Longtime Bartram Trail Assistant Hired as Head Football Coach for District Rival
The longtime associate head coach at Bartram Trail was hired as the new head coach at Fleming Island at the start of 2023. Having coached in the same district for almost a decade, Chad Parker says the Golden Eagles should be competing for district titles – and a lot more.
Fleming Island, a member of the FHSAA District 3 4S classification, finished 5-4 last season but made deep playoff runs in 2020 and 2017, finishing 10-4 and 11-3, respectively.
“The talent has always been here at Fleming Island,” Parker tells ITG Next Florida. He says that’s exactly why he decided to take the head coaching position when it became available after Damenyum Springs stepped down. Springs remains at the school as a teacher.
Parker says he’s not sure why the Golden Eagles haven’t won more than they have in recent years, but he’s not there to question what has happened in the past – only to move forward with the current state of the program.
Parker has enlisted the help of some experienced high school football coaches to help him at Fleming Island, bringing on coach Evan Scharf, who will be the new offensive coordinator, while former Oakleaf head coach and 2014 FHSAA Coach of the Year Derek Chipoletti becomes the Golden Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
Parker says once he accepted the job, he began to look over the roster, and he quickly figured out that this was a group he could win with. He especially took note of the sophomore class.
“The sophomore class here is pretty special,” he says.
That group includes Class of 2025 quarterback Cibastian Broughton, who will return for his third season as a starter in the Golden Eagles offense. He has thrown for 2,630 yards with 23 passing TDs, while rushing for over 1,000 yards and 8 TDs. The standout signal caller currently has offers from Pitt and Bowling Green.
They say speed kills, and according to Parker, his 2025 roster includes plenty of speed. Defensive back Kaylib Singleton, for example, ran a 10.9 100-yard dash as a freshman last year.
“We have several guys who can absolutely fly,” the Golden Eagles coach says. [Singleton] is 6-foot, 1-inches tall and weighs 175 pounds with that kind of speed. He can run and can cover. That’s exactly the type of guy you want playing cornerback.”
Singleton’s brother, Sam, signed with the FSU Seminoles following last season at Fleming Island.
Another 2025 standout Parker points out is linebacker Demhir Jackson. The rising junior has 66 tackles to his credit in his two-year career, with 4.5 sacks. That includes 3.5 sacks last year.
“He’s as good as I’ve ever seen,” Parker says, adding that Jackson “ran an 11.3 100-yard dash last year.”
Two returning slot receivers Parker is looking forward to coaching this season are Trace Burney (Class of 2025) and Devean Boykin (2024). Burney started as a freshman last season and caught 25 passes for 424 yards and 4 TDs. Boykin has produced modest numbers over the last two seasons, but Parker says he looks forward to the senior leadership he’ll provide on a team with so many younger players.
Speaking of senior leadership, there are a couple of linemen to keep an eye on this season. They include Braden Cunningham, who is entertaining several offers from around the country heading into his final season of eligibility. Parker says he plans to move the 6-foot, 6-inch, 320-pound guard to center this season. Joining Cunningham along the O-line is Gage Isbell, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 245-pound lineman who will likely play guard. Parker says the team will welcome transfer OL Bryayden Mackey to the team this season.
Parker Sirdevan, a 2026 kicker for Fleming Island, will return in 2023. He averaged 46 yards on kickoffs as a freshman and converted 5 of 7 PATs.
Parker says he can’t wait to get started: “I look forward to creating a buzz around the school about our football team. We want to bring back that winning culture here at Fleming Island.”
