By Kyle Coppola
First Academy-Leesburg Cason Cherry Excels On And Off The Field
Cason Cherry
There’s no place Cason Cherry would rather be when the umpire shouts “play ball!”
Cason has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old. Today, he plays second base for the First Academy-Leesburg Eagles, a position he fell into by accident, not design.
“I was playing 8th grade varsity baseball and my buddy had to go to the bathroom. It just so happened that the bases were loaded and we were only up by like a run, a tough time to leave the game,” Cason recalls. “So, my coach decided to put me in at second base and, sure enough, I made a game-saving out the next play. After that I just found second base to be my preferred position and have never looked back.”
While he feels most at home on the diamond, Cason likes all sports, and began playing football in his freshman year. Cason has always looked up to his older brother, Bryce Cherry, who just graduated last year and is currently at Florida State University. Bryce is a stellar athlete who also played baseball and football for First Academy. Naturally, the brothers competed quite a bit growing up.
“So that’s where I get my competitive spirit from,” Cason says. “We always push one another still to this day to give 110%. If it’s one thing I have learned from my brother Bryce it’s if you do something, do it the right way.”
Bryce not only showed Cason how to play, but how to push through mental barriers to win.
“Attitude is everything,” Cason says. “If you show up to practice or a game in a bad mood, that mindset affects the team. You have to push through whatever it is and give it your all even if you know it’s not your best. That motto has helped me countless times in my life so far.”
When not playing sports, Cason enjoys volunteering. He recently moved an elderly lady out of her old home and into a new one. He also peer-tutors students at FA–Leesburg and helps transport things around the school and his church when needed. That’s the kind of person Cason Cherry is—caring and motivated. And when you watch him play, no matter what sport it is, it’s clear he’s pouring his heart and soul into it.
His motivation? Family: His mom, Timmi, his dad, John, and of course, his brother, Bryce.
In his free time, Cason enjoys fishing, hunting and hanging out with friends and family. Cason says he’s thankful to God, all his coaches and his friends and family for believing in him and making him the person he is today.
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.
