By Kyle Coppola
Trinidy Harris is Building a Legacy at Wildwood Middle High School
Trinidy Harris
Trinidy Harris is regarded as one of the best basketball players to come out of Wildwood Middle High School, but she has unfinished business to attend to before she graduates next spring.
Nothing less than a state championship will do for Trinidy after leading the Wildcats to the FHSAA Final Four three consecutive times and the title game twice.
Trinidy grew up in Wildwood and first picked up a basketball at age 8. At first, she played neighborhood games alongside her next-door neighbor. Before long, Trinidy’s mom, Chekita Hope, recognized a spark in her daughter and suggested they try the local YMCA.
Chekita knew talent when she saw it. Chekita and her husband, Michael Harris, were local legends at Belleview High School, and their legacy became Trinidy’s driving force. They supported her every step of the way, guiding her with their own experiences and instilling a profound love for the game.
“My parents mean everything to me,” Trinidy says. “They have guided me and helped me through a lot over the years. They are my role models.”
Games at the YMCA ignited Trinidy’s passion for the sport, but she had to prove she belonged on the court. The early years of Trinidy’s basketball career were spent playing with boys. This experience was pivotal for her development.
“Playing with boys, they never treated me differently,” Trinidy says. “It really helped my game become much better because I learned to be quick and tough on the court.”
This perspective shaped her into the player she is today, unafraid of challenges and always eager to improve.
“Basketball has taught me that you have to practice when no one is looking,” she notes. “It’s the unseen hours that count the most.”
Trinidy hit a major milestone against Lecanto during her junior year: scoring her 1,000th point. “My entire family was there, cheering me on. It was a moment I will never forget. You work so hard all these years and to see it all pay off in a way like that is truly special,” she says with a smile.
“Trinidy has meant everything to us,” says Coach Vincent Brown. “Her growth as a player and an individual is something I am so proud about. She brings out the best in everyone and is a shining example to kids who need someone to look up to.”
Off the court, Trinidy balances her time between family and basketball. She enjoys spending time with her siblings, Brianna and Michael, and appreciates the support of her entire family. Her long-term goal is to play college basketball and study sports medicine.
Trinidy remains committed to growing the game she loves while paving the way for the next generation of players.
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.
