Florida Senate passes ‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ to support student-athletes
A invoice that might reshape how highschool coaches support student-athletes in Florida has unanimously handed the Florida Senate. Florida is ready to grow to be the primary state to cross the Teddy Bridgewater Act, permitting head coaches from kindergarten via twelfth grade to spend up to $15,000 of their very own cash every year to support student-athletes’ welfare, with particular guardrails in place. Sen. Shervin Jones, the invoice’s sponsor, defined the measures included within the laws. “We did put guardrails, we put the $15,000 cap on there, another guardrail that we’re putting in place, done by an amendment, was ensuring the parents are aware of what’s being purchased for them,” Jones stated. The funds can be utilized for necessities resembling meals, transportation, sports activities gear and different fundamental wants for any public or constitution faculty pupil. Additionally, Jones defined coaches could have to preserve a receipt of purchases, saying, “Coaches can’t just willy-nilly and just purchase unlimited things for these young people.” Your neighborhood: Local protection from WPBF 25 News The invoice is known as after Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was suspended from teaching at his highschool alma mater for admitting he paid for meals and transportation for a few of his gamers. “As a former teacher, I know that on the front end he was helping… when we found out by the FHSAA, he was suspended because of that, and so, what I did was after speaking with some community members and to some of the student athletes, we went on and found legislation to ensure that this never happens again,” Jones stated. Jones emphasised the significance of the invoice, saying, “We all grew up in different communities. In the community I represent, a student-athlete walking home at 8 at night could be dangerous. And so, a coach purchasing an Uber ride home for the safety and well-being of their student athlete, I don’t think that’s grounds for suspension. I think that’s grounds of a thank you, and it also goes to show how much our coaches mean to student-athletes.” Jones added that Bridgewater acted in “good faith,” which impressed him to create the laws and embrace the phrase “good faith” within the invoice language to stop comparable suspensions sooner or later. “Good faith means that in your good conscience that you’re doing what’s right for the well-being of that child. It’s not for recruiting, it’s not for your own self-interest or to lure, anything of that nature, it’s being done in good faith,” Jones stated. Get the most recent information updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can obtain it right here.Alex Gonzalez, assistant athletic director and soccer head coach for Somerset Academy Canyons, expressed blended emotions concerning the proposed laws however in the end helps it. “As coaches, we go above and beyond for our student-athletes every single day. Many of us spend our own time, energy, and money to make sure our kids have what they need to succeed both on and off the field. The reality is that our players come from many different backgrounds, and some of them simply need more support than others. I believe this legislation protects the coaches who are doing things about the right way and truly care helping young people. It allows us to provide support without the constant fear of being penalized for trying to help a kid in need. At the same time, we can’t ignore the fact that there will always be individuals who try to take advantage of any rule or law for their own benefit, including using it as a recruiting tool. That concern is real and something that needs to be monitored. get us in trouble,” Gonzalez stated in an announcement. While the invoice has handed within the Senate, it nonetheless requires approval from the House earlier than it may be despatched to the governor’s desk.
A invoice that might reshape how highschool coaches support student-athletes in Florida has unanimously handed the Florida Senate. Florida is ready to grow to be the primary state to cross the Teddy Bridgewater Act, permitting head coaches from kindergarten via twelfth grade to spend up to $15,000 of their very own cash every year to support student-athletes’ welfare, with particular guardrails in place.
Sen. Shervin Jones, the invoice’s sponsor, defined the measures included within the laws. “We did put guardrails, we put the $15,000 cap on there, another guardrail that we’re putting in place, done by an amendment, was ensuring the parents are aware of what’s being purchased for them,” Jones stated.
The funds can be utilized for necessities resembling meals, transportation, sports activities gear and different fundamental wants for any public or constitution faculty pupil. Additionally, Jones defined coaches could have to preserve a receipt of purchases, saying, “Coaches can’t just willy-nilly and just purchase unlimited things for these young people.”
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
The invoice is known as after Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was suspended from teaching at his highschool alma mater for admitting he paid for meals and transportation for a few of his gamers.
“As a former teacher, I know that on the front end he was helping… when we found out by the FHSAA, he was suspended because of that, and so, what I did was after speaking with some community members and to some of the student athletes, we went on and found legislation to ensure that this never happens again,” Jones stated.
Jones emphasised the significance of the invoice, saying, “We all grew up in different communities. In the community I represent, a student-athlete walking home at 8 at night could be dangerous. And so, a coach purchasing an Uber ride home for the safety and well-being of their student athletes, I don’t think that’s grounds for suspension. I think that’s grounds of a thank you, and it also goes to show how much our coaches mean to student-athletes.”
Jones added that Bridgewater acted in “good faith,” which impressed him to create the laws and embrace the phrase “good faith” within the invoice language to stop comparable suspensions sooner or later. “Good faith means that in your good conscience that you’re doing what’s right for the well-being of that child. It’s not for recruiting, it’s not for your own self-interest or to lure, anything of that nature, it’s being done in good faith,” Jones stated.
Get the most recent information updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can obtain it here.
Alex Gonzalez, assistant athletic director and soccer head coach for Somerset Academy Canyons, expressed blended emotions concerning the proposed laws however in the end helps it.
“As coaches, we go above and beyond for our student-athletes every single day. Many of us spend our own time, energy, and money to make sure our kids have what they need to succeed both on and off the field.
The reality is that our players come from many different backgrounds, and some of them simply need more support than others. I believe this legislation protects the coaches who are doing things the right way and truly care about helping young people.
It allows us to provide support without the constant fear of being penalized for trying to help a kid in need.
At the same time, we can’t ignore the fact that there will always be individuals who try to take advantage of any rule or law for their own benefit, including using it as a recruiting tool.
That concern is real and something that needs to be monitored. At the end of the day, I support it because it allows coaches like me to continue doing what we’ve always done, looking out for our kids, supporting them when they need it most, and making sure they have every opportunity to succeed without worrying that helping a student-athlete could get us in trouble,” Gonzalez stated in an announcement.
While the invoice has handed within the Senate, it nonetheless requires approval from the House earlier than it may be despatched to the governor’s desk.
