Mykel Benson named Heritage head football coach
Bayside High graduate Mykel Benson was named head football coach at Heritage on Monday, succeeding Mark Ainsley.
Benson moves up from offensive coordinator, while Ainsley is expected to remain on the staff as an assistant coach.
Benson played for Bayside, graduating in 2006. He played for Florida A&M and graduated in 2010. Benson played arena football from 2011 through 2019, and he was a three-time first-team All-Arena player, finishing his career with 1,765 yards (second in AFL history) and 123 touchdowns (third).
Benson played on Arena Bowl championship teams with the Philadelphia Soul in 2017 and the Albany Empire in '19. He plans to use his history with championship teams in his new role.
"One think I learned about championship teams is it really starts from the culture and the structure," Benson said. "I really want these kids to stay together, because that's how you build a dynasty, keeping these kids together for four years."
Panthers athletic director Ajay Ulmer said administrators took a similar approach to Benson, who is 34.
"We just felt he's going to be a good, young up-and-coming head coach, and we didn't want to let him get away," Ulmer said. "We decided he was someone who could do a lot for the program."
Ainsley was the head coach for the program for nine seasons after three seasons of heading the Holy Trinity program. He was the longest-tenured head coach in Brevard County.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: New Palm Bay Heritage head football coach is Mykel Benson
