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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COUGAR!
COUGARS ARE...

 

Director

directorJohn Smith II
Athletic Director
jtsmith@dadeschools.net
(305) 271-3311, Ext. 2291

 
A Miami Killian Senior High School graduate in the Class of 1991, I attended Florida A & M University where I received my bachelor's degree in physical education. After graduating from FAMU, I began teaching in the Miami-Dade County Public School System and am now in my twenty-fourth year of education in Physical Education. During the first twelve years of my teaching career, at the time, Mr. Kelvin Justice was the Athletics Director. He gave me my first opportunity to coach as the Head Boys Track and field coach at Homestead Senior High School, where we achieved numerous accomplishments. Five-time consecutive District Championships, finishing third overall in the State Track & Field Championships in 2003, several individual State champions, and in that same year ending with the fastest time in the state in the 4 X 400 meter relay with a time of 3:14.55. While at HSHS, I had the opportunity to be the Assistant Athletics Director, all while achieving my Master's Degree in Athletic Administration in 2009. After leaving HSHS, I went on to Miami Killian Senior High for eight years, where I had the chance to be the Athletics Business Manager under the leadership of Athletics Director Mr. Ken Floyd. Following that, I went to Robert Morgan Senior High School for three years. I started the Doctoral Program at Nova Southeastern University in Organizational Leadership and will complete this task prayerfully in the fall of 2024. I have accepted the call to become the Athletics Director at Miami Killian Senior High following my stint at Robert Morgan Senior High.
 
Thank you, Dr. Burth, for having faith in me and giving me this tremendous opportunity to inspire, uplift, and be an upstanding and professional role model to the student-athletes in this new role. I look forward to working closely with him, his administrative team, the Athletics Department team, coaches, faculty, staff, students, and the community stakeholders to aid in leading the athletics department and the overall institution of Miami Killian to higher heights that gave us the respectful nickname known as "The K"! See us in the future, we will look much better than we do right now!
 
Matthew 21:42 The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing.
 

Assistant Director

assistant director
Crystal Jenkins

Assistant Athletic Director
cljenkins@dadeschools.net
(305) 271-3311, Ext 2298
 
As a proud alumna of Miami Killian Senior High School, class of ‘95, Coach Jenkins has over 20 years of coaching experience at Killian. Coach Jenkins is currently the only female athlete to receive the Miami Herald’s Athlete of the Year Award. As a coach, Crystal Jenkins has pushed her athletes to break more than 15 of Killian’s all-time track and field, cross-country, and basketball records. Crystal holds numerous awards and accomplishments from Miami Killian and Miami-Dade County including winning a District and Regional championship for Girls Track and Field. Coach Jenkins has coached many athletes to have outstanding career in athletics and in life, She hopes to continue her exceptional career where she feels most at home. Coach Jenkins’ vision for Killian is encapsulated in one quote by the late Albert Dotson Sr. “Excellence without Excuses”. Coach Jenkins has her Master’s Degree in Physical Education from the Finest Institute in the Universe, FIU. When Coach Jenkins is not leading, she enjoys karaoke, fishing, and spending time with her family. As the Assistant Athletic Director, she is excited to take the athletic department to the next level.

Business Manager

athletics business managerAmanda Espana-Tait

Athletic Business Manager
aespana@dadeschools.net
(305) 271-3311, Ext. 2297.
 
Mrs. España-Tait has been teaching at Miami Killian Senior High School since 2005. She previously coached the Miami Killian Swim team for four seasons, Water polo team for two seasons, and sponsored Miami Killian’s Cheerleaders for six seasons along with the Cougar Cheer Competition squad. Under her guidance, swimmers have travelled to State competitions and the Cougar Cheer squad placed and won at the Regional, State, and National levels. Mrs. España-Tait served as the Catamount Yearbook Adviser for 10 years. She is Miami Killian’s Teacher of the Year for 2020. Mrs. España-Tait is a Language Arts and AICE Cambridge Language teacher. When she is not instructing, Mrs. España-Tait enjoys supporting Killian activities and athletics, attending concerts, and cheering for her alma mater, the University of Miami.

Philosophy

Philosophy

As the Athletics Director here at Miami Killian Senior High School, my philosophy is for the athletics department to assist every student-athlete to excel in the classroom and their chosen sport. The assistance of coaches will aid in the development of the athletes' skills through hard work, dedication, and commitment not only in athletics but, first and foremost, through their academics, which will ultimately lead them to success in the future.
 
Mission
 
Our mission is to cultivate character in the student-athletes that will resonate throughout the entire institution by holding every student-athlete accountable for their behavior in the classrooms, hallways, and on the athletic field of play.
 
Vision
 
Our vision is to remain constant in developing, funding, and maintaining winning athletic programs that provide a source of school pride and tradition and an opportunity to achieve our mission.

