Florida’s high school coaching ranks are facing a growing retention problem, and St. Johns County football coach Brian Braddock says local campuses are getting blitzed.
The Florida Coaches Coalition, a statewide advocacy group, recently issued a statement warning that coaches are leaving not because of burnout, but because compensation has failed to keep pace with expectations.
The group described a system that demands professional-level accountability while offering what often amounts to volunteer-level pay.
Braddock, the decorated head football coach at St. Augustine High School, said the statement reflects what he and other local coaches from a variety of sports are witnessing firsthand.
“I think more people are becoming aware of it,” Braddock told The Citizen this week. “They’re surprised when they find out what the expectations are for these jobs and then what the compensation actually looks like. It’s truly a year-round, every-day commitment.”
In the past two years alone, Braddock has lost two assistant coaches to Georgia, where both teacher salaries and athletic stipends are significantly higher.
While Florida benefits from having no state income tax, he said the difference in investment is evident when comparing facilities, staffing and program continuity.
“What we’re losing are great mentors and program builders,” Braddock said. “And I don’t think the broader impact of that turnover on campuses and communities is fully understood.”
Coaching stipends are capped and modest, even after a 25 percent increase approved locally in recent years.
For many, the math simply no longer works.
“When you have two or three different coaches over a four-year high school career, it hurts the experience for kids,” Braddock said. “This isn’t just about competitiveness. It’s about stability and relationships.”
The Florida Coaches Coalition argues that improving compensation would strengthen retention, leadership and student development across all sports, not just football.
Braddock agrees, noting that recent attention from lawmakers suggests momentum may be building.
“Change starts with awareness,” he said. “People are finally starting to see how much time these jobs require and how little they’re compensated. That’s the first step.”
For now, he said, coaches remain committed — but the system must evolve if schools hope to keep them.
