Manatee County coaches, administrators unsure about FHSAA's new playoff proposal, but curious
BRADENTON -- John Booth and other coaches around Manatee County have been preparing for a potential change to the FHSAA's playoff format for some time. Growing discontent with Florida's district system led to casual discussions and more formal meetings about how to restore some balance to the sport's landscape.
It wasn't long ago Booth met with Manatee athletic director Danielle LaPoint to discuss what would change if and when a new postseason system was put in place, specifically one that determined playoff teams partially with a strength-of-schedule algorithm.
"Other states are doing it, but I've heard pros and cons with it," Booth said. "I'd have to look at it a little bit more."
The FHSAA is in the preliminary stages of pursuing just such change, seeking input from coaches and athletic directors as it tries to settle on a system and hash out the details. The new format, which could not be approved until the fall at the earliest, wouldn't go into effect until at least 2017. It could take longer.
"There's no perfect answer," Braden River head coach Curt Bradley said. "Who develops strength of schedule? How is that determined? If one team is 9-0 playing lower competition, who determines the level of competition?
"At the same time, the dis
trict is no perfect solution because there are certain areas of the state where football isn't as strong."
The new proposal would do away with districts altogether and allow teams to schedule any 10 games. Scheduling would become more important and potentially more difficult in less populated parts of the state.
Financially, it has made most sense for county schools to primarily schedule teams from Bradenton, Sarasota or St. Petersburg to fill the non-district openings. Most teams, such as the Pirates and Hurricanes, try to limit their schedule to one lengthier trip. In some cases, the easiest path to the postseason could be scheduling out of the area even if it's not financially wise.
"I could see some issues arising where you're going to end up having to travel farther for a game because you can't get everybody matched up in the right week," Southeast athletic director Daniel Bradshaw said. "As a numbers person, I'm intrigued, but I'll wait to see how it shakes out."
The lack of details and concerns about the consequences are keeping some in the area from getting too excited about a systematic change most agree is overdue.
Bradenton Christian head coach and athletic director Allan Gerber previously coached in New Jersey, where postseason teams are determined in a similar manner to the FHSAA's proposal.
"I didn't care for it simply because it's not the kids' fault who's on their schedule," Gerber said. "You're leaving the postseason possibilities in the hands of something that's not done on the field."
The Panthers went independent following last season and will play in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference this coming season. Gerber is pleased to see the FHSAA is receptive to change, but he believes there are more issues than just district inequity, namely recruiting at private schools. Out-of-Door Academy is also making the switch from the FHSAA and Saint Stephen's made that switch previously.
But it's evident just by seeing the way brackets played out and the continued addition of classifications -- baseball is up to nine now -- that a change was going to come eventually. After Friday, there's some idea of where change will take the sport.
David Wilson, Herald sports writer, can be contacted at 941-745-7057 or on Twitter @DBWilson2.
This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County coaches, administrators unsure about FHSAA's new playoff proposal, but curious ."