forest High and Washington High to take some of the overcrowding out of Woodham then added West Florida Tech in the same general area of Pensacola. Soon, the attendance at Woodham was too low to warrant keeping it open as a high school.

 

[Mr HiSchool]

Several of the smaller schools you listed are now in 8-man league (FCAPPS)

City of Life,
Eastland Christian
Seacoast
Academy at the Lakes
Hernando Christian
Masters (Vero Beach)
Peniel

Just to name a few.