Ex-Ridge Community soccer goalie's life prepares him for the next level

Zac Coppin’s life has prepared him for some big soccer stages.

Earlier this season playing goalkeeper for the Lakeland United, he laid it on the line by crouching down to a low point, making a save in a one-on-one situation versus the Florida Tropics in a United Premier Soccer League game.

But Coppin was in a similar situation at Ridge Community High as a player in the 2020 season.

“I learned quite a lot," Coppin said about his match against the Tropics. "It was a good experience to be able to learn to take the pressure in, because obviously, it’s always a big game when you’re playing against somebody in the local town, whether it’s a local rivalry or just (a team) playing in the same county or town as you.

"It was a big pressure game. To take the pressure and kind of relieve during the game and stay calm with the game, I learned quite a lot.”

The 19-year-old learned that he would be the starter from United head coach Tauan Salgado after starting goalie Dylan Ramos needed to travel outside the country to play with the United States Virgin Islands national soccer team.

He was in a similar situation at Ridge Community during the 2020 soccer season. Coppin, who played for the Celebration Tropics his first three years while attending Ridge, was asked by Ridge Community coach Abel Casique to be the backup goalie to starter Marcel Medina.

That experience — a timeline that preceded a district championship — braced him for the opportunity with Lakeland United.

“I learned a lot of communication," he said. "There was a lot of different boys that spoke different languages on that team, and even on Ridge, a lot of boys didn’t speak English,” Coppin said. “I learned a lot, whether it was simple key phrases, whether they could drop back to help defend. Just things like that, a little communication.”

How Coppin started playing soccer

That transition of learning new people and languages was seamless for Coppin because of his upbringing.

Coppin was born in Southeast London but by the time he was 5 years old his father died of an unexpected heart attack.

Coppin’s mother, Pamela, regularly took her son to Manchester United soccer games — she was a season ticket holder since she was 15.

The spirit of soccer in England helped Coppin make the decision to play for a local club team affiliated with the Crystal Palace FC soccer club. His mother was the one to take him to games and practices.

His mother was a successful restaurant owner in London but her dream was to move to the United States. After finding an opportunity to take over a Mediterranean-American restaurant in Fort Myers, she decided to move from London to Florida in 2011.

Zac, who was just 8 years old, helped with picking up food and items for the restaurant. And, while attending Gulf Elementary School, he played soccer in a recreation league.

In 2015, Coppin’s mother started a sports-catering business and moved to Davenport. Some of her clients include the Palm Beach Cardinals, Dunedin Blue Jays and the Tampa Tarpons, among others. Zac continued to help his mother with delivering food and setting up the venues.

All these experiences helped him in life and on the soccer field. After playing soccer for recreation, he began playing competitively for the Four Corners Falcons, the Celebration Tropics, Ridge Community High and the Florida Tropics.

And now, Coppin is a captain for Lakeland United’s second team that plays in the second division of the UPSL.

“I have to attribute that to seeing my mom and helping her in those circumstances with the catering company,” he said.

Life’s experiences prepared Coppin for the competition that Lakeland United play against and Salgado sees the maturity and great promise in his goalie.

“I believe he is on his way to be a very good college goalkeeper,” Salgado said. “He is extremely mature and dedicated and, what most people don’t even know, he is also an avid student of the game.

"We have had conversations about tactics and philosophies of the game for this past semester to the point of truly impressing me with the amount of knowledge he possesses and the way he sees the game already at a young age. I believe he will be a great leader, and I also think he will make a great coach in the future.”

Coppin will continue to play for Lakeland United through the playoffs, though his play to this point has already led to him committing to Salem University.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Ex-Ridge Community soccer goalie's life prepares him for the next level