The Sunshine State Athletic Conference has been an alternative for smaller private and charter schools wanting to play football for nearly 10 years.

Since the league was founded in 2008, the league’s membership has grown steadily and now numbers nearly 30 member schools, including First Academy of Leesburg and Mount Dora Christian Academy, with First Academy winning the SSAC championship in 2013.

The SSAC added basketball in 2014mbut will become a real trendsetter next year when it becomes the only organization in the state to offer girls beach volleyball as a sanctioned high school sport. According to Stuart Weiss, president of the SSAC, the league has partnered with the Florida Region of USA Volleyball and will hold its first state championship in the sport next April at Hickory Point.

“Offering girls beach volleyball to our members for the 2016/2017 season was a decision that just made sense,” Weiss said. “It only requires a few players and Florida is the state of sun and sand, and girls beach volleyball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. We believe that partnering with the Florida Region of USA Volleyball is a logical choice.

“They are the established expert in this sport and will help give the SSAC and its members a great platform to grow beach volleyball.”

Weiss said Jim Hoffman, a Lake County resident with coaching experience in high school and junior college, will be the league’s commissioner. Hoffman said the game — often played with two teammates per side — is filled with various strategies and offers numerous opportunities for sporting and personal development for its participants.

Hoffman’s goal is to have at least 20 schools take part in next year’s inaugural season.

“The first season will be challenging as not only do we need to coach the players, but also coach the coaches and educate parents and fans,” Hoffman said. “However, with the full support of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball, which already conducts numerous tournaments around the state, and the SSAC Board of Directors, I’m convinced this program will expand rapidly and become one of the favorite events for member schools.”

Officials at First Academy and MDCA have not decided if their schools will participate in the sport next season. A number of issues have to be considered before the sport can become part of each school’s athletic programs.

“We’re definitely looking into it,” said Don Birdsall, First Academy athletic director. “I’m not sure we can put together a team for next year, but we have expressed an interest in playing. We just started our softball program this year and we have to make sure we can support each sport without taking anything away from the other.

“It may be next week before some kind of decision is made.”

Jim Nichols, athletic director at MDCA, said, “I don’t know if we’ll jump right in next year, but it’s something we are considering for the future. We have a lot of kids that play volleyball at our school, so doing something like this will keep them motivated and excited throughout the year. Beach volleyball is played differently from traditional team volleyball in the gym, but you still have to get the ball over the net.

“I think it’s definitely something our kids would enjoy.”

Weiss said the league will use the NCAA system for matches and adapt USA Volleyball rules and regulations. Most competitions will include at least three pair of two-girl teams playing against an opponent in matches consisting of a best 2-out-of-3 games.

The league will initially be for schools in Class 3A or lower and Weiss hopes various venues around the state will be used for in-season matches. Aside from the Hickory Point complex, the only other regulation facility in Lake County is at Montverde Academy.

Beach volleyball has steadily grown in popularity since it became an Olympic sport in 1996. The sport became the 90th championship sanctioned by the NCAA this year, although it was declared an “emerging sport” in 2011 and at least 15 schools, including Florida State, fielded teams.

The SSAC’s announcement that it would sanction beach volleyball comes on the heels of the Florida High School Athletic Association stating that schools not holding full membership in the FHSAA would be prohibited from competing for a state championship in any sport.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a sprawling education bill into law on April 14 that allows private and public schools to join other associations outside the FHSAA, like the SSAC, without being penalized.

Weiss said the FHSAA decision goes against the intent of the new law.

The new law, House Bill 7029, says the FHSAA cannot “discourage a private school from simultaneously maintaining a membership in another state association.”

In published reports, the FHSAA insists the policy is consistent with regulations that have been in effect since 1999, when the organization began accepting affiliate memberships. Officials with the FHSAA said the decision is not a reaction to HB-7029.

However, in the past, First Academy and MDCA played an SSAC schedule in football and competed for FHSAA championships in other sports. In fact, First Academy was one win away from reaching the Class 2A state semifinals in boys basketball in 2015-16.

“Obviously, we are very disappointed that the FHSAA, and its leadership, has chosen to enforce an unlawful and retalitory policy that punishes and discourages schools who chose to join the FHSAA on a per-sport basis by only allowing full members the ability to compete for a state championship in any sport, “Weiss said. “The legislature made it very clear during the 2016 session that schools would be allowed to join the FHSAA and other organizations on a per-sport basis without consequence. The motivation of the legislators and the SSAC has always been to give choice back to the schools — where it belongs.

“The SSAC and its many supporters will use every available option to seek protection for the rights of its members, as well as all schools, coaches and student athletes in the state of Florida following the action of the FHSAA.”