Faith, courage, strength and hope.
William Collett of Saint Francis Catholic Academy had a different journey than most student athletes.
He took those steps day by day.
The Class of 2025 graduate was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the end of elementary school. After 1,219 days of treatment at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, Collett rang the bell to signal the end of cancer in September of 2020.
There was one thing that got the Collett family through this challenging time.
“What stands out the most is faith, his faith, our faith,” said his dad, Tom Collett. “We handed everything to the Lord.”
The outgoing senior returned to his love of basketball.
“From a young age, I got into basketball, and my love of the game came from a combination of my Little Tikes hoop and my dad’s passion for the game and his attentiveness to my game and coaching me,” William said.
For decades, his dad, Tom, has been the PA Voice of Florida Gators men’s basketball, giving William a passion for the sport at an early age.
“I enjoyed taking him to Gator basketball games,” Tom said. “When I worked him out, the main drill we worked on was catch and shoot.”
The James Naismith Courage Award Nominee played all four years of high school and finished his senior year by averaging 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
He earned honorable mention All Area recognition as a junior and a senior for the Wolves, who finished 14-9 this past year.
By the end of the 2024-25 season, Collett led Class 2A in 3-point field goals made with a school record 84 to finish 75th nationally. He shot 43% from behind the arc.
He said the key was “just keep shooting my shot and keep trying to get in the zone.”
“If I shoot a shot and I miss, it’s just like it’s what happens, so we get back and play defense,” he said. “The next possession is the next possession, and the next possession is whatever the team makes it, and if it’s my shot, then it’s my shot.”
One of his favorite high school sports moments was this past February when he hit an off-balance 3-pointer in the left corner with five seconds to play to defeat rival Oak Hall, 59-56, in the 2A-District 2 Quarterfinals. He finished with 27 points, just six shy of his career high.
The performance earned him the UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week.
On Jan. 23, he single-handedly outscored Countryside Christian with 29 points in a 64-22 win.
“As he goes, we go,” Saint Francis Catholic coach Larry Walker said following Collett’s 29-point game. “Once he gets started getting a couple of threes raining, he gets in a zone. The basket seems like it’s an ocean to him.”
William, who scored 14 points on four 3-pointers at this year’s The Prep Zone All-Star Showcase, had other favorite sports moments.
“The times I got to spend with all my teammates, especially when we mounted a 26-point comeback my sophomore year against Dixie County (Cross City),” he said. “Though we lost in a one-possession game, it was a game that bonded all of us together.”
He finished his prep career for the Wolves on the track and field team (javelin and discus). The 3-year competitor was a two-time regional qualifier in the discus competition and had a personal record of 34.5 meters.
Collett, who also swam during his junior year, was recently named the Meldon Law Scholar Male Athlete of the Year.
In addition to his success as an athlete, he excelled in the classroom with High Honor Roll for eight consecutive quarters at SFCA.
He earned the AP Scholar with Honors Award and the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award.
William was also Mu Alpha Theta Honors three years in a row and was admitted to the National Honor Society (Academics and Service).
Despite the busy schedule, he was able to balance athletics and academics.
“The key was to learn time management early and use it to your advantage,” William said. “Pay attention to your time clearly and take every opportunity to lead.”
Now that his high school career is over, he’s had time to reflect.
“I will remember all the times I got the opportunity from my coach and my teammates to lead them onto the court/field into the laboring match or meet ahead,” he said. “It was truly a great honor and experience I will never forget.”
As he passes the torch to the next senior outgoing senior, William offered some advice.
“Vigilantly learn time management and seek greatness,” he said. “It will serve you in high school and well beyond.”
Despite the heavy time constraints, William stays active during his free time.
“I am a big athlete and enjoy a lot of things that move my body, so working out, training, golfing, and hanging out with friends are some of my favorite things to do,” he said.
Not long after school ended, he reported to the U.S. Naval Academy on June 26 for “plebe summer, a physical test unlike no other.”
“Afterwards, I will serve in the United States Navy or Marine Corps for my service after the Academy,” William said. “I am majoring in Quantitative Economics and after that time in the service, I plan to use that degree in the workforce to better our world.”
He’s living his best life now.
“William has lived a very blessed life,” Tom said. “His battle with leukemia has made him mentally strong, and he is much more mature for his age than I was. His health situation brought our family very close together, and the outreach from so many in the Gainesville, Queen of Peace Catholic and Gator communities uplifted the Collett family, giving us courage, strength, and hope. He is living his dream with the appointment to the United States Naval Academy. We are excited for his future.”