New faces, old faces highlight Wednesday’s Media Day

Wednesday saw 30 teams in attendance at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Point in Gainesville for the 2024 North Central Florida High School Football Media day. 
 
In dark blue outfits, high school football teams were given an opportunity to conduct mini presentations of their upcoming seasons to members of the media. 
 
Medium3 : “It’s a great event,” said Bradford coach Jamie Rodgers, who has a 14-1 Tornadoes’ record and a Class 2S state runner up in the previous season. “It’s a good time for kids to get behind the microphone and get out and meet some media members that kind of follow them all year long that normally they wouldn’t get to and it’s kind of the kickoff to the season. ” 
 
The high school move on to footballs and for this, their first season starts in less than two weeks. The first scheduled day is on the 29th of July for the non-contact permit and practice. 
 
“It is like we are starting from day one for me, though we have been lifting and training all summer,” Rodgers said. “When you get to these events and you start seeing other teams in the jerseys and answering to everybody, it is kind of like the start of a new season for us, so the spirits rise up. ” 
 
This activity ranged from 8- man to 11- man football with nine schools involved from Alachua County. 
 
First year head coaches who attended were Jason Wells of Santa Fe high school in Alachua, Randy Brower from interim at Oak Hall School, Ric Whittington from Dixie County high school situated in Cross City, Shawn Holmes at Bronson and Jeremiaha Gates of North Marion high school in Citra. 
 
“Yes it is time to move on, well in fact it is a great opportunity,” Wells quoted. “When you start to pull back the layers of what the ceiling is up north, it may be the best job in the county,” said Caulkins, who pointed to the fact that preparations began weeks before for the game and boys have bought into the program but games do not win itself stressing that they win because one is disciplined and focused, among other factors. 
 
Some coaches are thus returning to their teams after they had departed from their schools. 
 
A second year at Buchholz is the return of Mark Whittemore and a third time coaching Chiefland is Adam Gore coaching the Indians (2017-2018 and 2021). 
 
Last year, Demetric Jackson came back to Fort White for the second time (sixteen years) and Brian Allen , for the second time in Columbia (Lake City), twelve years. 
 
From elongated passers (Newberry’s Collin Dunmore is 6’5 and GHS’ Nelson Tambling is 6’4) as well as short passers (Dixie County’s Jaheim Taylor is 5’6), Media Day served as an early eye gauge before a team straps on the helmets. 
 
As accurate as that statement is, it is also important to know that looks can also be very misleading. 
 
Meet Jadathon Bryant, a 5’7” sophomore quarterback of the Santa Fe team with 155 pounds; he just squatted 345 pounds. 
 
“I’ve just been practicing my self out,” said Bryant who improving his steam from playing Junior varsity last year at Buchholz to varsity baseball team at raiders In 2024. “I have been improving in my current training exercise sessions daily I mean exponentially, hence I was practicing with the big boys, I mean like linebackers and everyone, so I chose to change my group and I continue to get better. ” 
 
The start of the regular season schedule for SSAA is Aug. 16; however, kickoff classic is scheduled of Aug. 9. 
 
FHSAA member schools’ the regular season opens Aug. 23, with kick-off classics scheduled for Aug. 16. 
 
The talking is done. 
 
Now get into the armor or the pads. 
 
In summary most people agreed that the event was great, according to the founder and publisher of the who organized the event Joshua Wilson. “It was fun having the teams on stage for the live stream plus having Big Hits Live do hype videos and take team photos It was fun and the teams got to be exposed to a variety of media They enjoyed it and next year I look forward to take it to the next level and look forward to making it even better in 2025. ” 
 
North Central Florida High School Media Day is in 2024, and here Buchholz football coach Mark Whittemore talks to Marty Pallman, second from the left.