February 11, 2026
South Sumter High Football Player Damarion Daniel Signs with University of West Florida
By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter High Football Player Damarion Daniel Signs with University of West Florida
Damarion Daniel, a standout offensive guard from South Sumter High School, has signed to play college football at the University of West Florida, capping a decorated high school career built on hard work, leadership and family ties to the game.
Damarion is a three-year starter for the Raiders. He has officially put pen to paper as part of the Argonauts’ strong 2026 signing class announced earlier this month. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound lineman from Bushnell earned the spot after receiving offers from West Florida and Carson-Newman, among others.
South Sumter head football coach and athletic director Ty Lawrence, who has known Damarion since he was a young boy, praised the senior’s character and pedigree.
“He’s a great kid,” Lawrence says. “I’ve known him since he was little. His uncle, Kendall Smith, played for us years ago. Kendall was part of the Raiders’ state runner-up team, went on to be a captain at Florida State and is now the head strength and conditioning coach with the Dallas Cowboys. Class of ’07. Damarion’s got great DNA, a strong work ethic and he does everything the right way. He’s a great leader.”
Damarion maintains a 3.43 GPA in the classroom while excelling on the field. He recorded 103 pancake blocks during his career. He was dominant in the trenches as he opened up lanes for the South Sumter running backs. Traditionally the Raiders have been among the top rushing teams in the area due to their strong offensive line they produce yearly. The Raiders will feel his absence keenly.
“We will miss him a lot,” Lawrence added. “He’s just a good one. He holds teammates accountable and leads by example.”
Off the gridiron, Damarion is a well-liked figure among his peers. He competes on the school’s weightlifting team in the unlimited class and also participates in track and field, throwing shot put and discus.
Congratulations to Damarion, his family, friends and coaches who have helped him get to this point in his journey.
Photos provided.
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.
