St. Francis Catholic Academy senior William Collett has had a journey like few others in youth sports. The shooting guard has overcome tremendous obstacles to become the captain of the St. Francis Catholic Academy varsity basketball team, earning this week's UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week honor.
With just seven seconds left and the Wolves' season on the line, Collett sank a corner 3-pointer in the district quarterfinals to defeat rival Oak Hall for the third time this season. The shot, which brought him to 27 points—six shy of his career high—propelled the Wolves forward in the playoffs.
"I was the first option on the play, and my goal was to get open," Collett said. "I was able to create enough space to get a shot up, and I knew it was in when it left my hand. Seeing the crowd go crazy and my teammates hugging me—it was a moment I'll never forget."
Collett's journey hasn't been without hardship. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the end of elementary school and spent more than 1,000 days traveling to UF Health Shands Children's Hospital for treatment. Under the care of Dr. William Slayton, professor and chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Florida, Dr. John Fort, and their team, Collett rang the bell after 1,219 days of treatment, signaling the end of his fight with leukemia.
"You can never let the low moments define you," Collett said. "My journey drew out a ton of positives, and I was able to overcome the recurring rate of survivors who aren't physically fit. I'm really proud to have been able to do that."
After regaining his strength, Collett worked tirelessly, putting up shot after shot in the gym to become one of the area's top shooters. He went from averaging six points per game as a sophomore to 11 as a junior and now 18 as a senior. Throughout his high school career, Collett appeared in 67 games.
"Looking back, it's just been a really special group of guys," Collett said. "My teammates have become my brothers, and we're just one big family all trying to compete as hard as we can. ‘Rewarding' is the first word that comes to mind—I couldn't imagine not having been a part of the St. Francis family."
Collett will now shift focus to track season, where he will compete in javelin and discus. He will also finish his time as student body president before deciding on his future. He is considering attending the University of Florida or joining the U.S. Naval Academy.
Each weekly winner is eligible for a $2,500 scholarship as the UF Health High School Athlete of the Year. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the 2024-25 academic year.