August 21, 2024
Tavares High’s Sammi Beatty Aims To Lead Volleyball To Success In Senior Year
By Kyle Coppola
Tavares High’s Sammi Beatty Aims To Lead Volleyball To Success In Senior Year
TAVARES, Fla. — Sammi Beatty, a senior at Tavares High School, is setting her sights on a standout volleyball season, hoping to lead her team to new heights in 2024. Beatty, who has been a dominant force on the court, is coming off a stellar 2023 season where she led the Bulldogs in multiple key categories.
Beatty finished last season with 264 kill shots, making her the team’s most prolific attacker. Her powerful and precise plays have consistently put points on the board for Tavares, earning her a reputation as one of the top players in Lake County. But her contributions don’t end there. Beatty also led the Bulldogs in total aces with 44 and digs with 177, showcasing her versatility on both offense and defense.
“She’s an incredible player and an even better person, Sammi’s humility and work ethic set the tone for our team. She leads by example, and her teammates really look up to her,” says Tavares head coach Rebecca Broadway.
Beatty isn’t alone in her pursuit of success for Tavares High. She’s supported by a strong cast of teammates, including juniors Laila Ellis and Charli Butts, who have proven to be reliable contributors. Ellis and Butts provide a solid backbone to the team’s defense and attack strategies.
Another key player for the Bulldogs is Christine Saducas, who led the team with 429 assists in 2023. Saducas’s exceptional playmaking abilities have been instrumental in setting up Beatty and the rest of the team for scoring opportunities. Saducas is one of the most un-selfish players I have ever watched play volleyball in Lake County and she continues to impress me every year.
(Sammi led Tavares in kill shots, digs and aces last season. She is looking forward to a big senior year.)
Together, this core group of players is focused on building on last year’s performance and pushing the Bulldogs deeper into the playoffs. For Beatty, it’s not just about personal achievements but about leading her team to collective success.
“I’m excited for what we can achieve this season,” Beatty said. “We’ve been working really hard, and I believe we have the talent and the chemistry to do something special.”
As she prepares for her final high school season, Beatty’s determination and leadership will undoubtedly be key to Tavares High’s chances. If her 2023 performance is any indication, the Bulldogs are in for an exciting season ahead.
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.
