GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) brought together 38 coaches, athletic directors, and school administrators from across the state to discuss the framework for the newly approved independent league set to launch this fall.

In January, the FHSAA Board of Directors voted to authorize the creation of an independent league under the Association’s overnight, giving independent schools the opportunity to participate with the potential for postseason play for the first time.

During Thursday’s meeting, attendees collaborated on establishing structure for divisions with the goal of creating competitive balance. Like the Class Rural-7A models, the independent league will use MaxPreps ranking for postseason seeding.

FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon said he was encouraged by the open dialogue and engagement from those in attendance.

“It was great to hear thoughtful feedback and productive discussions,” Damon said. “This process is about doing what’s best for our members schools and their students-athletes, and today’s meeting was an important step toward building a league that reflects those priorities.”

The independent league divisions will be finalized soon and implemented for the upcoming season.


About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association supervises and regulates interscholastic athletic programs for high school students at member public, private and charter schools. The organization also recognizes and honors academic achievement among student-athletes at over 850 middle, junior and senior high schools statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, it is the official governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida.