How does Florida Coastal Prep compare to CATS Academy for basketball?

Florida Coastal Prep is a basketball-only academy in Fort Walton Beach, FL, with NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson coaching directly, a dedicated 14,000 sq ft training center, a small roster, and an individual college recruiting plan for every athlete. CATS Academy is a co-ed day and boarding school in Braintree, Massachusetts, whose boys basketball team plays in NEPSAC Class AA and the NEBL under head coach Cary Herer. CATS offers a New England prep schedule at a school with a broader student body. FCP makes basketball the whole mission.

Where is CATS Academy located?

CATS Academy Boston is at 2001 Washington Street in Braintree, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. It serves grades 8 through 12 plus a postgraduate year. Florida Coastal Prep is in Fort Walton Beach on Florida's Emerald Coast and trains year-round in a mild climate.

Who coaches basketball at CATS Academy?

Cary Herer took over the CATS Academy boys basketball program in 2021, according to the Boston Globe. He previously coached the Expressions Elite AAU program on the Nike EYBL circuit. Florida Coastal Prep is led by Director Lee DeForest, who has more than 25 years of coaching experience, with NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson working directly with players.

What are other basketball prep options besides CATS Academy?

Florida Coastal Prep is a basketball-only post-grad and high school program in Fort Walton Beach, FL. It offers coaching from Kenny Anderson and Lee DeForest, a 14,000 sq ft indoor training center, supervised beachside housing, dual enrollment through Colorado Christian University, and national competition through the Grind Session, SEHAL, and SIAA.

FCP vs CATS Academy

A BOSTON-AREA PREP SCHOOL, A BASKETBALL-FIRST FLORIDA ACADEMY

Quick Answer

What is the difference between Florida Coastal Prep and CATS Academy?

CATS Academy Boston is a co-ed day and boarding school in Braintree, Massachusetts, serving grades 8 through 12 plus a postgraduate year, with a boys basketball team that plays in NEPSAC Class AA and the NEBL. Florida Coastal Prep is a basketball-focused academy in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, built around a small roster, daily skill work with NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, and a college recruiting plan for every athlete. CATS offers a New England prep schedule inside a broader school community. FCP offers a program where basketball is the whole mission.

Choose FCP if: Players who want a basketball-first year with daily skill work, a small roster and a recruiting plan built for them.
Choose CATS Academy if: Players who want to stay in New England, play NEPSAC Class AA and attend a full boarding school with a broad student body.

FCP tuition is all-inclusive, coaching, supervised housing, meals, accredited academics, strength and conditioning, and a national schedule. Partial scholarships and financial assistance are awarded on athletic merit, academic standing, and need. Request the full cost breakdown.

Two Prep Basketball Paths: New England or the Emerald Coast

If you are searching for a prep basketball program in the Northeast, CATS Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts is a name you will see. The school’s boys basketball team competes in NEPSAC Class AA, and the Boston Globe reported in February 2025 that the Griffins were 18-3 and ranked No. 9 in the national prep coaches poll. That is a real rise in a short time.

Florida Coastal Prep takes a different route to the same goal, a college roster spot. CATS is a boarding and day school with a basketball team. FCP is a basketball academy where the whole program points at one sport. This page lays the two side by side so your family can decide which fit is right.

Program Overview

Florida Coastal Prep is a basketball-focused academy in Fort Walton Beach on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Opened in 2019, FCP runs a dedicated 14,000 sq ft indoor training facility, the Spartan Training Center, and offers both a post-graduate program and a national high school program. Athletes from 43 states have trained at FCP. Alumni have played at every college level from D1 to JUCO, and two have reached the NBA.

CATS Academy Boston is a co-educational day and boarding school at 2001 Washington Street in Braintree, Massachusetts. It teaches grades 8 through 12 plus a postgraduate year and is accredited by NEASC. Head coach Cary Herer took over the boys basketball program in 2021. The team plays in NEPSAC Class AA and the NEBL, and recent players include Jaylen Harrell, the 2023-24 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, who is headed to Providence, and 7-foot-1 center Leo Curtis, who is committed to Arizona State.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	Florida Coastal Prep	CATS Academy
Location	Fort Walton Beach, FL (Emerald Coast)	Braintree, MA (just south of Boston)
Program Type	Basketball-only academy	Co-ed day and boarding school with a boys basketball program
Grades Served	Post-grad and high school	Grades 8 to 12 plus a postgraduate year
League and Schedule	National prep schedule: Grind Session, SEHAL, SIAA	NEPSAC Class AA and the NEBL
Head Coach	Director Lee DeForest (25+ years) with NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson	Cary Herer, who took over the program in 2021
Roster Model	Intentionally small roster, every player is seen daily	Two teams (prep and national), per the coach, with no promised team placement
Training Facility	14,000 sq ft dedicated basketball center, 24/7 access	On-campus gym in Braintree
Strength & Conditioning	Westside Barbell conjugate method, 5x/week	Weight room four days a week, per the coach
Climate	Florida Panhandle, mild year-round	New England, four seasons with cold winters
Housing	Supervised beachside team housing with live-in house coach	Boarding school campus
Academics	Accredited coursework plus dual enrollment through Colorado Christian University	College-prep curriculum, accredited by NEASC
Cost	See tuition, financial aid available	Contact the school for current figures
College Placement	D1 through JUCO, plus NBA G-League and NBA, individual recruiting plan per athlete	Recent seniors have committed to Providence and Arizona State, per the Boston Globe

CATS Academy details come from the Boston Globe, the school’s NEASC accreditation listing, and a PREP Athletics interview with its head coach. Confirm current details with the school directly.

