Frostproof coach charged with threatening a student after a sexual relationship

A Frostproof Middle-Senior High School JV basketball coach has been arrested after authorities said he threatened to kill a 17-year-old student after an inappropriate relationship.

Skylar Ready, 20, of Fort Meade, is charged with one second-degree felony of sex offense on a student by an authority figure, second-degree felony written threat to kill, third-degree felony of transmission of material harmful to a minor, lewd battery and use of a two-way communication device in commission of a felony.

Ready has been the JV boys basketball coach at Frostproof Middle-Senior High School since the 2022-23 season, according to a statement from Polk County Public Schools.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Ready was in a dating relationship with a Frostproof student previously when he was a student there. Ready graduated and began playing basketball at Warner University, while stepping up to coach the junior varsity basketball team at Frostproof.

Judd said Ready continued to have written communications with the female student suggesting sexual relations and sent a threatening letter to kill her if she were to be in a relationship with anyone else.

"He's now in a position of authority and continuing with some outrageous communications, even threatening communications," Judd said.

The arrest on Friday is the sixth arrest of a teacher or coach at a Polk County public or private school since September.

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Ready passed a background check before serving as a community coach and will no longer have any involvement with Polk County Public Schools, the school district said in a Sheriff's Office release.

"This individual’s actions show an alarming lack of judgement as a coach working with student athletes," Polk Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said in the release. "This behavior is not tolerated in our schools; we appreciate the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for investigating this matter and protecting our students."

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Frostproof coach accused of threatening girl after sexual relationship