(8-13-26) Booker (Florida) High School will not have a varsity football team in 2026.

Principal Jamal Crook posted on Booker’s Facebook page on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Booker High School Football Program Update

Booker High School is committed to providing our student-athletes with an athletic program built on strong relationships, teamwork, accountability, and a positive culture that can be sustained for years to come.

As we prepare for the 2026 football season, Booker High School has made the decision to field a junior varsity football team rather than a varsity team this year. This decision was made after careful consideration of the current needs of our student-athletes and the long-term health of the football program.

Periods of transition can reveal where a program needs stronger foundations. Following changes within the football program, it became clear that rebuilding consistent student participation, trust, and commitment would require time and intentional leadership. Rather than move forward with a varsity season before those foundations are firmly in place, Booker High School is choosing to focus this year on developing the program from the ground up.

Under the leadership of our new coaching staff, the focus is on establishing a strong team culture, developing student-athletes, strengthening relationships, and creating shared expectations around commitment, character, accountability, and teamwork. Fielding a JV team this season provides an opportunity to build those elements intentionally while developing a strong pipeline of student-athletes prepared for varsity competition.

This is not a step away from football at Booker High School. It is an investment in its future.

Booker High School has a proud athletic tradition, and our goal is to build a football program that reflects that tradition while creating an experience students want to be part of and our school community can proudly support. We are confident that the work being done today will establish the foundation for a stronger, more connected, and sustainable program moving forward.

We appreciate the patience, encouragement, and continued support of our students, families, alumni, and Booker community as we begin this important next chapter for Tornado football.

Thank you,

Jamal Crook
Principal

The decision comes less than a month after Booker head coach Carlos Woods was dismissed leading to more than 21 players leaving the program.

Booker 2026 Football Schedule