November 7, 2024
Wildwood Middle High Girls Cross-Country Team Advance To Regionals For First Time
By Kyle Coppola
Wildwood Middle High Girls Cross-Country Team Advance To Regionals For First Time
Wildwood, Fla. — In a groundbreaking season for Wildwood Middle High School, the girls’ cross-country team is making waves as they advance to regionals for the first time in school history. This achievement is especially significant as it marks the first time Wildwood has fielded a full girls’ team capable of competing as a unit.
(This is the first cross-country girls team to qualify for Regionals in Wildwood Middle High history.)
Longtime Wildwood Middle High supporter and former runner from the 1990s, Robby Strickland, expressed pride in the team’s accomplishments, noting the school’s lack of a full girls’ squad in previous years. “This is a first for Wildwood, both to have a complete team and to see them advance past districts,” Robby said. “It’s an incredible milestone for the program.”
(Damian Spurrier put together an impressive performance and came out as the District Champion. He will be looking to punch his ticket to the State Finals.)
While the girls’ team has made strides, the boys’ team also saw standout performances despite not fielding a full roster this season. Senior Damian Spurrier claimed the district championship title. He’s been one of Wildwood’s top runners and is hoping to make it to States. Joining him at regionals is junior Emory Strickland, who qualified as an individual.
(Emory Strickland is a regional qualifyer on the boys side. While the Wildwood boys did not have enough members to put together a full team this season, they have some amazing individual runners.)
The Wildwood boys’ cross-country team has qualified for states in the past three years, making this year’s more limited participation an adjustment for the program. Nevertheless, both the boys’ and girls’ teams are leaving a mark on the season, with fresh opportunities for Wildwood athletes at regionals.
The enthusiasm around Wildwood cross-country continues to build as the girls’ team prepares for its historic debut at regionals. We are so excited for them! Make sure to wish them luck in the comments! Go Wildcats!!
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.
