September 30, 2024
MDCA’s Golf Team Enjoys Remarkable Turnaround Under Coach Mike Considine
By Kyle Coppola
MDCA’s Golf Team Enjoys Remarkable Turnaround Under Coach Mike Considine
Mount Dora, Fla. — After years of struggling on the golf course, Mount Dora Christian Academy’s golf team is enjoying a remarkable turnaround under new leadership. In 2021 and 2022, MDCA’s team posted identical 1-11 records, with a best team score of 428, setting a modest standard for a program that was looking for improvement. However, since Head Coach Mike Considine took over in 2023, the team has transformed into a competitive force, with players showing dedication both on and off the course.
(Coach Mike Considine has completely turned around a program that was struggling for years.)
Last year, MDCA made its first strides, finishing with a 7-2 record and an improved team score of 375 at the District Championship, a 10th place finish out of 11 teams. But this season has marked a major breakthrough, with the team shattering previous records and expectations. MDCA recently finished fourth at the SSAA Championship in Lakeland, posting a school-best team score of 339 which is a 59-stroke improvement over last year’s performance of 398.
Dylan Lapp, the team’s #1 golfer, has been a standout, breaking the school’s individual record with a score of 77 at the SSAA Championship. Lapp, along with teammates Jonah Musselwhite and Veydan Diaz, have all dramatically improved their games over the past year. Remarkably, none of these players were part of the team as freshmen. As sophomores, their best scores were modest—Lapp’s 96, Musselwhite’s 88, and Diaz’s 108—but with passion and dedication along with some great coaching from Mike Considine, they’ve made tremendous strides. Lapp’s best score is now 77, Musselwhite has shot 84, and Diaz has improved to 86.
(MDCA is breaking records. Just two years ago this team was averaging just 1 win per season. They are now among the top teams in Lake County.)
Senior Braden Hunston, the team’s #4 player, has also made significant gains. Last year, his best score was 50 for nine holes; this year, he posted an 83 for 18 holes.
“The main reason for our success is total commitment from everyone involved,” said Coach Consadine. “Our top players have worked hard on their game, and they’ve developed a passion for golf that’s fueled their improvement. Assistant Coach Clayton Vaughn’s love and knowledge of the game have also been instrumental in our progress,” says Coach Considine.
The MDCA golf team’s improvement is a testament to the hard work of its players and coaches, and the team’s success hasn’t just been measured on the scorecard. “A successful season is about the kids having fun, staying positive, and striving for their best,” coach Considine added. “They’ve done all of that, and the results speak for themselves.”
(This has been a fantastic year for MDCA golf. We are very proud of the effor that has gone in to turn the program around.)
As the team looks ahead to the District Championship at Continental Country Club in Wildwood, they hope to continue their upward trajectory. After finishing near the bottom in recent years, MDCA now aims to surprise established programs and potentially earn a spot in the Regional Championship—a goal that seemed out of reach just two seasons ago.
With their newfound confidence and record-setting performances, we are excited about the future of the MDCA golf program. We wish them the best of luck on the remainder of the 2024 season.
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.
