When the Pasco County school district opened its first two career-technical high schools, sports were not part of the equation.
Neither Krinn Technical High nor Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation had athletic teams, as the schools emphasized academics instead. The original plans for the district’s third technology-focused magnet school, Angeline Academy of Innovation, also didn’t include student sports.
Then parents started speaking up.
“The community said, ‘Unless there are sports there, we’re not sure we’re going to send our kids to that school,‘” said principal JoAnne Glenn, who opened Angeline in 2023. “The district was a little surprised. They didn’t realize for this group of families, that could be a deal breaker.”As a result, the Angeline Archers got an off-site athletic center that debuted this fall, along with a host of teams including volleyball, soccer and lacrosse.
And that got school board members talking about Krinn and Kirkland Ranch. Now those two schools are on track to have their own sports teams by 2026.
“Athletics are important for students,” said board vice chairperson Colleen Beaudoin, who advocated for the addition. “There’s a lot that can be learned from being part of a team.”
Beaudoin was among those who pushed for Krinn to provide competitive athletics as it converted from Ridgewood High School seven years ago. Circumstances prevented it from happening.
Most notably, the school was expected to be too small to field a football team. State law at the time would allow its students to play football at another district school, but only if Krinn did not have any athletics.
If Krinn had basketball and volleyball, “kids couldn’t go play other sports at other schools,” principal Chris Dunning said. “Now I’m being told kids can do that.”
State lawmakers revised the rules in 2023, FHSAA spokesperson Kelvin Richardson explained.
The law now provides that a student who attends a traditional public school that does not have a specific sport may participate in that sport at any public school in the district, or at a private school.
That rule would allow Krinn and Kirkland Ranch, which is getting a new gymnasium built, to field teams for smaller sports without deterring student-athletes interested in their curriculum but also wanting to play a sport the school doesn’t have.
Glenn said that’s already happening at Angeline. Its students who want to play football head to nearby Sunlake or Land O’Lakes high schools for competition, for instance.
When Angeline couldn’t get enough participants for a girls soccer team this fall, the girls could suit up for other schools in the district. The same thing has occurred for other high schools, such as when Gulf High didn’t have enough participants for golf.
“It helps us,” district athletic director Matt Wicks said. “We don’t feel pressured to offer all the sports” at all the schools.
Wicks said the district will survey students at the schools to determine which sports they have interest in. The list of teams will depend on the response, along with the schools’ available space for training and games.
“We don’t have a definite list yet,” Wicks said, noting that each school could have different offerings.
No one wants to add a sport that doesn’t have enough teens to fill the team, preventing them from playing at other campuses with thriving competition, he said.
The district has not yet applied to have the schools join FHSAA. Their classification would be based on their enrollment.
Dunning said he looked forward to adding what he called “gym sports” to Krinn Technical. He’s already begun telling families about the option during school choice information sessions.
“I definitely think it will help us build culture,” Dunning said. Students “are excited about the robotics team. But they don’t get to watch them as much.”
Board member Megan Harding said sports provide an incentive for students, and help create community. She called the decision to include them at Krinn and Kirkland Ranch a “good move.”
“If we’re offering it at Angeline, we need to offer it to all,” Harding said. “It’s only going to make them more attractive.”