Accused Coach Ran Fleming Island Wrestling Team After Suspension
Parents Of Wrestlers Were Not Given Full Details Of The Allegations
Earlier this month, it was revealed that a former wrestling coach was accused of sexually abusing one of his former Fleming Island High School students. Paul James Cobbert, known as PJ, was suspended from his duties and barred from the school campus on September 24, 2024.
Despite the suspension, evidence has emerged that Cobbert was still running the Fleming Island Boys Wrestling team as recently as January 2025. Text messages of a chat between Cobbert, current Fleming Island Wrestling Team members, and their parents reveal that Cobbert had moved most of the team’s practices to his gym in Green Cove Springs.
Cobbert’s gym, the North Florida Wrestling Academy (NFWA), became the de-facto headquarters of the Fleming Island Wrestling team after Cobbert’s suspension. In addition to practicing at NFWA, Cobbert also required team members to pay membership fees to him to wrestle on the Fleming Island Wrestling team. Gym memberships started at $100 per month.
Wrestling team members were required to attend NFWA practices, including mandatory weekend and holiday sessions. In a group text message thread, Cobbert managed the Fleming Island Wrestling team and coordinated with parents and the wrestlers regarding who would compete in tournaments and competitions.
The Clay County School District stated that a meeting was held on November 12th to advise that Cobbert was no longer the team's coach. None of the people at this meeting were informed of the nature of the allegations against Cobbert, nor were they advised that membership to the NFWA was not required to be on the Fleming Island High School wrestling team. Not all of the parents involved were aware of the meeting.
Several students joined the team mid-season, and their families were not informed about the allegations against Cobbert. When parents asked why Cobbert was running the team but not allowed at school, they were advised that it was due to a “complicated situation.” Some parents were advised that Cobbert was absent due to a bullying situation. Still, none of the parents were informed of the sexual nature of the accusations against Cobbert.
Cobbert’s control of the team from behind the scenes led to tension between school staff, the official interim coaches, and Cobbert. At meetings in his gym, Cobbert criticized Fleming Island High School for not funding the wrestling program and providing adequate facilities. Cobbert also lambasted the interim coaches and took one wrestler to task for missing practice when his grandmother was hospitalized. One interim coach was frustrated with Cobbert to the point he almost resigned.
Via the text message thread, Cobbert pressured the Fleming Island wrestling team members to pay for NFWA gym memberships and said he could not pay the rent for his gym because the wrestlers were not paying.
Notably, these messages continued well into January of this year, nearly four months after Cobbert was suspended and officially barred from running the team. In High School Wrestling, the school's official team is often coupled with an official club. The team operates during the scholastic wrestling season, and the club continues wrestling activities after the official season ends.
For wrestlers and their parents, the school’s team and club can be confusingly intertwined. The clubs, particularly Cobbert’s NFWA, pressure the wrestlers and their families to do everything the coaches ask to succeed in the highly competitive sport. This leads to some parents not realizing that paying for a gym membership isn’t required to be part of a high school wrestling team.
It is unclear what policies Clay County Schools have regarding athletic clubs run by coaches who charge students for participation. Parents contacted the administration of Fleming Island High School and the Clay County School Board with questions about Cobbert’s continued involvement after his suspension. However, they received no substantive replies to their concerns.
Clay News & Views’ investigation into this story is ongoing. If you have been a victim of Paul James Cobbert, please contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512.