April 1, 2024
Leesburg High School Senior Pursues Hoop Dreams with Determination and Drive
By Kyle Coppola
Leesburg High School Senior Pursues Hoop Dreams with Determination and Drive
Jermarien WIlliams
Leesburg High School senior Jermarien Williams has big dreams.
The 6-foot-8 Yellow Jackets phenom hopes to play basketball in college and the NBA and he’s well on his way.
Jermarian, who has been playing basketball since he was 3 years old, averages 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals a game — numbers that will likely merit an athletic scholarship to college.
That’s the goal for the star who has increased his scoring average all four years at LHS.
“My plan after high school is to go to college and major in business. Currently, I have interest from a few programs, and I look forward to continuing my academic and playing career,” Jermarien says.
To crosstrain, Jermarien says he enjoys spending time at the gym and working out but doesn’t really have a routine. Each day he focuses on getting better — be it on or off the court. He especially likes to focus on shooting in practice.
“I always like team camaraderie as well,” Jermarien says. “Funny story is last year this team went to Miami. All the boys went chasing alligators and that was one of the most fun moments for us. It was a true team bonding moment. I think that helped us all get much closer to each other.”
Many of Jermarien’s favorite memories revolve around basketball.
“Just traveling to different places and getting better at the game of basketball,” he says, recalling some of his best memories. “I love my teammates and coaches. I am thankful for my mom, Rosemary, and girlfriend, Destiny, for always standing by my side.”
Jermarien is particularly close to his mother, who, as one can imagine, is very proud of her son.
“He pours his heart and soul into the game, and it shows on the court,” Rosemary says.
Jermarien looks up to former Leesburg High basketball player Keon Ellis, who plays with the Sacramento Kings, assistant coaches D’mani Nettles and Cam Smith, and especially Leesburg High School head basketball coach Sean Campbell, who is like a father figure to Jermarien.
“I look at all the great players who have come through Leesburg High and I think to myself, ‘I want to be just like them,’” Jermarien says. “They are an inspiration to me and so many others.”
So is Kevin Durant. Jermarien works to model the way he plays the game. Specifically, Jermarien says he loves Kevin Durant’s style and the way he moves.
As for the next generation of basketball players, Jermarien has some advice.
“Always trust yourself,” he says. “Never give up on what you start. You can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
