Frostproof JV basketball coach accused of inappropriate relationship threatened ‘to kill’ student: PCSO
FROSTPROOF, Fla. - A JV basketball coach at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School is facing four felony charges after deputies say he had an inappropriate relationship with a student at the school and threatened her life.
Skylar Ready mugshot courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the victim, a 17-year-old girl, told detectives that she and Skylar Ready, 20, of Fort Meade, had dated when they were both students at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School. She is still a student there.
After Ready began working at the school, deputies say the victim told them that Ready sent her sexually explicit messages, including a threat to "kill her" if she slept with anyone else.
"Our teachers are wonderful, wonderful people," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "But let me underscore: we are not ever going to allow what I call rogue individuals, very small numbers of rogue individuals out of a total of 13,000 wonderful teachers to do such things."
Ready has been charged with sex offense on student by authority figure, written threat to kill, transmission of material harmful to a minor, use of a two-way communication device in commission of a felony and lewd battery.
"There is no excuse for this guy using his position of authority over a student sexually," stated Judd. "This is completely unacceptable. We applaud Polk County Public Schools taking swift action regarding this coach. We discovered this inappropriate relationship because somebody became aware of it and contacted us. It is more important than ever that if you see or hear something, say something."
Polk County Public Schools says Ready had been the JV boys basketball coach at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School since the 2022-23 season. However, he will no longer have any involvement with the school district.
"This individual’s actions show an alarming lack of judgement as a coach working with student athletes. This behavior is not tolerated in our schools; we appreciate the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for investigating this matter and protecting our students," stated Polk County Superintendent Fred Heid.