TFA's pre-designed rigorous schedule is setting the program up for growth

There are 13,959 high school football teams in the country. 

Out of those, 563 teams are in Florida. 

In Florida, only one team in each of the eight divisions will win the state championship. 

It’s not easy to win the state title, it takes grit and determination. The First Academy is using this season as a lesson on how to get there. The First Academy is ranked No. 10 in Florida and No. 82 in the nation. 

Due to sanctions last season from FHSAA for recruiting violations, the Royals are ineligible to participate in the post season and won’t compete for a title this year — but that hasn’t stopped the coaching staff from trying to replicate the experience and atmosphere of playoff football. 

TFA’s coaches took the lack of a post season into account when designing the team’s competitive schedule this year. The Royals kicked off its preseason by hosting IMG Academy and didn’t let up. The team has gone on to play six nationally ranked teams.

Photo by Megan Bruinsma

“We have enjoyed testing the national waters,” TFA’s head coach Jeff Conaway said.

Conaway said the coaching staff wanted to see what foundation they have developed with their football program — and saw no better way to do that than play top-tier competitors.

 “It’s been a season of getting our feet wet on a national scale, knowing that because of the performances we’ve had, we can play at that level and we will only continue to get better,” he said.

Two of the three losses TFA had this year were close. The team fell to No. 39 Milton by seven and No. 43 Central by three. Conaway said of course it would’ve been ideal to win those games, but competing well enough where the Royals had a chance to win was pleasing. 

It brings a lot of pressure, but pressure makes diamonds. 

“Our players have had to be sharp every week because there’s not a cupcake on the schedule,” Conaway said. “You have to prepare and you have to perform well, or you’ll get embarrassed.”

That’s exactly what the team’s most recent trip to Baltimore, Maryland taught them. 

A BUSINESS TRIP 

TFA flew out of Orlando International Airport Thursday, Oct. 2 to meet the No. 2 team in the country: St. Frances Academy. 

It was the Royals’ one loss this season that wasn’t close; St. Frances Academy shut out TFA 37-0. 

“The takeaway was we’re not quite ready to play and beat the No. 2 team in the country,” Conaway said. 

Playing top-tier teams — like Milton, Central and St. Frances Academy — are learning opportunities. 

“When you play great teams, they expose your weaknesses and when your weaknesses are exposed, it changes your processes on how you prepare,” Conaway said.

After the shut out at St. Frances Academy, TFA’s coaches went back to the drawing board. They looked back on what weaknesses exposed themselves during the game and realized they need to develop depth. 

In order to compete with and play like top-tier level teams, TFA’s roster needs to replicate that of an elite program. Conaway said that comes through attraction or development, and he wants TFA to do both. 

“Finding ways to take our guys from where they are and turn them into bigger, faster and stronger (players), over the off-season is going to be a huge objective of ours,” he said. “But we can do it. We know we can.”

He used Reed Ramsier as an example of what the Royals’ off-season program does. Ramsier came in freshman year and has put on 50 pounds in two years from TFA’s strength training and nutrition. The junior now has gathered attraction from college coaches across the country. 

The loss to St. Frances Academy looked bad from a score standpoint, but it exposed TFA’s holes and the strengths, especially the strength of the players. 

Conaway loved to see his players recognizing they were outmatched quickly, but they never stopped fighting. 

“We got down early and then tried to get ourselves out of a hole,” he said. “We never really got out, but we kept fighting and that’s the sign of a champion, in my opinion.” 

It’s difficult to maintain your composure when something isn’t going your way. Conaway said it’s hard for the adults to stay positive on the sideline so to see that character in his players was phenomenal. 

TFA’s game against St. Frances Academy was Conaway’s first time back on the sideline after being suspended six games because of the FHSAA violations. He said it was even better than he could’ve imagined being able to stand back on the sidelines amongst the players and coaches again.

“It was life giving,” he said. “I had been in a deep, dark depression because this is what I do. I don’t hunt, golf or fish. I coach football. When I wasn’t able to do that, I didn’t feel like myself.”

The time away has made him extremely thankful for the opportunity to be back and just in time to honor the 20 seniors on the team for senior night against The St. James Performance Academy. He hopes the Friday game atmosphere will be great. 

“We want everybody to come out and make this a home field advantage because the previous home games haven’t necessarily felt like we had the advantage,” he said.