Wekiva High School has named Ashton Watts as its new head football coach as the school looks to rebuild its football program in 2026. 

Watts steps in with a long résumé of football experience at multiple levels — and a clear vision for where he believes the program can go following a 1-9 season. 

Watts comes to Wekiva after years spent building teams and cultures. He began coaching in Pop Warner, winning a national championship with Ocoee Pop Warner in 2015, before moving into the high school ranks.  

He coached one season at West Orange, where the team finished 10-0, spent seven years at Ocoee, and later served as the offensive coordinator at Horizon for five seasons, helping establish a winning culture that included a district championship. Along the way, he’s also coached baseball, further rounding out his background as a multi-sport leader. 

As a player, Watts knows the area well. He played his high school football at Ocoee before continuing his career at the Division III level in Ohio as an offensive lineman. That foundation, he says, helped shape how he approaches the game and the responsibility of leading young athletes. 

When the Wekiva job opened, Watts said it didn’t take long for him to feel like it was the right fit. 

“I look at it as a gold mine,” Watts said in an interview. “There’s a lot of talent, there’s a great culture that’s kind of already embedded here. I just felt like this was a good home, a good fit for me with the administration and the staff.” 

Wekiva announced in November that Watts would be the Mustangs’ new football coach, following the departure of head coach Doug Gabriel. Watts wasted little time getting involved. He used the final weeks of December to meet players, walk campus, and begin building relationships — not just with athletes currently on the roster, but also with students who hadn’t yet been part of the program. 

“Those last two weeks of December were very vital,” Watts said. “It gave me a chance to learn the kids, let them see my face, walk the halls, recruit guys that were still in-house. Now we can hit the ground running in January.” 

That early groundwork, he believes, set the tone for what’s ahead. Watts emphasized that offseason development will focus heavily on strength training, durability, and mental toughness — areas he sees as essential after a season filled with adversity. 

“We’re going to go back to being tough and tenacious,” he said. “You’re going to have to do things that are uncomfortable. We’re going to hit the weight room harder, focus on mobility and the little things that get missed, so our best guys are ready late in the season.” 

While Watts wants results on the field, he made it clear that his priorities extend well beyond wins and losses. At the core of his program is a belief in developing young men first. 

“I’m definitely development over victory,” Watts said. “I come from faith, family, and education. We have to be family oriented. If we’re close-knit and everyone does their part, success will come.” 

That philosophy also defines his brand of football. Watts describes the style he wants Wekiva to play as “tough and nasty,” built on discipline and attention to detail — traits he says translate both on and off the field. 

“If we pay attention to the little things like picking up trash on campus, being on time, taking pride in where we are, that carries over,” he said. “It shows we’re proud of who we represent.” 

Looking ahead, Watts believes small daily wins will eventually lead to big changes for the program. 

“Our goal is to win the day,” he said. “If we focus on the little details every day, that 1-9 [record] can turn into 9-1.”