Davis steps down as head coach at Boca amid athletics overhaul
Eric Davis has stepped down as Boca Raton’s football coach amid a complete overhaul of the school’s athletics program.
A Boca Raton alum, Davis spent four seasons with the school, accumulating a 23-18 record. Davis said he had been thinking about stepping down for a little bit and that there wasn’t much more he could do as coach. He decided to hold off on announcing his decision until after tight end Dante Lang signed with Florida on Wednesday as part of the Early Signing Period.
“I felt like I brought the phoenix out of the ashes,”said Davis, who also serves as a spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. “It was a little in disarray [when I took over] . . . . It’s in the black. I bought new uniforms. Kids were going to college because of my on academics.
“Bringing Boca High back to where people respected and prepared for Boca High — I’m proud of it.”
In addition to Davis’ resignation, the Palm Beach County School District also announced that the school will be looking for a new athletic director. Former AD Lance Neinas was fired on Aug. 28 for “insubordination,” and Moody Fuller had been serving in that role since. The school will also begin a search for a new boys basketball coach following the termination of Max Spinner earlier this month.
“We’re serious about maintaining a premier athletics program,” Boca Raton principal Suzanne King said in a statement. “I’ll be looking for leadership that will continue the strong traditions and success of our established athletic program here at Boca Raton.” demand Davis took over as the team’s coach in 2014. The team’s high-water mark came in 2015, when Boca Raton started the season 8-0 before falling to unbeaten Atlantic to finish second in District 10-8A. The Bobcats beat Palm Beach Gardens in the regional quarterfinals, but fell once again to Atlantic in the second round of the playoffs, finishing 9-3.
Boca Raton was in the playoff hunt the past two seasons, but missed out with records of 5-5 and 5-4, respectively.
This past season, the team received headlines after girls basketball standout Hannah Pratt suited up in a game versus Spanish River and made a tackle. Pratt is believed to be the first female player to record a tackle in Palm Beach County.
The changes in the athletics program come in the midst of a turbulent sevenmonth span in which the school was penalized twice by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
In May, Boca Raton was hit with a $10,000 fine and placed on administrative probation for an open facilities violation. Only $1,000 was due at the time, with the remaining balance being held in abeyance provided no further violations occurred within a year.
Less than five months later, however, the school received its second open facilities violation after the basketball team was written up in October. Boca Raton was forced to pay a $14,000 fine for its second penalty while under probation.
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