Florida High School Athletic Association
Encyclopedia
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations
(NFHS).
Florida uses NFHS contest rules in its sports.
campus in Gainesville
. The organization was founded as the Florida High School Athletic Association in 1920. The name was changed to Florida High School Activities Association in 1951. The name was changed back to Florida High School Athletic Association in 2002.
The 29 schools who became charter members were: Summerlin (Bartow), Clearwater, Mainland (Daytona Beach), Seabreeze (Daytona Beach), DeLand, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Duval (Jacksonville), Osceola (Kissimmee), Columbia (Lake City), Lakeland, Leesburg, Suwannee (Live Oak), Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Putnam (Palatka), Pensacola, Plant City, Quincy, Seminole (Sanford), Ketterlinus (St. Augustine), St. Petersburg, Leon (Tallahassee), Hillsborough (Tampa), Hardee (Wauchula), West Palm Beach, and Winter Haven.
The first Constitution limited membership to public schools. However, in 1930, it was amended to open membership to private and parochial schools as well.
In 1951, the member schools voted to change the word "athletic" to "activities" in the organization name so that non-athletic activities such as music and student council programs would also receive proper supervision at the state level.
The Association was incorporated in 1962.
The FHSAA, in 1996, adopted regulations permitting students enrolled in home education programs to participate in interscholastic activities. The regulations would later allow Heisman Trophy
quarterback Tim Tebow
(a homeschooled student) to participate in high-school football; similar rules adopted later by other states would thus be called the "Tebow rule".
In May 1997, the Florida Legislature recognized in statute the FHSAA as the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida, provided the Association comply with the provisions of a legislatively mandated revamping of its governmental structure.
The name was changed back to Florida High School Athletic Association in 2002. As of August 2007, the FHSAA has a membership of 748 schools.
A second division is based on school population and is statewide. Eventually, schools with the best records in this type of division will meet each other for seasonal playoffs to determine the state champion. There are eight classes, numbered from 1 to 7, based on population, with the largest schools in 7A for football only. There is a 1A rural and a 1B urban, completing the total of eight classifications.
. It was selected by a panel of Florida high school experts. The Florida High School Athletic Association
lists the 34 greatest high school football players in state history. In conjunction with selecting the All-Century team, the FHSAA named an All-Century Coaching Staff.
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. Most high schools, whether public or private, belong to their state's high school association; in turn, each state association...
(NFHS).
Florida uses NFHS contest rules in its sports.
History
The Florida High School Athletic Association was founded on April 9, 1920 by a group of 29 high school principals which met at Peabody Hall on the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
campus in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
. The organization was founded as the Florida High School Athletic Association in 1920. The name was changed to Florida High School Activities Association in 1951. The name was changed back to Florida High School Athletic Association in 2002.
The 29 schools who became charter members were: Summerlin (Bartow), Clearwater, Mainland (Daytona Beach), Seabreeze (Daytona Beach), DeLand, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Duval (Jacksonville), Osceola (Kissimmee), Columbia (Lake City), Lakeland, Leesburg, Suwannee (Live Oak), Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Putnam (Palatka), Pensacola, Plant City, Quincy, Seminole (Sanford), Ketterlinus (St. Augustine), St. Petersburg, Leon (Tallahassee), Hillsborough (Tampa), Hardee (Wauchula), West Palm Beach, and Winter Haven.
The first Constitution limited membership to public schools. However, in 1930, it was amended to open membership to private and parochial schools as well.
In 1951, the member schools voted to change the word "athletic" to "activities" in the organization name so that non-athletic activities such as music and student council programs would also receive proper supervision at the state level.
The Association was incorporated in 1962.
The FHSAA, in 1996, adopted regulations permitting students enrolled in home education programs to participate in interscholastic activities. The regulations would later allow Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
(a homeschooled student) to participate in high-school football; similar rules adopted later by other states would thus be called the "Tebow rule".
In May 1997, the Florida Legislature recognized in statute the FHSAA as the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida, provided the Association comply with the provisions of a legislatively mandated revamping of its governmental structure.
The name was changed back to Florida High School Athletic Association in 2002. As of August 2007, the FHSAA has a membership of 748 schools.
Sanctioned Sports
- Baseball
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Cross Country
- Football (Boys)
- Golf
- Soccer (Boys)
- Soccer (Girls)
- Softball
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Weightlifting (Boys)
- Wrestling
Recognized Sports
- Bowling
- Competitive Cheer
- Flag Football (Girls)
- Lacrosse
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Water Polo (Boys)
- Water Polo (Girls)
- Weightlifting (Girls)
School classification
As in most areas, high schools compete in sports in two types of division. One, because of logistical and geographical constraints, is necessarily local. That is, large schools play small ones in the same area. There are sixteen geographical districts to reduce travel time and expense for conference play.A second division is based on school population and is statewide. Eventually, schools with the best records in this type of division will meet each other for seasonal playoffs to determine the state champion. There are eight classes, numbered from 1 to 7, based on population, with the largest schools in 7A for football only. There is a 1A rural and a 1B urban, completing the total of eight classifications.
FHSAA's All-Century Team
The FHSAA's All-Century Team was selected in December, 2007, to celebrate 100 years of high school football in the US state of FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was selected by a panel of Florida high school experts. The Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
lists the 34 greatest high school football players in state history. In conjunction with selecting the All-Century team, the FHSAA named an All-Century Coaching Staff.