June 4, 2026
Tavares High’s Melvyn McIntyre Shatters Longstanding Discus Record, Qualifies for Adidas National
By Kyle Coppola
Tavares High’s Melvyn McIntyre Shatters Longstanding Discus Record, Qualifies for Adidas National
Melvyn McIntyre has chased the Tavares High School discus record for years. Since eighth grade, he kept the name of the record-holder, Kenneth Smith, on a slip of paper on his wall as daily motivation through personal growth and physical development.
This spring, the junior finally shattered that 18-year-old mark. Yet Melvyn’s biggest breakthrough came after switching his primary event to shot put. It was a calculated risk that delivered a coveted qualification to Adidas Nationals.
“The way I grew from last year was a big change,” Melvyn says. “I took the risk of changing my main event from the discus to the shot put.”
The move has paid clear dividends. While the discus record stood as a long-term goal, his shot put performances this season opened the door to national competition.
Melvyn’s journey in track and field began in seventh grade. After a parent-teacher conference, Coach Kevin Von Maxey suggested he join the team to help stay accountable with his grades. What started as a practical nudge quickly became a passion. He showed early talent in the discus and spent years honing that event before this season’s pivot.
One of his most memorable experiences came at the FSU Relays, where the intense competition, crowd energy, and pressure brought out his best. Qualifying for Adidas Nationals was a goal he set at the beginning of the year. When his coach first broke the news, it didn’t immediately feel real. Confirmation arrived with the official invitation.
“Once I got that invitation my nerves settled and I could relax for a little,” Melvyn says.
Outside of competition, Melvyn credits his faith as his strongest guiding force. He is intentional about personal growth, focusing on becoming the leader and man of God he wants to be.
He also runs a successful photography business he launched the summer before his freshman year. The idea began when his parents suggested he bring a camera to his brother’s AAU basketball tournaments. What started as simple game documentation has grown into a thriving small enterprise.
Looking ahead, Melvyn plans to study radiology with the goal of becoming an X-ray technician. He also intends to continue building his work as a content creator. He operates by a clear personal philosophy, “You’re a product of your environment and you live most of your life inside your head. Make sure it’s a good place.”
His advice to others, “To all the boys out there, the most manly thing you can do is give your life to Jesus”
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.