Student Athlete Expectations

Cougar Athletics is a place of integrity, responsibility, dedication, and commitment!

PRESENT EXPECTATIONS:  You are expected to conduct and maintain the following as a Cougar Student Athlete:

 
A.  Student athletes must maintain a minimum unweighted cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale. 
 
B.  Student athletes are expected to adhere to the Miami-Dade County Public School Attendance & Tardies policy. 
  • A student must be reported as present for the school day in order to participate in interscholastic competitions or performances, including practices.
  • A student who is serving an Outdoor Suspension cannot practice or participate in interscholastic competitions or performances and may be subject to further sanctions or penalties. 
  • A student who is arrested for conduct occurring on or off school grounds will be prohibited from participating in all interscholastic competitions or performances for a minimum of ten (10) days, including practices.
C.  Participation in these activities is a privilege and not a right. There is a relationship between a participant's behavior on and off school property and the exercise of the participant's privilege to participate in these activities. Participants are representatives of their school and of their fellow students. Therefore, student athletes are required to follow the Student Code of Conduct.

2025-2026 Physical/Insurance

The following steps are mandatory for all student athletes!

DO NOT PURCHASE INSURANCE PRIOR TO COMPLETING STEP 1 
 
***Complimentary EKG screenings will be offered during our scheduled free physicals on July 3, 2025. Registration is mandatory and will close on July 1, 2025. See registration form below.***
 
Step 1: GPA Requirement
             You must see Mr. John Smith (Athletic Director) for your GPA eligibility requirement approval. You are required to have an unweighted GPA of 2.0 to participate in Athletics. 
 
Step 2: Mandatory NFHS Courses 
              You must see Ms. Crystal Jenkins (Assistant Athletic Director) to complete the required courses and/or provide your printed completion certificates. 
             
 Follow these instructions to complete the required courses:
                   1. Go to https://nfhslearn.com
                   2. Select your State - Florida
                   3. Register as a new or returning user
                   4. View the following videos.
                   5.  Take the Quiz.
                   6. Print the Certificate or Save to your phone.
 
Course 1 - Sudden Cardiac Arrest - http://nfhslearn.com/courses/sudden-cardiac-arrest
Course 2 - Heat Illness Prevention https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61140/heat-illness-prevention
Course 3 - Concussion for Students - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-for-students
Course 4 - Concussion in Sports - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61151/concussion-in-sports
 
Steps 3: Athletic Insurance
                You must see Mrs. Amanda Espana-Tait (Business Manager) to complete your Athletic 
                Insurance requirement. Please see the prices below for the 2024-2025 Insurance:
                                  Football -                            $63.00
                                  Interscholastic Sports - $18.00
                                  Summer -                           $14.00 

***** The Schedule of Benefits Form below is MANDATORY FOR ALL athletes *****

 
Follow these instructions to purchase your mandated insurance for your specific sport:
                   1. Log into your student portal
                   2. Go to Apps/Services/Sites
                   3. Look for OSP (Online School Payments)
                   4. Select Secondary School
                   5. Find and select Miami Killian Senior High School
                   6. Select the required insurance needed for your desired sport.
                   7. Follow the prompts and instructions within the system. Answer all questions and 
                       be sure to include your student ID number, date of birth, and grade level. 
                   8. After your purchase, keep a copy of your receipt for your records. The system will 
                       automatically notify the Athletic Office of your purchase. 
 
Step 4: Completed Physical Packet
               You must see Mr. John Smith (Athletic Director) to review and collect the  
               completed Physical Packet.
 
As a reminder, athletes and/or team managers will not be allowed to practice or compete in any desired sport without following the above stated steps and submitting documents.
 
ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED!
 

Please access our 2025 - 2026 Physical Packet and Athletic Insurance Brochure below.

 
Files:
 
 

Spring Sports

girls flag football

Flag Football

Girls play football too! If you would like to join an amazing flag football team at the K, be sure you have completed the steps on the Physical and Insurance tab in order to participate. For more information such as tryouts and practice time, please contact Athletics.

Baseball

Swing batter, batter swing! If Baseball is your passion and you are interested in participating, please follow the steps on the Physical and Insurance Tab. For additional information such as tryouts, practice times, or any other questions, please contact Head Coach Mr. Christopher Leon. 

Boys Volleyball

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN!

