And if Governor Ron DeSantis eventually signs the bill, putting it into effect in July, it’s an easy win for him as well.
My point here is this bill plays well from a public relations standpoint. The bill makes it seem like coaches are destined to make more money for all the hard work they put in.
But from a reality standpoint, I’m not so sure coaches, at least in this area, are going to benefit a ton from the new rule.
Booster clubs only have so much money to go around. And while giving coaches a little bit more is a great way to spend money, that money only goes so far.
And it leaves a lot of questions.
Are only the head coaches going to get extra money? Will the assistants get a cut as well?
I mean, yeah, the head coach runs the show, but the assistants are putting in a lot of hours as well. It makes it unfair if only the head coach is getting extra.
And that’s just with football. What about soccer? And basketball? And baseball and softball?
Those coaches are putting in work as well. But the sports they coach likely don’t have the booster money that the football program has.
Now, school districts have the option of paying more to coaches down the road, but we know based on how things work around here, that’s not happening anytime soon.
We can’t even get a modern track at a new high school in 2026. You really think coaches are getting more money from the district?
Now, I get it, There are schools that will be able to afford more money for their coaches because of the generosity of booster clubs, but I really think in the end coaches aren’t exactly going to get rich here or get what they truly deserve.
They are still going to be underpaid, and in some cases, underappreciated.
And no matter how much a booster club throws in the pocket of a coach, coaches in this area still aren’t going to be on par with what many coaches are making in states like Georgia or Texas, who are far more ahead of the game when it comes to coach pay.
Maybe I’m proven wrong here. But I doubt it.
To me, the bill is nothing more than an easy win for politicians and hardly an easy fix for ensuring coaches get what they truly deserve from a pay standpoint.
