FHSAA Broadcasts 2026-27 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Gainesville, Fla. – The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has introduced the brand new members of the 2026-2027 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  This yr, the FHSAA will likely be welcoming ten (10) new college students to the committee, together with six (6) returning members.

The SAAC was established in 2008.  The committee serves as a important hyperlink in figuring out matters, points, and issues that face pupil athletes in Florida.  Each pupil chosen serves the student-athletes of their respective sections of the state and can work on initiatives all year long to boost the student-athlete expertise within the state of Florida.

This yr, the FHSAA acquired almost 100 purposes from college students throughout the state.  These members had been chosen based mostly on their sports activities participation, extracurricular actions, essays, and demonstrated management abilities.

The committee will meet three (3) instances this yr to debate points, share perspective, and create initiatives for the betterment of Florida highschool sports activities.  The conferences will likely be held on September 28, 2026; January 25, 2027; and March 1, 2027.

The following FHSAA student-athletes symbolize the 2026-2027 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee:

Ella Baroni, Newsome– Ella is a senior soccer participant from Newsome High School in Lithia. She is a member of her college’s pupil authorities, and National Honor Society. Ella has additionally been a Student Council Class Representative for 3 years. She’s the Vice President of her college’s Performing Choir. Ella volunteers with Seeds of Hope Food Pantry and is the Co-Founder and President of the Red Cross Club, which connects college students with hospital sure veterans.  She additionally volunteered with the Special Olympics, Girls with Confidence Camp, as a counselor, and was a Freshman Orientation Camp Leader at Newsome High School. Ella takes being in a pupil management function critically and hopes to be a voice for student-athletes throughout the state.

 

Zoe Belden, Oviedo– Zoe is a junior multi-sport student-athlete at Oviedo High School. Zoe participates in swimming and diving, observe and discipline, and water polo. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Florida Swimming Athlete Committee. Zoe serves as her swim and dive crew’s social media coordinator and photographer, and works as a youth swim coach. Through these roles, Zoe has developed sturdy communication, collaboration, and management abilities. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Zoe needs to extend consideration and participation in less-publicized sports activities whereas encouraging college students to turn out to be multi-sport athletes. She additionally hopes to advertise the distinctive expertise of highschool athletics and encourage student-athletes to take satisfaction in representing their colleges and communities.

 

Aidan Corcoran, Sarasota– Aidan is a senior soccer participant from Sarasota High School. He is a member of his college’s pupil authorities, and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the VA Clinic. Aidan can also be ae member of the Florida Premier Soccer Club. He lived in Scotland for 10 years, which helped form his perspective on how sports activities search for student-athletes on the highest ranges. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Aidan needs to give attention to enhancing communication amongst college students, coaches, colleges, and athletic organizations.

 

Manuel Coya, Palmer Trinity– Manuel is a senior two-sport athlete from Palmer Trinity School in Miami. Manuel participates in soccer and baseball. Outside of sports activities, he works as a clerk for a choose and was a part of Florida’s Junior Prosecutor Association’s inaugural class. Manuel hopes to arrange regional actions in South Florida for gamers, coaches, and groups to attend to assist the group develop stronger collectively.

 

Sydney Daniel, Lincoln Park Academy (Fort Pierce) – Sydney is a returning member and senior from Lincoln Park Academy in Fort Pierce. Sydney has participated in cross nation and observe and discipline throughout her highschool profession. She is the Sports Editor-in-Chief of Lincoln Park Academy’s “Greyhound” newspaper and title holder of Miss High School Beauty 2024.  Sydney can also be a member of Key Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, and IB Student Committee.  Through her membership with the Committee, Sydney intends to advocate for student-athlete psychological well being.  Sydney serves on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a consultant of Section 3, that are the southeastern states.  This previous summer time, Sydney was a pupil ambassador for the Florida Student-Athlete Leadership Seminar and represented Florida on the National Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis, the place she additionally served as a speaker on the Summit.

 

Benjamin DiBlasi, Redeemer Christian (Ocala) – A senior from Redeemer Christian in Ocala, Benjamin has participated in baseball, basketball, cross nation, soccer and tennis all through his highschool profession. In addition to athletics, Benjamin is presently the yearbook editor, participates in drama, was beforehand a member of the National Junior Honor Society, is now a member of the National Honor Society, and serves in his colleges’ FANS Club. Benjamin attends the Royal Family Kids Camp and volunteers his companies on the camp.  Benjamin is passionate concerning the well being and well-being of pupil athletes and want to see groups offered the chance to situation and apply earlier, to arrange for the upcoming season, on the discretion of every college’s athletic director.

 

Crosby Kappeler, Indian Rocks Christian (Largo) – Crosby is a junior three-sport athlete from Indian Rocks Christian School in Largo.  Crosby participates in cross nation, soccer and observe and discipline. He is a member of the National Honor Society serving on his college’s National Honor Society Executive Board.  He is within the Medical Club, serves as a pupil ambassador, supplies pupil tutoring, is a long-time camp chief at his trip bible college and has gone on a number of mission journeys.  Crosby has a ardour for empowering others, growing his management abilities and volunteering. As a younger pupil athlete, Crosby has overcome critical adversity and due to that, aspires to assist the FHSAA develop extra screenings and tips to assist student-athletes endure fewer accidents, which is able to hopefully result in better enjoyment whereas collaborating within the sports activities they love.