It is Boys Volleyball season! Whether Junior Varsity or Varsity, join the team that's scoring over the net. To participate, you must follow the steps on the Physical and Insurance tab. Should you have any additional questions, please contact Athletics

Tennis

Ready, Set, Swing! 
Please follow the steps on the Physical and Insurance tab if you desire to join the Tennis team. You are not allowed to practice if you have not completed all of the above steps. For additional information, please contact Head Coach Mr. Aguiles Giordano. 

tennis

GoFan Ticket Information

Miami Killian will exclusively sell all athletic entry tickets via GOFAN digital ticketing. Tickets will NOT be available to purchase as a cash option at any athletic event or venue. In addition to the school website for purchasing instructions, please visit GOFAN.CO for ticket purchases. Please note that the prices below are subject to change due to special events, playoffs, expected crowd, and/or venue. Ticket must be redeemed at the entry of the event in the presence of the attendee working the gate or entry point of the venue. Any tickets redeemed prior to the entry of the athletic event will be VOID and will require a new ticket purchase to enter the event.

 
Ticket Prices are as follows:
        Varsity Football Ticket Prices                                                 $10.00
        Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, & Wrestling                         $5.00
        Swimming, Bowling, Tennis, Golf                                           Depends on hosting venue
 
 
Guidelines to adhere to:
  • Valid FHSAA State Series Passes will be honored at District & Regional Contests (admit one).
  • Cheerleaders in uniform and accompanied by the sponsor will be admitted complementary. 
  • All persons entering by way of pass must sign the “Pass List” at each event. 
  • Team Managers, Statisticians, and Trainers will be admitted with the team complementary. 
  • Paid admission is required for Pep Clubs, Booster Clubs, etc. 
  • No food, beverages, banners, and/or noisemakers are permitted in the gym.
 
Instructions to purchasing tickets:
  • Go to GoFan.co not .com
  • Enter the school name (Miami Killian Senior High School)
  • Click on the school name
  • Select "Buy Ticket" next to the event you are planning to attend. (Be sure to look at the sport and the date.)
  • Enter the number of tickets desired to purchase. 
  • Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the ticket purchase. 
  • Or SCAN the QR code below.

QR code

Non-Traditional Registration

banner

Eligibility requirements for Participation

 
NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS:
         As defined in Bylaw 1.4.30, are eligible to participate at the public school to which the student would be assigned according to district school attendance area policies OR public school which the student could choose to attend pursuant to school district controlled open enrollment provisions, provided these specific requirements are met. ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ECG/EKG SCREENING BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN YOUR DESIRED SPORT! 
Complimentary EKG screenings will be offered during our scheduled free physicals on July 3, 2025. Registration is mandatory and will close on July 1, 2025. See registration form below.
 
HOME EDUCATION STUDENTS. 
         The student must be registered as a home education student with the school district in which the student resides. The student is also eligible to participate with a Home Education Program Cooperative or a private school. Completion of an EL7 Form, EL7V, EL14 Form, GA4 Form, and Official Grade Records, (Registration Form for Home Education Students) is required. ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED! CLICK THE HOMESCHOOL FILE BELOW FOR ALL MANDATORY DOCUMENTS.
 
 
CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS. 
        The student must attend a charter school that does not sponsor an interscholastic athletic program in a sport in which the student desires to participate. Completion of an      EL14 Form, GA4 Form, and Official Transcript is required. ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED! CLICK THE CHARTER & FLVS FILE BELOW FOR ALL MANDATORY DOCUMENTS. 
 
 
SPECIAL/ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL STUDENTS: 
        The student must attend an alternative school, or a special school operated by a school district identified by the Superintendent and does not offer an interscholastic athletic program. Completion of a GA4 Form and Official Transcript is required to participate.  ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED! CLICK THE PHYSICAL 25 FILE BELOW FOR ALL MANDATORY DOCUMENTS.
 
 
NON-MEMBER PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS: 
        The student must attend a non-FHSAA member private school consisting of 200 students or fewer attending the private school in the equivalent grade levels (i.e., 6-12, 7-12, 9-12, etc.) of the public school at which the student wishes to participate and does not offer the sport(s) in which the student wishes to participate. Completion of an EL12 Form, EL12V Form, GA4 Form, and Official Transcript is required.  ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED! CLICK THE PRIVATE FILE BELOW FOR ALL MANDATORY DOCUMENTS.
 
 
FLVS-FT-STUDENTS: 
        The student must be a full-time student at the statewide Florida Virtual School Full Time program (DOE #71-0300 or #71-0400). Completion of an EL14 Form, GA4 Form, and Official Transcript is required. ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED! CLICK THE CHARTER & FLVS FILE BELOW FOR ALL MANDATORY DOCUMENTS.
 

REGISTER INTENT TO PARTICIPATE

The registration of non-traditional students for the 2023-2024 school year may begin as early as July 25th, 2023. Non=traditional students must register intent to participate at a school before the beginning of the sport season in which they wish to participate. A student who registered intent with a school during the 2023-2024 school year and wishes to participate in the SAME sport(s) and has not changed affiliation in any other sport(s) with a different school, does not need to re-register intent. ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUIRED!
 
