Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) heard from The First Academy (Orlando) and asked them to overturn their decision from last week that the Royals would have to forfeit nine games, pay a $36,000 fine, and not be able to play in the playoffs for two years.
The Orlando Sentinel says that the Royals’ appeal to the FHSAA on Tuesday morning was turned down.
The First Academy tried to get the association’s punishments thrown out in front of a five-person infractions committee, but the Gainesville-based FHSAA chose not to listen and voted 5-0 to uphold the punishments.
The FHSAA made a choice that will keep the Royals out of the Class 1A playoffs. They were expected to be strong contenders for a state championship in those games. Now, The First Academy’s season will end with a record of 1-9. Their most recent win may have been a default from last week.
The Royals played last week on the same day that they were given their punishments for breaking the rules, as found by the FHSAA.
In the FHSAA’s fact finding report, rules were broken by talking to players who were not yet enrolled at TFA in the wrong way, giving a player who was not yet enrolled an Uber ride to school, letting unenrolled players play for the Royals in summer activities, holding multiple 7-on-7 events with coaches without the necessary facility usage agreement for non-school activities, and more.
Because of this, the FHSAA put the private school on limited probation until Dec. 20, 2025. This means that TFA has to give up all eight of its wins this year, which means it will not be able to make the playoffs in 2024 or 2025.
The FHSAA also gave the school a $36,000 fine for breaking several rules and told first-year assistant coach Steven Moffett he could not coach again until October 31, 2025.
Moffett was a star quarterback at Winter Park and UCF. Before becoming an assistant coach at TFA, he led Leesburg to the state playoffs in 2023. During the off-season, a number of Leesburg players joined Moffett at TFA.
Moffett was at The First Academy’s win over Clearwater Calvary Christian. He was seen watching from the track area during and after the game and then leaving the field when it was over.
Not caring about the punishments he was given, Moffett stayed with the team as the Royals won their ninth game of the season.
