“Unveiling History”: Coral Springs Teammates Make History on Tuskegee’s First Women’s Soccer Team

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Zoe Burt and Kaydine Celeste. {Alabama A&M}

Two Coral Springs players are helping launch Tuskegee University’s first women’s soccer team as cameras document the historic inaugural season.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas graduate Zoe Burt and J.P. Taravella graduate Kaydine Celeste are teammates on Tuskegee University’s inaugural women’s soccer team, which began competition this semester as the university launched NCAA men’s and women’s soccer for the first time in its 145-year history.

Their inaugural season is also being documented for “Unveiling History,” a docuseries following Tuskegee’s first NCAA men’s and women’s soccer programs as the players and coaches build both teams from the ground up.

Burt, a freshman defender, arrived at Tuskegee directly from Marjory Stoneman Douglas and said the transition was made easier by the support around her.

“My transition from Marjory Stoneman Douglas to Tuskegee was smooth,” Burt told Coral Springs Talk. “I was blessed to have such a strong support system while going through this new phase in my life.”

Celeste, a junior defender and J.P. Taravella graduate, took a different route to Tuskegee. She returned to college athletics after a year away and entered the new program as one of its more experienced players, giving younger teammates someone to lean on as the Golden Tigers establish their identity.

For Burt, adjusting to life away from South Florida took some time, but she said academics and her new teammates have helped ease the transition.

“I have connected with my teammates well and have been able to get along with them,” she said. “I have been surrounded by a supportive and competitive environment.”

Tuskegee’s first women’s soccer season represents more than a new sport on campus. The university is building the program from scratch, from recruiting and training to traditions that future teams could inherit.

Burt said being part of that process was an opportunity she could not pass up.

“It feels so empowering to be a part of something that is growing to become a strong program,” she said.

The significance became more tangible once the team took the field.

“The significance of being part of an inaugural team really sunk in for me at the first game,” Burt said. “Just being in the atmosphere, seeing all the people that came to support, and the band was such an unreal feeling.”

Head Coach Emmanuel Stephens, a veteran of HBCU women’s soccer programs, has described the team’s mission as setting a standard and building a legacy that will outlast its first roster.

For Burt and Celeste, that history carries an additional hometown connection.

“Being able to share this historic experience with another player that is from Coral Springs is even more special because we get to represent where we are from despite the different paths we took to get to Tuskegee,” Burt said.

Burt said she hopes the story of the school’s first team ultimately shows what can happen when players remain committed through the inevitable challenges.

“There are going to be hard times and not everything is going to be perfect,” she said, “but as long as you show that you are dedicated and put in the work, things will work out.”

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiple outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.