Will take programs into the spring
Celebration and Poinciana have named new football coaches.
Jed Ebersole and Taron Mallard will lead the Storm and Eagles – and they’re slated to meet in the 2024 regular season opener.
Ebersole, 40, replaces Jeremy Palmer, who went 2-18 in his two seasons at the helm. He spent last season as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Lake Buena Vista. Prior to his arrival, the Vipers were 1-9 and were allowing more than 30 points a game. Last year, LBV posted a 5-4 record and the defense gave up just 18.4 points per game. He also served as LBV’s liaison to college football coaches and saw 12 of his players realize their dream of moving on to college football.
Previously, Ebersole spent three years at Windermere High School, where he was also defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. In that time, he helped the Wolves to their only high school playoff win in school history. In the spring of 2023, he was the school’s interim head coach.
Celebration Athletic Director Chad Boudreaux said, “We are really excited to have Coach Ebersole to take over our football program. We believe his knowledge and experience can turn this program into a winner. After speaking with him over the past few weeks and really getting to know him, Mr. Todd (CHS principal Christopher Todd) and I really feel that we all have the same goals moving forward. Coach Ebersole's vision and the plans for this program are going to move us forward, and hopefully take us from a bottom dweller to a very competitive team. I really look forward to seeing Coach Ebersole and his staff in action.”
Ebersole said he knows he has a big job in front of him. In its 22-year history, Celebration has had just two winning seasons – the last one coming in 2021 (7-4) under Rich Pringle. Both head coaches that recorded winning seasons (Pringle and Dennis Thomas) left the school the next year for another job.
“I would say that is the biggest difference between me and maybe some other coaches. I absolutely am not viewing this opportunity as a stepping stone to another job,” Ebersole said. “Celebration has a lot of potential. They have good leadership, good facilities and a diverse student body. Celebration is a blank canvas and I have an opportunity forge my own path and build a consistent winning program from scratch. I know there’s a ton of work to do, but I also know there’s a lot of potential here and I can’t wait to get started.”
Ebersole has been married 14 years to his wife Lauren and has two sons, JR (9) and Charlie (3). Ebersole says his family situation adds to his commitment to Celebration, which is slated to play in District 7A-10 for the next two seasons with Harmony, Tohopkeliga, Cypress Creek and Lake Nona.
“I want to establish roots in a great community, where I can raise my children. Celebration checks those boxes,” he said.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Ebersole played college football at Baldwin Wallace and the University of Akron.
Mallard will coach at his alma mater, and at 25 years old becomes one of the area’s youngest, if not the youngest, head coach. He replaces Randy Beeken, who school officials chose to replace after five seasons and a 20-29 record, including the best record (8-2 in 2022) in school history.
Mallard played for the Eagles in 2014-15 and was also a member of PHS’ 2016 Class 5A state championship basketball team. He went on to play tight end for three seasons at Bethune-Cookman University. After graduation he volunteered on the coaching staff to work with his brother, quarterback Daequon Bradley, before joining Beeken’s staff in 2022 to coach quarterbacks and wide receivers. He became the offensive coordinator early in the 2023 season, and said he’ll leave a lot in place in the offense and be “very hands-on” with it.
“It wasn’t my intent to become a head coach when I came back, but I’m a firm believer in God’s plan, and when I was able to apply I realized it’d be a good fit,” Mallard said.
He said he youth, while being a bit intimidating when meeting with other coaches thus far, will be a benefit at Poinciana, which will continue to play as an independent in 2024 and ’25.
“I can relate to these guys, and vice versa,” he said. “I have the chance to be a big brother to them. We’ve created the mentality of winners, and we’re going to try to keep that winning culture going for two more years and work toward getting back into a district.
Poinciana Athletic Director Tiffany King said it was important to bring in a new coach with a personal connection to the program, and to the community, where he’s worked with local elementary students.
“We are very happy to have him here and excited to see what he will do with the program,” King said.
Mallard said Celebration, Harmony, St. Cloud, Gateway and, of course, Liberty, are on the Eagles’ 2024 schedule.
