The News Herald obtained public records from the Bay County School District detailing athletic violations reported to the Florida High School Athletic Association from 2024 through 2026.
The records show 12 confirmed FHSAA violations involving Bay County high school athletic programs. The violations resulted in monetary sanctions and coach suspensions based on violations of various FHSAA policies.
Recruiting cases result in coach suspensions
At Bozeman, the FHSAA found that former boys weightlifting coach Trey Pettis attempted to recruit two Arnold student-athletes during a weightlifting contest on Feb. 3, 2026.
According to FHSAA records, interviews with student-athletes and video review supported findings that Pettis spoke with the athletes about attending Bozeman to play football.
The school was placed on administrative probation from March 11 through March 10, 2027, and assessed a $250 monetary sanction after additional penalties were held in abeyance.
Pettis was suspended from coaching or attending boys weightlifting and football contests at any level for one calendar year, from March 11 through March 10, 2027. He was also required to forfeit $5,000 in salary, if applicable.
Arnold faced a separate recruiting-related violation in 2025 after the FHSAA determined football coach Jason Griffin had improper contact with four Bay High students who visited Arnold.
Arnold received a $2,500 penalty, while Griffin received a four-week suspension that included the 2025 kickoff classic and the next three regular-season games, along with a $5,000 salary fine.
North Bay Haven received largest school penalty
The largest monetary penalty among the cases involved North Bay Haven’s football program.
The FHSAA found four student-athletes participated in offseason conditioning without required physical and consent forms. The violation resulted in a $6,500 penalty and administrative probation.
North Bay Haven reported corrective actions including additional coach training, eligibility reviews and increased oversight of athletic compliance procedures.
Other violations involving local schools
Several other cases involved violations of contest limits, practice rules and participation requirements.
In August 2024, Bozeman and Mosley football programs were each fined $250 after junior varsity teams played preseason contests outside the limits allowed by FHSAA policy.
In November 2024, Arnold girls basketball received a $250 penalty after the team played three preseason games when only two were permitted. The third game was stopped during the second quarter after the violation was discovered.
In December 2024, North Bay Haven and Rutherford wrestling programs were cited after athletes from the two schools participated in a combined practice, which violated FHSAA rules prohibiting practices involving students from multiple schools.
In January 2025, Mosley tennis was fined $250 after a coach conducted tryouts before the official start date.
In January 2026, Mosley wrestling was penalized $250 after a wrestler participated in an exhibition match against an athlete from another school.
In November 2025, Rutherford boys basketball received a $100 penalty after a student-athlete participated in both a junior varsity and varsity contest on the same day.
Monetary sanctions by school
The FHSAA records show the following monetary sanctions assessed to Bay County schools. Some penalties were held in abeyance and were not required to be paid if corrective conditions were met.
Arnold: $3,000 in school sanctions
Bozeman: $3,100 in school sanctions
Mosley: $750 in school sanctions
North Bay Haven: $6,750 in school sanctions
Rutherford: $100 in school sanctions
Additional individual coach penalties included $5,000 salary forfeitures assessed to Arnold football head coach Jason Griffin and former Bozeman coach Trey Pettis.
Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County schools face $13,000 in athletic sanctions since 2024
Reporting by Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