Step 1:  Complete the 2024-2025 Physical Form 
 
Step 2: Students attending another Miami-Dade Public Charter School which do not offer sports but reside within Miami Killian Senior High School boundaries or school of choice will need to provide a completed GA4 Form, proof of address or EL14 Form.
 
Step 3: Upon completion of step 1 and step 2, the minimum GPA eligibility requirement of 2.0 or greater will be checked and verified. 
 
Step 4: Completion of the required courses for students (listed on the physical and insurance requirements tab) is required.
 
Step 5: After completion of Steps 1 through 4, purchase the required insurance for your desired sport. 
 
 
Files:
 
 
 
 

NCAA Eligibility

Coaching Certification Information

PART TIME COACH NEW HIRE PROCEDURES

This also applies to part-time Miami-Dade County Public Schools employees who do not have a professional teaching certificate or is a substitute teacher with a teaching certificate, and charter school employees, which may be full or part-time, with or without a teaching certificate.

 
I.      Apply for your athletic coaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education:
  • Go to www.fldoe.org/edcert
  • Once you are on the website, please click apply; then click apply here.
  • Click new user - begin here for sign-up, (it is found on the left side)
  • Complete user registration.
  • Set up user identification and password.
  • Pay $75.00 with a Visa or Master Card
  • Save a copy of your receipt (Online Payment Summary)
II.     The prospective coach must register online as an applicant with M-DCPS following this procedure:
  • Go to http://jobs.dadeschools.net. 
  • Click on Careers tab and select Human Capital Home Page
  • Click on Employment Opportunities and select Instructional Staffing
  •  Scroll down and click on New Employees APPLY HERE 
  • Click on Employment Opportunities and select Instructional Opportunities 
  • Scroll down and click PT Athletic Coach 
  • Follow the Directions to Sign-up and Apply 
  • Fill out the registration/application form online. 
  • Upload your receipt from the Florida Department of Education showing that you have applied for your coaching certificate. 
  • Upload two reference letters to complete your application. (Examples: employer, supervisor, client, professor, attorney, accountant, etc.) No family or friends.
III.     Please inform your Athletic Director when your application is complete so the hiring manager for the location can process the hire. Once this is complete you will receive an email from M-DCPS with the subject Offer Ready Notice. It reads, "Congratulations, the school board would like to conditionally employ you as a PT Athletic Coach." 
 
IV.      When you have completed the steps and have the Online Payment Summary (receipt), follow the instructions on the email to call Loretta Hilton, Division of Athletics & Activities, at (305)275-3710.  Revised: February 5, 2024

 

ALL COACHES MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

 
Mandatory NFHS Courses:
Follow these instructions to complete the required courses:
                   1. Go to https://nfhslearn.com
                   2. Select your State - Florida
                   3. Register as a new or returning user
                   4. View the following videos.
                   5. Take the Quiz.
                   6. Print the Certificate or Save to your phone.
Course 1 - Sudden Cardiac Arrest - http://nfhslearn.com/courses/sudden-cardiac-arrest
Course 2 - Heat Illness Prevention - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61140/heat-illness-prevention
Course 3 - Concussion in Sports - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61151/concussion-in-sports
 
 
CPR/First Aid/AED Certification - https://nationalcprfoundation.com/courses/standard-cpr-aed-first-aid/
 
 

PART TIME COACH RENEWAL PROCEDURES

 
This only applies to part-time coaches who have completed your coaching courses during your three-year validity period. If in doubt, please call to check your status before applying, 
 
Apply for your athletic coaching certificate from the Florida Department of Education:
  • Their website is www.fldoe.org/edcert 
  • Once you are on the website, please scroll down to the bottom of the page and click apply here. 
  • Click on new user – begin here for sign-up, (it is found on the left side) 
  • Complete user registration 
  • Set up user identification and password. 
  • Complete the application. 
  • Pay $75.00 with a Visa or Master Card
Please email a copy of the online summary payment receipt, also a copy of your current CPR to Loretta Hilton, Division of Athletics & Activities, Lhilton@dadeschools.net.
 
If there are any questions, please contact Loretta Hilton, Division of Athletics and Activities, at 305 275-3710.
 
Mandatory NFHS Courses
              
 Follow these instructions to complete the required courses:
                   1. Go to https://nfhslearn.com
                   2. Select your State - Florida
                   3. Register as a new or returning user
                   4. View the following videos.
                   5. Take the Quiz.
                   6. Print the Certificate or Save to your phone.
 
Course 1 - Sudden Cardiac Arrest - http://nfhslearn.com/courses/sudden-cardiac-arrest
Course 2 - Heat Illness Prevention - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61140/heat-illness-prevention
Course 3 - Concussion in Sports - https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61151/concussion-in-sports
 
CPR/First Aid/AED  Certification - https://nationalcprfoundation.com/courses/standard-cpr-aed-first-aid/

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