By Kyle Coppola
Villages Football Star Jonathan Harding Commits To Memphis
Jonathan Harding has committed to Memphis to play football in 2025. The senior is coming into his final year at The Villages Charter High School and has had a stellar career.
Harding is a 6’4”, 225-pound tight end. He can block and catch the ball. He has been one of the greatest tight ends to play the position in Sumter County in some time.As a three-star recruit, Harding had offers from all over the country but committed to Memphis.
(The Harding Family is excited about Jonathan’s commitment. Memphis is part of the American Athletic Conference)
“First and foremost, I give all praise and glory to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. His grace, mercy, and love have brought me to this moment, and the Holy Spirit has guided me through every step of adversity along the way. I want to express my gratitude to Coach Salem and Coach Silverfield for believing in me and offering me the incredible opportunity to join the Memphis family. To my parents, words cannot express the depth of my gratitude. Your endless sacrifice and love have shaped me into the person I am today. To my siblings, thank you for always pushing me to be my best. Our constant competition has fueled my drive and determination to succeed, and I am grateful for our bond. I also want to recognize Coach Pettus for his mentorship and profound impact on my development as a player and as a person. Coach Charles, thank you for pushing me in the weight room as well and helping me grow physically and mentally. To all my coaches throughout the years, from youth to high school, thank you for believing in my potential and shaping my skills both on and off the field. Special thank you to Damond Talbot, Trent Luera, and Maurice Jones for your invaluable support and assistance throughout the recruiting process. I am committed to giving everything I have for the Tigers,” says Harding.
The University of Memphis is getting an incredible tight end. Last season, Harding caught 39 receptions for 451 yards. He averaged 11.6 yards per catch, with 2 touchdowns. His work as a defensive player was also impressive, as Harding managed 52 tackles on the year, with 17 solo.
He’s going to be an amazing talent, and we are so excited to watch his career progress. Harding gets to play with his brother, Patrick Harding, who is the quarterback for The Villages. It’s always fun to see the brothers connect. They will get one last year to do that as Patrick Harding comes into his junior year.
Congratulations to the Harding family and everyone for working with this young man. This is a big step in his life, and we know he will do great things!
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.
