By Kyle Coppola
East Ridge High’s Uriah Maynard Running for Glory
Uriah Maynard
Running back Uriah Maynard, a senior at East Ridge High School, is known for his elusive moves and explosive versatility on the gridiron. He’s also a dedicated student/athlete with a 3.5 GPA and a passion for math and algebra.
Uriah is a hard-to-catch running back with speed and agility. Despite his soft-spoken nature, his leadership shines through his actions. “I make sure to stay in shape. I run hills in Clermont, and one of my goals is to have a 1,000-yard season this year,” he says.
His foray into football has been significantly influenced by his stepfather, Arthur, who has been a constant source of motivation. “He always told me to never quit and keep pushing every day. It’s gotten me to where I am today,” Uriah says.
Uriah’s advice to aspiring athletes: “Never give up. Always put in the best effort you possibly can. Things have not always been easy for me, but I never stop pushing.”
Uriah draws inspiration from NFL player Deuce Vaughn. “I love Deuce because he isn’t the biggest guy, but he made it to the NFL with skill and the belief that he could do it. I look up to people like him because I am not the biggest guy, but I go out there on the field with the biggest heart.”
The excitement of scoring his first varsity touchdown (against West Port last year) is a career highlight that continues to fuel his drive to excel.
He’s also driven by the desire to please coach Donnie Burchfield, a pivotal figure in his life.
“I love playing for him. He is like a father figure and checks on me all the time. I really appreciate that, and it’s great to play for a coach like that,” Uriah explains.
The admiration flows both ways. “Uriah has an incredible work ethic. He gets good grades, talks with his pads more than his mouth, encourages his teammates and leads by example,” Coach Burchfield says. “This young man is very humble. He’s more than just a good athlete, he’s a good person.”
When it comes to defining success, Uriah’s perspective is mature and insightful: “Success to me is living a happy life and encouraging others. At the end of the day, football is a game, but life is important.”
Looking ahead, Uriah hopes to earn a football scholarship and study business or engineering at a university. He is also interested in becoming a chiropractor.
To all young athletes, Uriah offers a final piece of advice: “Never quit. There are times when this game has gotten tough, but by not quitting, you can show those around you how strong you are. This game makes you a better person. I am thankful to my family for always believing in me. Stay humble and work hard. You will be rewarded.”
Photos: Matthew Gaulin
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
