By Kyle Coppola
Driven to Succeed in the Weight Room and Beyond
Cody Zilcosky
South Sumter High School senior Cody Zilcosky isn’t just a champion in the weight room; he carries a 4.2 GPA and is an achiever in nearly every area of his life.
Last year’s Olympic Lifting State Champion (in the 139-lb. Class 1A) has carved a path to success with hard work, dedication and a vision for the future.
Following in the footsteps of his older brother and role model, Chase Zilcosky—a 2022 graduate—Cody first joined South Sumter’s weightlifting team as a freshman. He says training with Chase was an invaluable experience.
“Chase really showed me what dedication looked like. And I’m grateful to have had him alongside me in those early days,” says Cody, who also finished 3rd in Traditional Weightlifting last season.
His achievements are impressive, but weightlifting success doesn’t come easily.
“The hardest part is mind over matter,” he explains, especially when you have to make weight. “Sometimes, I’ll go up to three days without eating properly to make weight,” Cody says.
In addition to school and sports, Cody is dual enrolled at Lake Sumter State College and works part-time at Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q in The Villages.
“It can be tough managing school, work and sports, but it’s worth it,” he says.
Under the guidance of Coach Chris Gauntlett, Cody has learned more than just the mechanics of weightlifting.
“Coach Gauntlett is hard on us, but for a good reason,” Cody says. “We all appreciate his tough love—it makes us stronger, not only in the weight room but in life.”
Cody’s advice to younger athletes is simple but powerful: “Find someone older and ask questions. In weightlifting, no one turns you down if you’re asking for help. Stick with it, and you’ll come out stronger both mentally and physically.”
Despite his accomplishments, Cody knows there’s always room for growth.
Reflecting on his progress, he recalls his early days, when he struggled to lift just 95 pounds in the snatch. Today, he’s lifting over 185 pounds in the snatch and pushed himself close to a 195-pound lift at last year’s state championships.
“You can’t excel if you don’t try,” Cody says. “I’ve learned that perseverance is key. Some days, you won’t hit your numbers, but with perseverance, you’ll get there.”
As he approaches graduation, Cody is preparing to take his drive and discipline beyond the gym. He plans to attend medical school.
For now, though, he remains focused on winning.
“I’m competitive, and I love to win,” Cody says. “I hope to be state champion in both Olympic and Traditional Weightlifting in 2025.”
Photos: Nicole Hamel
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.
