December 4, 2024
South Sumter High Football Player Ja’kyrian Turner Commits to University of Pittsburgh
By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter High Football Player Ja’kyrian Turner Commits to University of Pittsburgh
Bushnell, Fla. — South Sumter High School standout Ja’kyrian Turner announced his commitment to the University of Pittsburgh today, during his signing ceremony at South Sumter High School. The three-star recruit, celebrated for his speed and agility on the field, chose the Panthers over offers from Delaware, Eastern Michigan, FAU, Nebraska, Texas State, USF, Wake Forest, and West Virginia.
Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 160 pounds, Turner has been a dynamic force for the Raiders, earning attention from college scouts since early last year. His versatility and work ethic made him a key player in South Sumter’s success.
(Ja’kyrian was all smiles as he signed his commitment to Pitt. It was a fantastic moment as his friends, family and student body cheered loudly.)
Turner, who carries a 3.23 GPA, plans to study Sports Medicine at Pitt.
“We are so proud of Ja’Kyrian,” said South Sumter head coach Ty Lawrence. “He’s not only an incredible athlete but also a dedicated student. Pitt is getting an exceptional young man.”
Turner’s decision marks a significant milestone for the Bushnell community, as he becomes the latest Raider to make the jump to Division I football.
(Ja’kyrian was so excited to further his academic and playing career at Pitt. He had a lot of family support and we are very proud of this young man.)
“I felt at home at Pitt,” Turner said. “The coaching staff, the facilities, and the academic opportunities made it the perfect fit for me. I’m excited to represent my family, my school, and my hometown at the next level.”
Turner joined four other football players signing including George Mullins who signed with Michigan State University, Rashad Johnson who signed with Texas A&M, Malakhi Boone who signed with UCF and Ramell Parker who signed with Charleston Southern University.
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.
