- April 24, 2024
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Tate Winecoff said his plan entering high school was to get involved in everything he could. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Tate Winecoff and his girlfriend Alyssa Sa were the Pirates' homecoming queen and king. They were also homecoming princess and prince as freshmen. File photo
Tate Winecoff, left, and Latavion Wright tackle a Gainesville High ball carrier on Sept. 17. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Tate Winecoff wears the big-play robe after scoring his first of three touchdowns against Ridgeview on Oct. 15. File photo
The term “I should have” is not in Tate Winecoff’s vocabulary.
The Matanzas High School senior likes to get involved. He plays football and basketball and will also be on the weightlifting team this spring. He is president of the Student Government Association as well as the Pirate Athletic Committee. He’s a member of the Leo Club and the National Honor Society.
“He probably has the most school spirit of anyone I've seen come through Matanzas in a long time. ... On Western Day, he’ll come in a full cowboy outfit. If he could bring a horse on campus he would.”
ROB ROE, Matanzas SGA advisor
He has a 5.0 weighted GPA in the AICE program and takes AP classes. He’s a straight-A student, remembering just one B in his academic career – in fifth grade, when he missed the A grade by a fraction of a percentage point. He is partially dual-enrolled, taking two classes at Daytona State College and three classes at Matanzas. He also has two jobs, working part-time at Publix and at Surfside Shakes.
“When I came into high school, it was always my goal to have no regrets and to basically try to get involved in everything that I could,” Winecoff said. “You never know if you're going to like it until you do it. And so, ever since I was a freshman, I've just tried to get involved in every club that might seem of interest and every event that I might enjoy, and it's opened up a lot of opportunities to me, especially in SGA.”
Winecoff was the SGA’s treasurer as a sophomore and the vice president as a junior before becoming president this year.
“He’s a big-time contributor,” SGA advisor Rob Roe said. “He probably has the most school spirit of anyone I’ve seen come through Matanzas in a long time. He will do anything you ask of him.”
Winecoff said the value of serving others was introduced to him at a young age.
“I’ve always tried to give back,” he said. “My parents are super big on always trying to help others and being a blessing in your community. That was a principle taught to me very young. I think once you get into high school the windows of opportunity you have to do that increase so much, because there are so many, different ways you can get involved.”
The SGA is Winecoff’s favorite organization because it serves the school as well as the community. It plans homecoming and prom. In 2020, SGA members had zoom calls with residents of assisted living facilities “to help them see some faces, because they didn’t get visitors during COVID,” Winecoff said. This past year, the SGA sent thank-you cards to hospital workers.
“It’s just really nice, especially being the president, to be able to oversee everything and watch your fellow members work so hard and pull off a successful event and see all the smiling faces that are a result of something we did,” he said.
Winecoff has always tried to support the Pirates’ athletes by attending at least one game a year for every sport. As president of the Pirate Athletic Committee he helps plan events at games. And separately, with the help of a few friends, he’s organized student sections at athletic events with a different theme for each game.
There was the construction theme at a volleyball game against Flagler Palm Coast with students wearing hard hats. There was a holiday theme at a basketball game with students wearing Grinch and Santa costumes, ugly sweaters and Christmas pajamas. And Winecoff doesn’t just organize, he goes all-in.
“On Western Day, he’ll come in a full cowboy outfit,” Roe said. “If he could bring a horse on campus he would.”
Of course, in his own sports he goes the extra mile as well.
He’s played just about every position on the football field. Primarily a receiver, he also plays on defense and special teams. He filled in at quarterback when he was needed this season, scoring three touchdowns in a 32-8 victory against Orange Park Ridgeview. He’s also a holder, long snapper and backup kicker and punter. His versatility will help, should he decide to walk-on to a football team in college, he said.
“He’s always been a program-guy. He’s always worked hard in the weight room,” said football coach Matt Forrest. “He’s a team-first guy. We’ve asked him to play multiple positions, and his response is always, ‘whatever I can do to help the team.’ To have him on the football team my first two years here has spoiled us.”
One wonders how he finds time for everything.
“I struggle when I don’t have anything to do. I get bored very easily. I’ve always believed that you can do anything you put your mind to.”
TATE WINECOFF
“I struggle when I don’t have anything to do,” he said. “I get bored very easily. I’ve always believed that you can do anything you put your mind to. I can always find time during the day, whether I have to rearrange a schedule.”
Winecoff plans to major in business and finance in college. He has been accepted to UCF, USF, Appalachian State and Tennessee and is waiting to hear from Florida, Clemson and Wake Forest.
Like he has done in high school, Winecoff plans to make the most of his collegiate experience.
“He’s one of those people who uses his gifts to make everybody better,” said Matanzas athletic director Jordan Butler. “He is everything and embodies everything we want in a student athlete. We preach: Person, student, player. And he’s the total package.”
