KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a pair of bills Friday focused on high school sports.

One helps increase pay for coaches, while the other instructs the Florida High School Sports Association (FHSAA) to adopt bylaws that allow coaches to use their own personal money to provide support to students they coach.

“Look, there’s some possible downsides if you don’t have a structure like we have, but I also think the previous rules didn’t allow for the upside where a coach really wants to make a difference in folks’ lives,” said DeSantis.

The new rules were inspired by former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was suspended by the FHSAA last year after he provided what were then impermissible benefits to players at Miami Central High School.

Bridgewater was helping the kids he coached by paying for food and transportation to games and practices.

The Teddy Bridgewater Act gives Florida public school coaches the OK to use their personal funds to assist student athletes by purchasing food or helping them get to and from practice and games without fear of punishment.

“I mean, I think it’s a good bill. You know, we have a lot of kids that, especially in football, we have a lot of kids that come from rough backgrounds, come from some rough homes, ne parent homes and even no parent homes,” said Osceola High School Head Football Coach Eric Pinellas. “So I even say with our guys that you never know once they leave when their next meal is going to be.”

Pinellas just finished his fifth year at Osceola High and says this law will be very beneficial for the kids.

The act limits spending to one coach per team and $15,000 per coach per year.

It also requires them to report the purchases they make and get parental permission.

Pinellas feels those rules could use some adjustment.

“I agree with the part about letting the district know because you don’t want anybody around here spending 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars or nothing like that,” Pinellas said. “But if I’m buying pizza or I’m buying sandwiches, subs or something like that, that we’ll eat on school campus, I don’t see why that should be an issue.”

Families of some of the athletes also weighed in on the new law.

Josephine Johnson showed up to Friday’s jamboree to cheer on her grandson, a rising sophomore running back.

She says that enabling coaches to do a little more for their players can make a big difference.

“It speaks volumes. And I think that helping the young men goes along with them playing football and getting their education,” said Johnson. “It will complete some of them.”

The law also says that personal funds cannot be used for recruitment or personal gain.

Enforcing that aspect of the law is something that 17-year Gateway High School Head Football Coach Marlin Roberts thinks will be crucial.

“Some guys care more about winning than they care about the well-being of these kid’s man. But I do think it’s a good thing as long as it’s not used for bad, then I like it,” Roberts said.

When both coaches were asked what they think can be done to prevent misuse, they candidly said they’re not sure but feel some sort of oversight committee is needed to keep things in check.

Implementing the law across the state is something that will be handled by the FHSAA and the individual districts.