By Kyle Coppola
Leesburg High Softball Team 8-0 For First Time In Program History
The Leesburg Lady Yellow Jackets have achieved an impressive 8-0 record for the first time in their program’s history, surpassing all expectations this season. Their dominance is evident in their scoring, outscoring opponents by a staggering margin of 160-30, which stands as one of the widest margins in Lake County athletics history for softball. Following a decisive 22-3 victory against Wildwood last week, the Lady Yellow Jackets have reached the midpoint of the season on a high note.
Despite not facing some of the stronger teams in the area like Eustis, The Villages, Tavares, and MDCA, Leesburg has consistently secured victories with significant margins, showcasing their strength and determination. Their closest game this season was a 15-7 win against Central Florida Christian Academy, highlighting their offensive prowess.
This successful run has also translated into national recognition, with Leesburg now ranked inside the top 40 in Class 5A for the first time in over a decade. This achievement underscores the remarkable turnaround of the program and the dedication of the players and coaching staff.
Leading the team is junior Kennadi Williams, who boasts 15 RBIs, 17 runs scored, and a .474 batting average. Other notable contributors include sophomore Olivia Bramer and freshman Addison Hunter, who has made a significant impact with 14 hits and 23 RBIs, showcasing a breakout season.
While the team has shown strength in their offensive game, there are areas for improvement, particularly in pitching. With pitchers like Olivia Bramer and Maya Church maintaining a 5.0 ERA, the team will need to focus on consistency against tougher opponents in the upcoming games.
Overall, this season marks a historic milestone for Leesburg High School softball, signaling a positive shift and raising hopes for a potential district championship as the team continues to develop and excel on the field.
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.
