February 1, 2024
Female Student-Athlete Of The Week: Cayla Jackson East Ridge High School
By Kyle Coppola
Female Student-Athlete Of The Week: Cayla Jackson East Ridge High School
Cayla Jackson is our female student-athlete of the week. Jackson scored 4 goals and had 2 assists in an 8-0 blowout victory against Apopka. The win thrusted the East Ridge Lady Knights into the 7A District 3 Championship game against Lake Brantley on Thursday evening at 7pm.
Jackson has been incredible. She is committed to the University of Georgia for soccer and will be a force in the SEC next year. This year however Jackson still has unfinished business. She has nearly 40 goals on the season and over 20 assists on the year. She is also approaching 100 points total scored this season. She is truly one of the best players in Lake County and the state of Florida.
Jackson plays with the U19 Tampa Bay United Soccer club in the ECNL. She is ranked 33rd nationally in assists. Jackson is ranked 1st in Class 7A District 3 for goals scored and she ranks 1st in all of Class 7A in points scored.
Jackson is plays the game and makes it look effortless. She is a sefless player who makes the team around her better. You don’t get 20 assists on the season by being selfish and her teammates have found benefits. Morgan Guillemette has 20 plus goals this season and there are a bunch of other Lady Knight players who have found similar success due to the prowess of Jackson.
The one thing that remains on the mind of Cayla Jackson is going on a run in the FHSAA Girls Playoffs and trying to secure a state-championship. What a sendoff that would be! Regardless has been one of the most talented players in Lake County. We have enjoyed watching her success and wish her and East Ridge High School the best of luck in the FHSAA Playoffs.
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.
