Florida high school football program's appeal to play in 2025 playoffs denied by FHSAA

The Florida High School Athletic Association has denied The First Academy‘s appeal to be reinstated for the 2025 football playoffs, according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel.

According to Buddy Collings, who broke the news on Twitter, the governing body’s board of directors voted unanimously 10-0 against the school, which was banned from the 2024 and 2025 playoffs last fall. In October, the FHSAA placed the program on ‘restrictive probation’ for a series of alleged rules violations.

That included at least 10 players who participated in TFA activities during the summer before they were enrolled. In addition to being suspended from the playoffs for two seasons, the program forfeited all nine of its wins from the 2024 season and was ordered to pay a $36,000 fine.

FHSAA board of directors voted 10-0 to deny an appeal by The First Academy that asked to reinstate the Royals for the 2025 state playoffs.
TFA was suspended from 2024 and 2025 playoff participation due to rules violations.

— Buddy Collings (@VarsityBuddy) June 2, 2025

The First Academy appealed the decision almost immediately after it came down midway through their season. But a five-person infractions committee heard their appeal and voted 5-0 unanimously to uphold the penalties in early November. One of the top teams in Florida’s 3A division, they were removed from playoff contention and their season ended on November 1.

Four months later, the FHSAA added to its penalties, this time suspending head coach Jeff Conaway for the entire 2025 season for rules violations. In addition, he was forced to give up $5,000 of his salary, according to state by-laws.

Conaway took over the program in June 2023, after leading Springdale (Ark.) Shiloh Christian to four consecutive state finals appearances. Ahead of the 2024 season, a number of new assistants were hired and more than 30 players transferred into the private school from other programs.

Despite being denied by the infractions committee, TFA took their case to the state’s highest power in high school sports — the FHSAA board — only to be denied again.

TFA set to face a brutally tough schedule in 2025

They will again be limited to 10 regular season games this year, a schedule that include games against national powerhouses like IMG Academy, St. Frances Academy, Milton (Ga.), Phenix City Central (Ala.), and New Jersey’s Hun School. They’ll also face top in-state programs Venice and Lakeland.

Four of their 2025 opponents finished last season nationally ranked in the On3 Composite High School Football Team Ranking, while Central was Alabama’s 7A state runner-up and the Hun School took home New Jersey’s private school state title.

The Royals will have a chance to prove themselves against some of the country’s best, while they themselves feature more than a half dozen Power 4 recruits in the 2026 and 2027 classes.