Dragons Elite Athletics Expands Leadership Team with Addition of New Full Time Executive Director and Recognized Regional Directors

BOCA RATON, FL, July 31, 2025 /Prowly/

Dragons Elite Athletics, South Florida’s new force in youth sports, is proud to announce several key additions to its leadership team: Brandon Brader as Executive Director - Facilities and Community Relations, Sarah Hernandez as Executive Director - Teams and Boca Regional Director for Baseball, Orlando Arnold as Pembroke Pines Regional Director for Baseball, and Dominick Coppola, Director of Softball. By expanding its leadership team, Dragons Elite Athletics reinforces its commitment to delivering high-performance training, character-driven development, and clear pathways to excellence for young athletes in the community.

The recently appointed team have proven records of leadership, program development, and community engagement. They join Dragons Elite Athletics at a pivotal time as the organization expands to meet the needs of more families and athletes across South Florida. Their experience aligns with Dragons Elite’s mission of building confident, disciplined athletes prepared to excel in sports and life.

The team is complimented by the leadership team from One Dragon Services, the operational delivery group at Black Dragon Capital, who serve as the primary funding source for the groups activities. One Dragon provides, financial, marketing, sales, operational and related support to the organization to support it’s rapid expansion.

The executive team will work closely with the leadership team at For A Bright Future Foundation (a 501 (c) 3 organization) as part of their partnership for youth athletics and leadership.

Brandon has spent more than a decade leading high-performance teams. He has overseen more than 15 athletic leagues, and supervised more than 100 annual athletic events. A community Engagement & Large-Scale Event production executive with experience in multiple roles including Director of Parks and Recreation and Recreation Program Director in Coral Springs and West Feliciana. From launching a city partnership with the NHL’s Florida Panthers (Coral Springs) to implementing a sponsorship model that boosted recreation revenue. Brandon’s career has been rooted in sports and recreation — from Assistant Football Coach and Athletics Coordinator early on, to overseeing 600+ youth camp participants, 35 sports facilities, and hundreds of programs and events annually.

Sarah Hernandez is the Founder, Executive Director - Teams, Board Member, and Regional Director of Dragons Elite Athletics Boca Baseball. As a certified baseball and softball coach, she embodies the organization's mission to develop high potential athletes with leadership skills on and off the field. Hernandez has the distinction of having served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an aviation operation specialist for the presidential Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1 or Marine One), receiving an honorable discharge with the rank of sergeant. Before establishing Dragons Elite Athletics, she accumulated extensive experience across various industries, demonstrating her versatility and leadership capabilities. Her professional journey includes significant roles in finance, technology, and defense sectors, which collectively contributed to her comprehensive skill set and strategic vision. Previously an Executive at Black Dragon Capital, Open Solutions and a gun demonstrator, lead ISO Auditor, and Liaison between the Board of Directors and Chairman & CEO. Her diverse professional background provided her with a unique perspective and a broad skill set, which she leveraged when founding Dragons Elite Athletics. This venture reflects her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence, drawing on her extensive experience in leadership, technology, and quality assurance.

Born and raised in Detroit, a city steeped in sports tradition, Coach Orlando Arnold has lived and breathed the game since before he could walk. With athletic roots running deep through his family, Orlando earned a scholarship to play Division I baseball at Alabama State University. Orlando's journey has been defined by passion, perseverance, and purpose. Now based in Miami, Coach Arnold dedicates his life to helping young players—both boys and girls—unlock their full potential on and off the field. With a coaching philosophy grounded in growth, character-building, and consistency, Orlando doesn’t just build ballplayers—he shapes leaders. Whether it's guiding an 8-year-old to their first base hit or mentoring a high school standout toward a college scholarship, Coach Arnold sees every athlete as a story in progress.

Dominick Coppola has over a decade of leadership and coaching expertise to guide and inspire athletes to put in the hard work and reach their full potential. He has double Masters in Education for Special Education and Educational Leadership, which he has been able to fully utilize in his career as a High School Athletic Director. Coppola also has 20 years of service as a Naval and Coast Guard reservist. As the Director of Softball at Dragons Elite Athletics, Coppola will leverage his extensive experience as a youth coach for multiple sports to create an environment that will cultivate both athletic and personal growth.

“The team has extensive leadership experience in athletics and their dedication to community development align perfectly with our vision as we expand our programs and continue to build champions for life.” said Sarah Hernandez, Founder, Executive Director – Teams, and Boca Regional Director for Baseball.

This new leadership will guide Dragons Elite Athletics as it continues to expand its innovative, professionally managed youth sports model, providing high-performance training and clear, structured development paths that emphasize discipline, resilience, and character. Dragons Elite Athletics’ proprietary Dragons Elite Performance Framework and The Dragon Way methodology ensure that every athlete receives individualized, professional development in a nurturing, disciplined environment.

As part of the Black Dragon Capital family of companies, Dragons Elite Athletics upholds the values of operational excellence, discipline, and community impact. Their partnerships with Black Dragon Capital℠ and For A Bright Future Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development, enables Dragons Elite to deliver a new concept in youth athletics, providing a clear return on families’ investments while nurturing young leaders who will positively impact their communities.

Join the Movement. Be a Dragon.
The addition of Brandon Brader as Executive Director Facilities and Community Relations, Sarah Hernandez as Executive Director - Teams and Boca Regional Director for Baseball, Orlando Arnold as Regional Director for Pembroke Pines, and Dominick Coppola as Director of Dragons Elite Softball marks a significant milestone in Dragons Elite Athletics’ journey to redefine youth sports in South Florida, reinforcing its commitment to community, excellence, and building champions for life.

Commit to excellence. Commit to growth. Commit to being your best.

About Dragons Elite Athletics
Dragons Elite Athletics is a premier youth sports organization based in South Florida, dedicated to developing elite-level athletes through high-performance training, character building, and disciplined development. Founded by Sarah Hernandez, an executive with Black Dragon Capital℠, former Marine and certified baseball and softball coach, along with a team of experienced business leaders, educators and former professional athletes, Dragons Elite Athletics' mission is to develop high potential athletes on and off the field. The organization offers year-round training, elite travel baseball and softball teams, and developmental camps led by licensed coaches and former athletes. At the core of Dragons Elite is a proprietary performance framework, The Dragon Way, designed to help every athlete reach their full potential both on and off the field. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and long-term success, Dragons Elite Athletics is not just building players, it’s shaping champions for life.

Learn more: www.dragonseliteathletics.com

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Black Dragon Capital℠ (BDC), founded over a decade ago by recognized sports and technology leaders, is a unique multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high growth industry segments that strengthen economic stability within communities. The firm was founded and led by a collaborative team of experienced entrepreneurs with intense operating experience, and a proven track record. They work closely with entrepreneurs to build market leading companies using their proprietary Black Dragon Toolkit℠, which is designed to drive operational value and returns.

Learn more at www.blackdragoncap.com

About Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future 
Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development. Our initiatives provide equal opportunity for all children to have the tools and opportunities to fulfill their life goals and become constructive members of our global community. Learn more at forabrightfuturefoundation.org.

Media Contact:
Daniel Carles

Head of Marketing, Black Dragon Capital
dcarles@blackdragoncap.com

SOURCE Dragons Elite Athletics