Heitner Legal of Fort Lauderdale, the law firm retained by a group of parents of football players at Orlando’s The First Academy, emailed the FHSAA on Friday demanding that the TFA football team’s ability to take part in this year’s state playoffs be reinstated.
The letter, obtained by the Sentinel, read if the Florida High School Athletic Association did not act within 24 hours lawyers would proceed with filing for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.
Following an investigation into alleged improprieties, involving impermissible benefits, recruiting, and allowing players to participate in offseason events before being enrolled at the school, the FHSAA handed down penalties against TFA last fall.
TFA was fined $36,000 and banned from participating in the playoffs for 2024 and 2025. Two players were suspended for one game and head coach Jeff Conaway was suspended from coaching in games for the 2025 season. assistant coach Steven Moffitt was suspended for one game, though he later won an appeal.
FHSAA shortens suspension for TFA football coach Jeff Conaway
Conaway won an appeal in August and the FHSAA reduced his suspension. He returned to the sideline for the Royals’ Oct. 3 game at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
In the letter signed by attorney Dan Heitner of Heitner Legal, a sports, entertainment and intellectual property law firm, he wrote:
“My clients seek the immediate reversal of these penalties to permit their participation in the 2025 postseason, failing which we will pursue all available legal remedies, including an emergency injunction in state or federal court to enjoin enforcement of the ban and a civil action for damages arising from the FHSAA’s arbitrary and capricious conduct.
“We demand that the FHSAA immediately rescind the postseason ban and related sanctions affecting our clients, restoring their eligibility for the 2025 playoffs and compensating for any forfeited opportunities from 2024. Should you fail to confirm such reversal in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of this letter being sent via email, we will proceed with filing for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in the appropriate court, followed by a complaint seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the FHSAA’s negligent, arbitrary, and discriminatory enforcement practices. We remain open to discussing a prompt resolution and invite you to contact us at your earliest convenience to arrange a conference.”
TFA football parents pursue lawsuit against FHSAA to lift playoff ban
The move by the TFA parents was organized by John and Heather Ramsier, the parents of junior offensive tackle Reed Ramsier.
The letter from Heitner referenced several rulings handed down by the FHSAA involving cases with other schools, rulings that TFA parents believe to be much lighter sanctions than what TFA was handed. The association made recent rulings against Miami Northwestern and high-profile coach Teddy Bridgewater, who currently is on the NFL roster of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; along with findings of violations by Gadsden County High School and Nease High that TFA parents deemed far less detrimental to those programs.
“In stark contrast, the FHSAA has recently imposed far lighter sanctions on other schools facing comparable or even more serious allegations, underscoring the arbitrary nature of the penalties against The First Academy,” Heitner wrote.
Calls to the FHSAA offices went unanswered Friday and the public relations voice mail box was full, so no message could be left. A text message to FHSAA executive director Craig Damon went unanswered as of 3 p.m.
The final date of the regular season is Nov. 4, and the state playoff bracket will be determined within the following days, so a resolution of this conflict will be sought immediately.
Should the FHSAA decide in favor of reinstating TFA for the playoffs, as the current FHSAA power ratings stand, TFA (4-4), would the third seed in Class 1A Region 2. The Royals would face a road game at No. 6 seed Melbourne Central Catholic (2-5) in the first round. Despite its lower seed, MCC is guaranteed a home game as the 1A District 6 champion.
TFA opted out of district play this season after the FHSAA ruling banning them from the playoffs. The Royals have played a very difficult schedule, with the strength-of-schedule rating being No. 3 in the state in all classes. All four TFA losses are to out-of-state teams and it plays another, The Hun School of New Jersey, tonight at home.
TFA officials have said they remain on the sidelines and are not involved in the legal proceedings.
FHSAA punishes First Academy football for rules violations
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.
