ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. (WFLA) — A newly filed bill in the Florida Senate could revolutionize the pay structure for high school coaches across all sports. SB 538, drafted by Senator Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee), would allow coaches to bypass teachers unions, negotiate their own salaries, and create performance incentives.
“This would allow coaches to dictate their market value. It’s all based on merit. We believe work should equal pay,” said Dr. Andrew Ramjit, with the Florida Coaches Coalition.
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Many football coaches across Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Manatee Counties only receive a stipend of about $3,000 per season, according to the Florida Coaches Coalition. In a recent survey conducted across the group’s nearly 16,000 members, coaches reported working approximately 1,500 hours during a season (including preseason, spring work, etc.).
“If you do the math, that comes down to around $2 an hour for work that’s not only important on the field, but off the field as a mentor,” Ramjit said…