January 10, 2025
Tavares High Sophomre Basketball Player Amare Walker Balances 3.9 GPA And Basketball Success
By Kyle Coppola
Tavares High Sophomre Basketball Player Amare Walker Balances 3.9 GPA And Basketball Success
TAVARES, Fla. — Tavares High School sophomore Amare Walker has quickly made a name for himself, both in the classroom and on the basketball court, since his family relocated from New Jersey to Florida. With a 3.9 GPA and a knack for making an impact in games, Walker has seamlessly integrated into the Tavares High basketball program, contributing to the team’s success under third-year head coach Berkley Carey.
(Walker has been impressive this seaon. He is also a fantastic student off the court. Photo Credit – Tavares High.)
“Amare is one of those players who makes everyone around him better,” Carey said. “He’s not just talented; he’s a student of the game, a hard worker, and a great teammate. We’re lucky to have him.”
Walker has been a steady force for Tavares this season, averaging 7.3 points per game while amassing 88 points and 26 rebounds. Known for his defensive prowess, Walker has recorded 17 steals and is second on the team in assists with 20. His ability to impact both ends of the floor has been instrumental in Tavares’ strong campaign as they look for their first winning season in two decades.
The sophomore’s transition from New Jersey to Florida hasn’t just been smooth—it’s been transformative. Walker’s dedication to his academics matches his commitment to basketball, earning praise from teachers and teammates alike.
(Walker goes in for a layup against Mount Dora. Photo Credit – Tavares High.)
“Amare has embraced everything about being here,” Carey said. “He’s a great example of how hard work and a positive attitude can lead to success.”
“I love my teammates and Florida basketball is fast. It’s made me a better player and I have learned how to have patients on the floor.” says Amare. He has also been one of the team leaders. Despite Amare only being a sophomore Tavares High School has no seniors on the team this season. That’s allowed players like himself and fellow sophomore Kevin Daniels to become leaders. “It’s been enjoyable, each guy knows his role and we have Izayia Williams we play with and he’s a heck of an athlete. It’s just been a great season and we are enjoying every moment of it.” says Amare.
Tavares High School is coming into the final stretch of the regular season. “We hope to not only have a winning year but contend in the district this season. It’s been a long time since Tavares High could have said that. This group of guys is great this season and its been fun to see the community support us.” says coach Carey.
This is great to see Tavares High having so much success. There are some fantastic athletes on the team and this could be the first team in over two decades to have a winning record. Time will tell, but things are looking up for Tavares High basketball.
Check out Amare on the Sports Hub Podcast
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.
