New Urban/Surburban/Rural Classifications!

[The Heartland Archives]

As most of you already know, the FHSAA just approved a new classification plan by a vote of 9-7. This new classification plan will divide schools into nine classes: Rural Class 1A, Suburban Class 1A, Suburban Class 2A, Suburban Class 3A, Suburban Class 4A, Metro Class 1A, Metro Class 2A, Metro Class 3A, and Metro Class 4A. Under this new plan Rural Class 1A, Suburban Class 1A, and Metro Class 1A will have open schedules and the other six classes will all have districts.

Under this new plan, Suburban Class 2A is any school with an enrollment of 601-1442 that's NOT located in any of Florida's eight most densely populated counties.

Some of the schools in the Florida Heartland area that meet this criteria are:

• Avon Park, Enrollment: 902
• Fort Meade, Enrollment: 781
• Frostproof, Enrollment: 1119
• DeSoto (if they chose to go back into a classification), Enrollment: 1242
• Hardee, Enrollment: 1385
• Lake Placid, Enrollment: 827

It would be interesting if the FHSAA puts all these teams in a district. My alma mater Hardee played all but one of these teams last year in 2021: Avon Park (Win 49-14), Fort Meade (Loss 37-13), Frostproof (Win 40-35), and DeSoto (Loss 14-8). Our arch-rival DeSoto decided to go Independent last year because Sebring and Port Charlotte was placed in our district, but since both Sebring and Port Charlotte will be in Suburban Class 3A this year will DeSoto decide to go back into a classification????? Anyways, it will be interesting to see what happens.

***Also Bradenton Bayshore, Sarasota Booker, and Lemon Bay will be in Suburban Class 2A as well. It will be interesting to see if the FHSAA puts Hardee and possibly DeSoto in a district with Avon Park, Fort Meade, Frostproof, and Lake Placid or in a district with Bayshore, Booker, and Lemon Bay.***

 

[The Heartland Archives]

Here's an article from Josh Wilson of FloridaHSFootball.com that explains the new classification plan, for anyone interested:

FHSAA Board of Directors votes for Metro-Suburban football classification plan; shifts football playoff rankings from RPI to FHS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Major changes are on the way for high school football in the Sunshine State. The plan dubbed

floridahsfootball.com

 

[peezy28]

Don't be alarmed I changed the name lf the thread to see if we got any of the 4 regulars or any lurkers to discuss the whole change in classification scenario

 

[gatorman001]

Not a fan of the new system, and while I see the move to max preps power ratings was approved by a 16-0 vote......I've never thought it was the best system to evaluate over-all team strength......it's basically just Cal Preps. Would be interesting if the fhsaa would allow the champions from each classification in Metro & Suburban to play each other the week following each Classifications championship game is played? Anytime Manatee had to face STA, while I always understood the odds of winning were long , I embraced the challenge of facing the best.

 

[MarkECannon]

What does it really mean to be the best team from the Surburbs?

 

[Silver King]

"“You want to do what is right for kids and I believe what we are doing is for is right for kids in the state of Florida. All kids, not just some kids, but all kids,” Arza said."

This guy who wants to do right by kids, was he a legislator when they opened up free agency?

 

[TheCatCoachesMissesMe]

As most of you already know, the FHSAA just approved a new classification plan by a vote of 9-7. This new classification plan will divide schools into nine classes: Rural Class 1A, Suburban Class 1A, Suburban Class 2A, Suburban Class 3A, Suburban Class 4A, Metro Class 1A, Metro Class 2A, Metro Class 3A, and Metro Class 4A. Under this new plan Rural Class 1A, Suburban Class 1A, and Metro Class 1A will have open schedules and the other six classes will all have districts.

Under this new plan, Suburban Class 2A is any school with an enrollment of 601-1442 that's NOT located in any of Florida's eight most densely populated counties.

Some of the schools in the Florida Heartland area that meet this criteria are:

• Avon Park, Enrollment: 902
• Fort Meade, Enrollment: 781
• Frostproof, Enrollment: 1119
• DeSoto (if they chose to go back into a classification), Enrollment: 1242
• Hardee, Enrollment: 1385
• Lake Placid, Enrollment: 827

It would be interesting if the FHSAA puts all these teams in a district. My alma mater Hardee played all but one of these teams last year in 2021: Avon Park (Win 49-14), Fort Meade (Loss 37-13), Frostproof (Win 40-35), and DeSoto (Loss 14-8). Our arch-rival DeSoto decided to go Independent last year because Sebring and Port Charlotte was placed in our district, but since both Sebring and Port Charlotte will be in Suburban Class 3A this year will DeSoto decide to go back into a classification????? Anyways, it will be interesting to see what happens.

***Also Bradenton Bayshore, Sarasota Booker, and Lemon Bay will be in Suburban Class 2A as well. It will be interesting to see if the FHSAA puts Hardee and possibly DeSoto in a district with Avon Park, Fort Meade, Frostproof, and Lake Placid or in a district with Bayshore, Booker, and Lemon Bay.***

Hardee should go into 2A since they enrolled 1385...Maybe putting Desoto with Bayshore and Booker since they are closer to them and Hardee with FP, LP, FM and FP...Just my hunch.

Metro

4A: 2356+
3A: 2355-1675
2A: 1674-601
1A: 600 and below

Suburban

4A: 1893+
3A: 1892-1443
2A: 1442-601
1A: 600 and below


Rural

1A: 600 and below