December 18, 2024
Lake County’s Pat Todd Still Going Strong: Takes on New Role as Lake County Schools District Athletic Director
By Kyle Coppola
Lake County’s Pat Todd Still Going Strong: Takes on New Role as Lake County Schools District Athletic Director
UMATILLA, Fla. — Pat Todd, a celebrated coach and administrator with 36 years of experience in high school and college athletics, has been named District Athletic Director for Lake County Schools. Todd, who recently served as athletic director and head basketball coach at Umatilla High School, brings a wealth of experience and a visionary approach to his new role overseeing athletics for the district’s eight high schools and 13 middle schools.
Under Todd’s leadership, Umatilla High experienced several successful basketball seasons, and his administrative tenure was marked by his dedication to fostering character and excellence in student-athletes. Now, as District Athletic Director, Todd is set to expand his influence across the county, working closely with principals, athletic directors, and coaches to develop programs that align with the district’s academic and athletic mission.
(Pat Todd recently attended a Leesburg High girls basketball game against Wildwood.)
“My goal is to help develop champions of character through athletics and academics,” Todd said. “We’re not just fielding teams—we’re building programs that emphasize character, effort, and development as students, people, and players. Winning games is a byproduct of the process.”
Todd’s extensive career includes experience as a classroom teacher, high school principal, college athletic director, and basketball coach. His new position allows him to implement a philosophy he has honed over decades: cultivating what he calls the “Total Package” in student-athletes. This approach emphasizes development that prepares students for success both on and off the field.
Deputy Superintendent Chad Farnsworth praised Todd’s appointment, noting his alignment with the district’s vision for athletics and academics. “The opportunity to work with principals, athletic directors, and coaches to be intentional about supportin our students is exciting.”
Todd is optimistic about the future of Lake County athletics, citing the dedication of district leadership, school principals, and athletic directors. “The future of athletics in Lake County has never been brighter,” he said. “I am impressed with our principals and our athletic-directors. Our district leadership has been fantastic! We have work to do, but the joy is in the journey.”
As he takes on this new role, Todd remains focused on his mission to build character-driven athletic programs that serve the community and provide outstanding opportunities for student-athletes across Lake County. With Pat Todd’s record of success we are excited to see Lake County athletics continue to evolve in the coming years.
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.
