For Copeland, Family Matters

Gaithersburg Star Is on the Rebound After Personal Losses

Guardians Cedric and Wanda Boatman have enabled LaTanya Copeland, above, to stabilize a turbulent life, and become a standout player and much-improved student at Gaithersburg. (Toni L. Sandys - The Washington Post)

The young woman's face lit up as she bounded quickly across the living room floor, jumping into the arms of Cedric Boatman, who had returned home after an evening of security work. At 6 feet 7, Boatman is so huge that 18-year-old LaTanya Copeland seemed to get lost in his embrace. All the while, Boatman's wife, Wanda, looked on, smiling.

For Copeland, the moment captured the dramatic change that has enabled her to stabilize a turbulent life, and become a standout basketball player and much-improved student at Gaithersburg High. The 6-foot Copeland has emerged as a dominant center in Montgomery County, leading the unbeaten and seventh-ranked Trojans (22-0) with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks per game entering today's Maryland 4A West Region tournament game against Blake (8-13).

She has overcome the deaths of her grandmother and mother in the past four years -- which left her responsible for caring for her 12-year-old brother, Trevor. At one point, after her grandmother's death in February 2004, she did not know where she and her brother would live. Enter Cedric Boatman, her former assistant coach, who with his wife decided to become the permanent guardians of the Copelands a year ago.

"It was really tough watching her be ill," said Copeland of her mother, who died after a three-year battle with cancer. "It was really upsetting. . . . When my grandmother passed, that was really hard. I thought, 'That's it.' I always had asked myself what would you do if your grandmother passed away. That was always my fear."

Copeland, who has never met her father, learned to play basketball from her mother, Lynne, a 6-1 lanky center at Gaithersburg who led the Trojans to three regional titles and two appearances in the state finals before graduating in 1981. She went on to play two seasons at American University, where she still holds several team records.

The younger Copeland can't remember a time when there wasn't a basketball around the house. She remembers her mother toting her to the recreational games she signed her up for at age 8. At 9, the elder Copeland would have her daughter practice her shooting form every night by lying on the floor, and tossing the ball in the air.

As she got older, LaTanya and her mother engaged in fierce one-on-one battles on the blacktop in the park. Her mother taught her the footwork for post moves, and defending opponents in the interior.

"I never beat her," said Copeland, who wears her mother's jersey number -- 23. "That wasn't happening. She had a deadly shot that wouldn't quit. It was amazing. I was like, 'How are you making these?' I would just cry because I couldn't beat her."

But at age 32, Lynne Copeland was diagnosed with cancer. With her mother in and out of hospitals, LaTanya assumed more responsibility in their household at age 11.

Lynne Copeland wanted her daughter to attend Bullis, a Potomac private school, graduate and go to college. The coach of Bullis's varsity girls' team, Wayne Ferrell, had known Lynne Copeland since their childhood growing up together in Montgomery County. LaTanya enrolled in 1999.

With her mother ill, LaTanya would practice with the Bullis middle school team and then go home to Gaithersburg, where she would help make dinner among other chores. She spent countless nights up until 2 a.m. trying to complete her homework. Most mornings, she was responsible for waking up her brother, getting him bathed and ready for school.

Suffering from breast cancer, LaTanya's mother endured weight loss and exhaustion from treatments. She never went into remission as the disease spread. In August 2000, Copeland was scheduled to play in an AAU game. But her mother got ill on the day she was supposed to fly out, and LaTanya stayed behind. Lynne Copeland died a few days later at age 36 with LaTanya and her relatives by her side. Copeland and her brother then moved in with their grandmother, Esther.

Boatman met Copeland when she joined the Bullis varsity in the winter of 2000. An assistant at the school for nine years, he had the reputation for being a confidante for players. He would offer outside personal training to players looking to improve their skills. He would soothe hurt feelings that would sometimes surface after criticism by Ferrell.

"He knew my situation and took notice of me," Copeland said. "He's really a good person to talk to. We just had this connection."