After the official resignation of the Bulls’ Head Coach Jason Stokes, who led the program to a winning 2008-09 season but decided to move on and to accept the football head coaching position at Middleton High School, Bloomingdale High School’s administration did not hesitate or waste time making sure that its now pumped-up, winning program will stay on track.
According to Danielle Shotwell, assistant principal and athletic director, after considering the close to 40 candidates for the new position, the school has hired coach John Booth as the Bulls’ new head coach. He comes to the program with many varied playing and coaching experiences including the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals and the Arena Football Kansas City Brigade.
“We feel that coach Booth has the character, integrity and work ethic to lead our team and that he brings unique experiences that will help him be a positive role model for our student-athletes,” Shotwell said, adding, “This will serve him and the program well.”
Booth, a Florida native, played quarterback at Mid America Nazarene University, where he was an NAIA All American, 1st Team All Conference, Offensive Conference Player of the Year, Team Captain and Team MVP, and later served as the university’s wide receiver coach, JV offensive coordinator and weightlifting coach, coordinating the school’s conditioning program.
“My goal is to build on the team’s recent success and create a solid football program,” Booth said, adding, “I want the kids to be successful, but I also want them to be prepared for life after high school as well.”
Coach Booth assumed his coaching responsibilities last month and will be a member of Bloomingdale High School’s faculty this fall.
Also joining the Bulls’ fall program as the new volleyball head coach is Danielle MacDonald-Leffler who is currently coaching a team for Tampa United Volleyball Club.
“We are excited to have coach Leffler also joining our athletic program this fall as well,” Shotwell said.
Leffler was a past member of the University of Tampa volleyball team, where she was team captain and helped lead her team to the NCAA Elite 8 for three years, finishing as National Champions in 2006. She was recognized as All-American in 2008.
For more information about Bloomingdale High School, please call the school at 744-8018.
