Booker High School names new football coach

Lance Hoeltke was named the new football coach for Booker High School, announced Wednesday evening on the school's Facebook page.

His hiring follows the dismissal of former athletic director and football coach Carlos Woods last week. Woods is involved in an active criminal investigation by the Sarasota Police, the department said. Woods has denied wrongdoing.

Hoeltke will be the third coach for the Tornadoes in as many years, as Woods coached in 2025 and Scottie Littles coached in 2024.

"Coach Hoeltke brings championship pedigree, proven leadership, and a passion for developing young people on and off the field," the school said in its announcement.

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Hoeltke played NCAA Division I football as a quarterback for the University of South Florida. He was one of four team captains for the program's first season in 1997. 

He was also the offensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville during its first state championship in 2020.  

Hoeltke now takes over a program which has reached the state semifinals for three consecutive years and finished 12-2 in 2025.