The football program at Gadsden County High School in Havana, Florida, is in some serious trouble with the Florida High School Athletic Association, The Tallahassee Democrat reports.
The FHSAA says that three players, who were on the team last year, were “non-traditional players” but weren’t reported as such.
A “non-traditional player” is a student-athlete who attends one school but plays on a sports team for another school because the school they attend doesn’t offer the specific sport they’re playing. A non-traditional player may be homeschooled or attend a charter school, an approved alternative or special school, a private school, a virtual school, or even a traditional public school.
The FHSAA claims Gadsden County allowed these students to play or participate in summer activities without completing the required registration process.
The FHSAA fined the school $21,500 and barred the team from participating in the state title series for the fall 2025 season. In addition, head coach Russell Ellington and eight players have been benched for one year. The school plans to appeal.
Perhaps the most famous non-traditional athlete from Florida is Tim Tebow, who was honeschooled but played football for Trinity Christian and Nease high schools, leading the latter to the Class 4A state championship in 2005.
