The Mid-Florida Football and Cheerleading Conference was founded in 1997. The founding member teams were the Mulberry Panthers, Haines City Rattlers, Lake Wales Steelers, Winter Haven Warriors, Plant City Dolphins, and the Lakeland Eagles.

The conference was created to offer an alternative to other conferences that use weight as a restriction to play football. Mid-Florida would offer every child a chance to play football regardless of weight.

The first meeting was held in Mulberry at Badcock Field. In recognition of this historic first meeting, the Mulberry Panther’s colors being Blue and White were adopted as the official colors of the Conference.

Horace West of the Haines City Rattlers was selected to be the first president. To date only 2 others have held the distinguished position. They are Albert Bates of the Poinciana Predators and Jack Dumond of the Lakeland Chargers.