By Kyle Coppola
South Lake’s Dual Threat Delivers on the Field and in Spirit
Tre Kelly
Football is a way of life for South Lake High School quarterback Tre Kelly.
The 6-foot, 195-lb. signal-caller is already a seasoned leader on the field as he enters his junior year with 1,258 passing yards and 13 total touchdowns in the 2024 season.
Kelly has become the heart and soul of a South Lake football program that has gone from winless to winner in just two short years, but his story starts long before the Friday night lights.
Tre was just 5 when he strapped on his first helmet much to the delight of his father, Kenny Kelly, who roamed the field as a linebacker for West Orange High School.
As an adult parent, Kenny played a pivotal role in resurrecting the South Lake Pop Warner program by helping teach proper fundamentals to local youth and laying the foundation for future high school success.
Tre is one of many youths who reaped the benefits.
“That Pop Warner foundation made a big difference,” Tre says. “We learned the right way to play, how to respect the game, and how to love it.”
Tre arrived at South Lake as a freshman just as veteran head coach Brad Lord took the reins following a 16-year stint at Foundation Academy. The program was coming off a winless season, but with hard work, and new leadership, things began to change.
“Coach Lord is tough, but he loves us,” Tre says. “It’s been a grind, but he gets us ready every year. He holds us accountable.”
The results speak for themselves. South Lake went from an 0-10 record to 2-8, and then soared to 7-4 in 2024, clinching the first district title in more than two decades. Now Tre is focused on leading his squad to back-to-back district championships and a deep FHSAA playoff run.
Tre’s faith in his teammates is strong. His faith in God is even stronger. He lives with a higher purpose.
“God and Jesus inspire me to stay humble and walk a righteous path,” says the proud Fellowship of Christian Athletes member. “My family means the world to me, too. They’ve been with me every step.”
For Tre, football’s most valuable moments aren’t found in highlight reels; they’re spent with his teammates on the field. “My favorite part of football isn’t scoring touchdowns,” he says. “It’s the brotherhood. It’s that feeling when we take the field together knowing we’ve got each other’s backs.”
He’s quick to praise his teammates, especially the offensive linemen who protect him in the trenches. “I love those guys up front. They’re the backbone of the team,” he says. “They don’t get enough credit, but they’re the real heroes.”
Tre’s commitment to his teammates makes him the unquestioned leader of the Eagles.
And as for South Lake High? They’re just getting started.
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.
