News4JAX sports editor Justin Barney has been recognized for his reporting on high school coaches’ pay in Florida. Barney received the Champion of Change Award at the Florida Coaches Coalition banquet

This week, the Florida Coaches Coalition met with state lawmakers, pleading for higher pay for high school coaches.

The Florida Coaches Coalition had a whirlwind day at the state capital, making the rounds with lawmakers as it tries to get a potential game-changing bill that could boost coaching pay in the state across the finish line.

The Florida Coaches Coalition has pushed for more reasonable coaching pay for three years and there have been small positives to think that help is on the way, possibly as soon as the 2026-27 budget year.

The push to get high school coaches in Florida more supplemental pay will pick up in the coming months and the legislator heading it up sees a real possibility of change in the coming years.