June 20, 2025
Big-Time Talent, Hometown Roots: The Real McCoy Exposure Camp Comes to South Lake High
By Kyle Coppola
Big-Time Talent, Hometown Roots: The Real McCoy Exposure Camp Comes to South Lake High
A star-studded lineup of former NFL and NCAA Division I football players will return to their Central Florida roots to inspire, mentor, and train the next generation of athletes at the upcoming Real McCoy Exposure Camp on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at South Lake High School.
The camp, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with registration beginning at 9 a.m., is open to football athletes for just $35. It offers hands-on instruction from some of the region’s most accomplished football alumni, many of whom have competed at the highest levels of collegiate and professional football.
Headlining the event is TJ McCoy, a South Lake High School graduate and former University of Florida and University of Louisville offensive lineman. TJ earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors, was a three-time Rimington Trophy nominee, and was once regarded as one of Florida’s top high school linemen. He created the camp to give back to his community and provide real exposure and guidance for aspiring athletes.
Joining McCoy is a who’s who of local legends:
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Ulysees Gilbert III, a Trinity Catholic standout and former Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker, who amassed over 480 tackles at Akron and now serves with Lake County Fire Rescue.
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Deondre Francois, the former Florida State University quarterback and ACC Rookie of the Year, who led the Seminoles to an Orange Bowl victory and now mentors young professionals as a financial advisor in Orlando.
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Najeem Hosein, current defensive backs coach at South Lake and former XFL Orlando Guardians and AFL Orlando Predators player, brings a championship pedigree from his collegiate days at Northwest Missouri State and Ferris State.
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Deon Edwards, a Lake Minneola High School graduate and University of Arkansas linebacker, has served as Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at UNLV, sharing his experience on and off the field.
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Roman Tatum, a former defensive back at Southern Illinois and Delaware, played professionally with the Orlando Guardians and co-founded Built on Faith Sports to train youth athletes in speed and defensive techniques.
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Devon Cole, a record-setting quarterback at Lake Minneola High School who later won back-to-back FCS National Championships at South Dakota State, now runs Off The Muscle, a youth-focused training program in Lake County.
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Fred Jackson, another Lake Minneola High great, rushed for over 2,200 yards his senior year and made his collegiate debut at New Mexico Military Institute with over 1,200 total yards. He is an amazing talent that young guys will be able to lean upon for advice.
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Corey Vereen, a dominant pass-rusher at West Orange High and former University of Tennessee Volunteers star, had 111 collegiate tackles and recorded 13.5 career sacks before a knee injury ended his stint with the New England Patriots. He now runs MeanVereen Training LLC.
Organizers say the camp is about more than just football.
“We’re here to build up athletes not just on the field but in life,” said McCoy. “This camp is a chance for them to learn from people who’ve walked the path and want to lift others as they climb.”
Participants must bring helmet, shoulder pads, and a refillable water container. With elite coaching and life lessons rolled into one afternoon, the Real McCoy Exposure Camp promises to be one of the most impactful football events of the summer for athletes across Central Florida.
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.