A Basketball Academy vs. a School With a Basketball Team

This is the core difference, and it shapes a player’s whole year.

CATS is a school first. Its student body is broad, with a mainly international enrollment and other academy tracks alongside basketball. For a player who wants a full boarding school experience in the Boston area, that can be a plus. The basketball program is a strong part of the school, and the results show it.

FCP is a basketball academy. The daily schedule, the staff, the facility, and the recruiting work are all built around developing basketball players for the next level. There is no other sport competing for the gym or the coaches’ attention.

Neither model is wrong. The question is whether you want basketball to be one strong program inside a school, or the single focus of the place you live and train.

How does FCP’s coaching compare to CATS Academy?

At CATS, Cary Herer runs the program. According to the Boston Globe, he coached the Expressions Elite AAU team on the Nike EYBL circuit before arriving, and he led the Atlantic 10 in assists as a UMass senior in 1989-90. In an interview with PREP Athletics, he describes a schedule with early morning workouts, afternoon sessions, and a weight room four days a week, and he says the program does not guarantee playing time or scholarships. That is an honest stance, and families should hear it from any program.

FCP’s coaching staff is built around basketball. Director Lee DeForest has more than 25 years of coaching experience across D1, D2, NAIA, and JUCO levels. NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, the 1991 second overall NBA Draft pick, 14-year NBA veteran, and 1994 All-Star, works directly with athletes in daily skill sessions, film study, and game preparation.

ESPN’s Director of Recruiting, Paul Biancardi, visited the FCP campus and called it “first class treatment of players.”

What does tuition include at FCP vs CATS Academy?

We won’t quote CATS tuition here. Contact the school for current figures, since boarding costs vary by grade and program.

FCP awards partial scholarships and financial assistance based on athletic merit, academic standing, and financial need. View tuition details.

When you compare cost, compare what is included. FCP’s program includes NBA-level coaching, a dedicated 14,000 sq ft indoor training facility, supervised Emerald Coast housing, accredited academics with dual enrollment through Colorado Christian University, Westside Barbell strength programming five days a week, national competition exposure, and an individual recruiting plan for every athlete. Ask CATS for the same list and line them up.

How is player development different at FCP and CATS Academy?

Development comes down to daily reps, coaching quality, and the environment around your game.

FCP’s small roster means every player gets daily skill work and individual coaching. Athletes train daily at the Spartan Training Center, a 14,000 sq ft indoor facility with NBA-dimension hardwood, 24/7 access, two Shoot-Away shooting machines, a 60 ft turf training zone, and a performance zone. Film study, position-specific skill work, and strength training are built into every week.

At CATS, the coach says the program develops players toward their college position and plays in every showcase. The team balances a prep roster and a national roster, so a player should ask where they would land. The climate matters too. New England winters push more of the year indoors, while Florida allows outdoor and beach conditioning year-round.

Where do FCP players go to college?

FCP has placed athletes at every level of college basketball since 2019, including D1 conferences such as the SEC, Big East, Big Sky, and Ohio Valley, plus D2, NAIA, and JUCO programs. Two alumni have reached the NBA. See the full list of Spartan commitments.

Every FCP athlete receives an individual recruiting plan, professional game film, exposure at national events through the Grind Session, SEHAL, and SIAA schedules, and direct outreach to college coaching staffs across all divisions.

CATS has seen top seniors land at Providence and Arizona State, and its coach says college staffs visit often. That is a strong signal for its top players. Ask any program how it supports the rest of the roster too.

Who should choose Florida Coastal Prep?

FCP is the right fit if you want:

Basketball-only development where every coach and every scheduled hour is aimed at making you a better player
NBA-level coaching from Kenny Anderson and a staff with 25+ years of college placement results
A small roster with daily skill work and individual coaching attention
Florida year-round, with beach conditioning and no New England winters
Supervised team housing with a live-in house coach
An individual recruiting plan with active relationships at every division

Ready to see if FCP is right for you? Apply now or contact our coaching staff to schedule a conversation.

Who should choose CATS Academy?

CATS may be a better fit for athletes who:

Want to stay in New England and play in NEPSAC Class AA
Want a full boarding school setting with a broad student body, not a basketball-only campus
Are in grades 8 to 12 and want one school for the whole run
Like the idea of playing in the NEBL and a Boston-area showcase schedule

Both programs have sent players to college basketball. The decision comes down to environment and fit for your specific player.