July 29, 2024
Joe Burnett Takes Over Eustis Football: Excitement Builds for Upcoming Season
By Kyle Coppola
Joe Burnett Takes Over Eustis Football: Excitement Builds for Upcoming Season
Eustis High School has appointed Joe Burnett as the program’s new head football coach, succeeding Frank Scott, under whose leadership the team clinched two consecutive district championships in 2022 and 2023. Burnett is a Eustis High alumni and brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the role, promising an exciting era for the Panthers.
Burnett’s journey from Eustis High School standout to professional athlete was a hard but rewarding journey. After graduating from Eustis, he attended the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he excelled as a cornerback and return specialist. His outstanding college career led to his selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, with pick 168. Burnett’s professional career included stints in both the NFL and the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he played for teams such as the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders.
(Joe Burnett during his playing days with UCF.)
Returning to his roots, Burnett is eager to impart the lessons and skills he has acquired throughout his career to the young, motivated athletes at Eustis High. “It’s a dream come true to come back home and coach the team I grew up playing for,” Burnett said. “I want to build on the success we’ve had and take this program to even greater heights. We are a young team but we are working hard to provide the best possible outcome we can in 2024.” says coach Burnett.
The Panthers are a youthful team this year, but their determination and drive have impressed Burnett. “We have a lot of talent and heart on this squad,” he noted. “These players are eager to learn, and they’re ready to put in the work. We have a lot of motivated guys looking forward to throwing on the pads and getting after it,” says Burnett.
The community has rallied behind Burnett, excited about the future of Eustis High School football under his leadership. Parents, students, and alumni have expressed their support and enthusiasm for coach Burnett. Coming into 2024, Eustis will have a challenging district. Bishop Moore, Mount Dora and Tavares are some of the notable teams in the district in 2024. While that will pose challenges, Eustis is coming off two straight district championships along with FHSAA Playoff berths.
As the new season approaches, Burnett and his team are hard at work, preparing for the challenges ahead. With Burnett at the helm, Eustis High School football is looking towards a bright future ahead.
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.