 

Evangeline Odin, Miami Springs Senior High School – A senior from Miami Springs, Evangeline participates in 4 sports activities, swimming and diving, volleyball, basketball and seashore volleyball.  She is the scholar class president for her class, and is a member of Future Educators of America, the Nautical Club, Future Business Leaders of America, the aviation piloting program and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.  Evangeline has a ardour for sports activities and participation and want to see extra college students be inspired to take part.  As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Evangeline want to advocate for college personnel to higher perceive the significance of supporting student-athletes, acknowledge the affect sports activities have on pupil growth, for colleges to create an surroundings the place extra college students are inspired to  participate. 

 

Preston Sharpe, NSU University– Preston is a senior lacrosse participant from NSU University School in Davie. He is his class Vice President, SCOPE Club Founder, Sports 4 U secretary, Leadership & Peer Mentoring Fellow, and a Sports Management Fellow. He’s additionally the scholar supervisor for his college’s boys basketball crew, and an assistant coach for a center college boys lacrosse crew. Preston represented Team Israel as a Heritage Cup athlete. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Committee, Preston hopes to assist implement applications that can assist student-athletes reach each lecturers and athletics with out feeling overwhelmed.

 

Kate Staten, St. Johns Country Day– Kate is a sophomore at St. Johns Country Day School who participates in cross nation, observe and discipline, and weightlifting. She has served as a captain of her cross nation crew, the place she focuses on making youthful and newer athletes really feel welcomed and included. Kate can also be president of the Earth Club, a Girl Scouts Gold Award candidate, a weekly volunteer on the Orange Park Library, and the founding father of Staten’s Stems, a nonprofit that teaches youngsters the best way to develop their very own meals. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Kate needs to give attention to student-athlete psychological well being, create extra alternatives for athletes to attach with their friends, and encourage athletes to hunt help when coping with strain, setbacks, and expectations.

 

James Thomas, Keystone Heights– Ryder is a senior multi-sport student-athlete at Keystone Heights High School who participates in soccer, cross nation, observe and discipline, and soccer. He serves as captain of the cross-country crew and has held a number of management roles, together with President of the Athletic Leadership Council, class president, and Student Council Vice President. He can also be concerned within the National Honor Society, FFA, Students for Christ, and Spanish Honor Society. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Ryder needs to advocate for a extra aggressive and safer surroundings for Florida highschool athletes. He hopes to symbolize the attitude of student-athletes from smaller, rural colleges whereas serving to create constructive modifications that can profit future generations of athletes.

 

Connor Thumm, Maclay School (Tallahassee) – Connor is a senior at Maclay School in Tallahassee.  Connor participates in basketball and observe and discipline.  He can also be very energetic outdoors of sports activities.  Connor is a member of Mu Alpha Theta, is a pupil ambassador, coaches a swimming crew with Special Olympics Florida, and is a lifeguard.  Connor has a ardour for sports activities and is all the time in search of methods to excel in his athletic endeavors and needs all different student-athletes to have the ability to share the identical feeling.  Connor is wanting ahead to listening to his constituents and being a voice for all student-athletes throughout the state to make sure their voices are heard.

 

Campbell Walker, Lake Nona–  Campbell is a junior multi-sport student-athlete at Lake Nona High School who has participated in golf, basketball, flag soccer, and softball. She can also be a member of Morgan’s Message and serves as a pupil athletic coach. Campbell demonstrated management on her softball crew by stepping as much as pitch regardless of having no prior expertise when her crew wanted somebody to fill the place. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Campbell needs to enhance the general athletic expertise by advocating for certified coaches and officers, stronger competitors, and higher scheduling between sports activities seasons. She hopes to collaborate with different student-athletes to create significant modifications that profit each present and future athletes all through Florida.

 

Evan Warford, Calvary Christian High School (Clearwater) – Evan is a senior who participates in soccer and observe and discipline at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater.  Evan can also be a member of the chess membership we he serves because the membership’s president.  He is presently the scholar authorities vice chairman, participates within the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has performed the co-lead function within the final two college musicals. Evan sees the present panorama of sports activities in highschool and school as being ever altering.  As a member of the committee, he want to make a distinction in serving to to higher put together student-athletes, significantly in monetary literacy.  Evan feels his background in each sports activities and inventive theater has allowed him an perception that’s barely completely different than the typical athlete and is able to serve the student-athletes in Florida.

 

Peyton Williamson, Suncoast– Peyton is a junior two-sport athlete from Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach. She participates in weightlifting and softball. Peyton is a member of the Key Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mu Alpha Theta, Society of Women Engineers, and Student Aces. She attends a college with a various pupil physique and needs to advocate for college kids with completely different backgrounds who might have completely different wants.

 

Teagan Zema, Santa Fe– Teagan is a junior multi-sport student-athlete at Santa Fe High School who participates in lacrosse and weightlifting, and likewise competed in softball and golf. As a lacrosse goalie, she has demonstrated management by stepping as much as information newer gamers when her crew lacked expertise and depth. Teagan can also be concerned in FFA, Environmental Club, Health Club, and pupil authorities, the place she has helped arrange occasions. As a member of the FHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Teagan needs to advocate for stronger teaching help and coaching, better entry to sports activities, and elevated consideration to student-athlete psychological well being. She hopes to assist create an athletic surroundings that helps the general well being and well-being of Florida’s student-athletes.

 About the FHSAA: The Florida High School Athletic Association supervises and regulates interscholastic athletic applications for highschool college students at member public, non-public and constitution colleges. The group additionally acknowledges and honors educational achievement amongst student-athletes at over 850 center, junior and senior excessive colleges statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, it’s the official governing physique for interscholastic athletics in Florida.