April 23, 2025
Lake Minneola High Names Kewaski Jackson as New Head Boys Basketball Coach
By Kyle Coppola
Lake Minneola High Names Kewaski Jackson as New Head Boys Basketball Coach
MINNEOLA, Fla. — Lake Minneola High School has officially announced the hiring of Kewaski Jackson as the new head coach of its boys basketball program. With over 15 years of experience, Jackson brings a championship pedigree, a legacy of mentorship, and a passion for developing both athletes and young leaders.
A United States Navy veteran and former standout guard at Alabama A&M University, Jackson is no stranger to discipline and high performance. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where he helped lead Woodlawn High School to an Alabama 6A State Championship in 2000. His transition from a decorated playing career to the sidelines has been marked by success at every level.
Most recently, Jackson turned heads at Altamonte Christian School, where he led the program to consecutive Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC) titles—winning the 4A Championship in 2023 and the 5A title in 2024. He also guided the team to a National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) National Championship this past season. His efforts earned him back-to-back Independent Coach of the Year honors from the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA).
Known for his emphasis on fundamentals, basketball IQ, and life skills, Jackson’s coaching philosophy is rooted in developing responsible, resilient young men both on and off the court. Under his guidance, numerous athletes have gone on to earn scholarships at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels, with some continuing their basketball careers professionally overseas.
Off the hardwood, Jackson is deeply involved in community outreach and academic mentoring. He lives in Lake County with his wife, Kayla Jackson, and their four children.
“Basketball is bigger than just a game—it’s a platform to teach accountability, respect, and perseverance,” Jackson said. “I’m honored to join the Lake Minneola family and excited to build something special.”
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.
