FIU head coach Willie Simmons joins Florida high school coaches at state Capitol in push for better pay

The topic of paying high school coaches is often met with a sour expression and that’s especially pertinent in Florida. The Florida Coaches Coalition is working hard to change that.

On Tuesday, members of the FCC logged hours at the state Capitol in Tallahassee to continue their push for better earnings. Multiple high school coaches were also joined by Tallahassee native and new FIU head football coach Willie Simmons.

Speaking with News4Jax’s Justin Barney, Simmons explained the financial disparity that his in-state colleagues are facing and why a change needs to be made:

“Everything has grown but the salaries,” Simmons explained. “The expectations have grown, the responsibilities have grown, the liabilities have grown. So, what coaches are tasked with today…year-round jobs, every sport now is year-round.”

According to News4Jax, high school football coaching supplements — the paycheck for an entire year of coaching — range from just over $3,000 to just over $8,300 in Florida. Those numbers are minuscule when compared to neighboring states like Georgia, where a low-end supplement still sits well above $10,000.

The days of coaching being considered a part-time job are long gone. That rings especially true in Florida, a state that’s often discussed as being at the top of the preps world.

In 2024, nine Florida football teams finished as top-100 programs nationally, according to the On3 Composite Rankings, a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings listed in the public domain by respected High School media and data companies. In basketball, nine Sunshine State teams are also represented in the top 100.

It’s bigger than football and basketball, too. Coaching supplements in the state can reach as low as a couple hundred dollars, according to News4Jax. The Florida Coaches Coalition is now pursuing minimum wage for all coaches in the state.

Simmons, along with famed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott, were among those in Tallahassee driving for a change. The work is only just beginning, but this week felt like a step in the right direction for many, including Simmons.

“To do that for 365 days a year, the hours we put in, for the little bit of compensation that these high school coaches get, really, for lack of a better term, it’s sinful,” Simmons said. “As a person who’s been there, who’s seen it, it’s my responsibility, along with other coaches like myself to come advocate for them.”