A high school program coming off three-straight state semifinal appearances has cancelled their season

Key Points:

• Sarasota Booker High School will not field a varsity football team for the 2026 season, opting instead to compete only at the junior varsity level as part of a program rebuild.
• The decision follows a rapid decline after three consecutive state semifinal appearances, with the team losing 21 players to transfers, including several high-profile recruits.
• The program also faced coaching instability, dismissing head coach Carlos Woods shortly before the season and hiring former USF quarterback Lance Hoeltke as his replacement.
• On the same day the JV-only announcement was made, the Florida High School Athletic Association fined Booker $500 and placed the program on administrative probation for allowing eighth graders to practice with the team.
• Principal Jamal Crook emphasized that the move is an investment in the future of Booker football, aiming to rebuild the program rather than retreat from the sport.