By Kyle Coppola
Lake Minneola’s Kai Evans: #1 High School 400m Hurdler in USA
Lake Minneola’s Kai Evans is ranked as the #1 high school 400-meter hurdler in the USA, currently holding the top spot with an impressive time of 51.73 seconds. He is also recognized as the #1 400-meter hurdler in the state of Florida. His remarkable performance is attributed to his hard work ethic and the guidance of Lake Minneola High Track & Field coach Sheron Isom, who has only positive things to say about him.
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“Kai is just such a hard worker. He owns the school record in the 400-meter hurdles and he’s so committed to his craft. Ultimately, he wants to make the Olympic team. He’s just a stellar athlete, and we love having him on the Lake Minneola High Track & Field Team,” says coach Isom.
Evans is not the only one experiencing tremendous success this year. Isom’s son, Ethan Isom, is also a junior and has been very impressive, particularly in a variety of jumping events. One event that stands out is the Triple Jump, where Ethan has excelled this season despite never attempting it before.
“Ethan told me, ‘Dad, I want to give the Triple Jump a go.’ I said, ‘Okay, if you want to try it, I am open to it.’ The only challenge was that we didn’t have a Triple Jump coach at Lake Minneola. I feel blessed that many coaches around Florida have helped us out. I connect with many on Twitter, and they have been very helpful providing feedback for us.”
Isom recently claimed first place with a 13.11-meter jump, a remarkable performance from the junior. The Lake Minneola roster boasts other exceptional athletes like Kenneth Smith and Brandon Davis, who are also expected to shine during the upcoming district competitions.
Kai Evans’ dominance is awe-inspiring, attracting interest from colleges such as LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, and many others eager to have him on their teams. He has already solidified his position as the #1 400-meter hurdler in the country, showcasing the depth of talent in the Lake Minneola Track & Field program, not only on the boys’ side but also among the girls’ team.
“Isabelle Hutchinson is a terrific athlete. She is our #1 400-meter runner on the girls’ side. She just ran a 59.29 this past week, showing that she’s peaking at the right time. She’s a senior, and she’s just an amazing athlete,” says coach Isom. Hutchinson’s recent win against Jermia Huyler, an exciting freshman from Ocoee, was particularly impressive.
Another standout runner is Lake Minneola’s 400-meter hurdler, Kristin Czymek, who recently clocked a 1:11.46 during the Hawks on The Hill Open. Czymek is expected to be a favorite during district competitions, with potential for success at regionals and states.
The anticipation is high as the team and individuals continue to perform exceptionally this year, with district competitions approaching rapidly.
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.
