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Hardee County will move Hardy High football to SSAA, form Heartland conference for smaller schools
Summary
Hardy High's football program will join the Sunshine State Athletic Association (SSAA) for football only and help form a seven-school Old Heartland Conference to play annually, the superintendent and head coach told the board. The move aims to reduce recruiting imbalance and improve competitive parity.
Hardee County School Board members heard a presentation Tuesday from the superintendent and Hardy High School head coach explaining why the district will move its football program into the Sunshine State Athletic Association (SSAA) for football only and join a new Old Heartland Conference of seven like-minded schools.
Coach Bridal told the board that changes in school choice, home-schooling and name-image-and-likeness payments have increased recruiting and roster instability across Florida high school football. He said the SSAA "absolutely tolerates 0" recruiting violations and has an enforcement process that can remove members for violations; that discipline and stricter…
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