Miami’s new charter high school, True North Classical Academy, 9393 Sunset Dr. in Kendall, has named Greg Laffere as the school’s founding head football coach and assistant athletic director.
Coach Laffere is a veteran college football coach and former starting offensive lineman for the Miami Hurricanes football team.
During the 2019 season, the Titans will field a junior varsity team made up of True North freshmen and home-schooled students and pupils of other charter schools without football teams. The inaugural game will take place Aug. 30 at Tropical Park versus Pinegrove Boys Academy. The team’s summer conditioning program started June 10 and runs through the end of July.
True North is expected to be part of the Independent Schools Conference, pitting them against football teams from schools such as Florida Christian, Palmer Trinity, Westminster Christian and Miami Country Day.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to build True North’s football program from the ground up,” Laffere said. “It’s a rare opportunity for a coach because the sky’s the limit as to what you can achieve. What makes it even more remarkable is that the students, parents and administration are just as excited about the program as I am.”
Dr. Marc Snyder, headmaster of True North Classical Academy, added, “First and foremost, Coach Laffere knows the role of athletics and football in the context of a liberal arts education. We are confident that Coach Laffere will help True North continue to mold the hearts and character of our scholar-athletes.”
Laffere, 41, is a native of Basehor, KS and earned a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Science from the University of Miami in 2001. There, he started as an offensive lineman under Coach Butch Davis, helping to lay the groundwork for the Canes’ 2001 National Championship.
“I met my wife at the University of Miami, and she’s from Miami, so being able to coach football and live here is the realization of our dream,” Laffere said.
After college, he served as assistant offensive line coach at Florida International University under head coach Mario Cristobal, playing an integral part in the team’s first bowl win in 2010. He also coached at Ave Maria University in Southwest Florida and Illinois State University.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do but our kids are competitive and very motivated. Eventually we’ll produce something very special and in a few years we’ll look back and be very proud of what we accomplished,” Laffere said.”
True North Classical Academy is a tuition-free charter school in the classical liberal arts tradition with a purpose to create scholars that exemplify excellence in soul, mind and body. It is one of the top-ranked academic schools in the state of Florida. The main campus is located at 9393 Sunset Dr. in Kendall. Anyone interested learning more about the True North Classical Academy football program should contact Coach Laffere at glaffere@truenorthcharter.org or you can apply for entrance into True North by visiting www.tnclassical.org.
