Longtime athletic director Ira Fluitt is a Miami Herald Lifetime Achievement Award recipient
Once upon a time, he became the first high school freshman to ever play a varsity basketball game in Miami-Dade County.
More than a half century later, it was time for Ira Fluitt to say goodbye following a distinguished career as an athlete, teacher, coach, athletic director and administrator.
For his accomplishments and service to Miami-Dade County, Fluitt is one of this year’s Miami Herald Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.
On June 6, Fluitt was the guest of honor at a special retirement ceremony at the 94th Aero Squadron next to Miami International Airport.
After spending the last 43 years at Miami Springs High School and Miami Norland as a teacher, coach, business manager and athletic director followed by a 10-year stint as a Curriculum Support Specialist for Miami-Dade County Public Schools (overseeing Middle School athletics and activities), Fluitt decided it was time to start spending more time with family, mainly his wife Vernita and step daughters, Katrina and Tori.
“A very emotional day for me today seeing so many of my peers here and honored that the Miami Herald has recognized me for my years of service,” said Fluitt, whose Miami-Dade County duties also called for him to oversee the operations at Traz Powell Stadium. “I never could have imagined where this road would’ve taken me so many years ago but I feel so blessed. You never know how you’re going to see things or the road that’s going to be mapped out for you. It’s how God blesses you in the long run and he was awfully good to me to send my on the journey that I had.”
Spearheaded by Miami High administrator David Schorr, and other athletic directors and administrators from around Dade County were in attendance at the ceremony to honor Fluitt, as well as Marc Berman, who spent the last 17 years at Hialeah as a head football coach and AD, and is also retiring after nearly four decades.
Fluitt, 66, entered as a ninth grader at Miami Springs in 1973 and it coincidentally marked the first year that freshmen could participate in varsity sports.
With Fluitt’s penchant for long-range bullseye shooting, he quickly developed the nickname, “Do It” Fluitt. He started for coach Mike McDonough and the Golden Hawks all four years and was an All-Dade first team selection for the Miami Herald as a junior in 1976 and again as a senior in 1977.
“No telling how many points I might’ve average if they’d had a three-point line back then,” said Fluitt with a chuckle and a smile.
After playing collegiate hoops at Troy University, Fluitt returned to his alma mater in the early 1980s where he was hired as a substitute teacher and assistant coach under both McDonough and football coach Buddy Goins. In 1997, he was promoted to athletics business manager under then-AD Carlos Perez.
Then came 2002 and his big break, being hired as the new AD at Norland. Fluitt would spend the next 12 years helping lead the Vikings to nine different state titles, two in football, five in boys basketball and two in girls basketball.
Fittingly, both basketball coaches Lawton Williams III (boys) and Carla Harris (formerly girls) were in attendance to honor him as well.
“What a dream life I have enjoyed,” Fluitt said. “My vision when I came out of high school and then college was like any other young kid playing basketball, to play at the highest level, the NBA. But of course those things don’t always work out and then I was led on a path that led me to this day and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything in the world.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM.