When it comes to sports, William Mercure has done it all from fall to spring. His high school experience has been centered around athletics. In 2024, Mercure was warming up for a pole vaulting event. This warm-up was not like the rest. When he went up and began going over the bar, he missed the mat and landed on his head.
“I fractured my skull, had two brain bleeds, a concussion, amnesia, and a fractured wrist”.
This caused a pause in his athletic career.
Mercure is on the path to becoming a 12-sport athlete to conclude his high school career. He has participated in football, basketball, track and field, and plans on participating in competition cheerleading in the upcoming winter season. Mercure spent his junior year football season on the sidelines. Working towards recovery was crucial for him to return to his full potential for the upcoming season. In the early stages of this injury, time was the only necessity for healing.
Exercise and running could affect the blood in his brain, causing further damage if he exerts himself too much, but this didn’t stop his dedication to coming back stronger. “I did a lot of sprints and lifting once I was allowed to,” and it has played a huge role in the 2025 football season.
The Lakes football team had a record of 6-3 in the regular season and fell short to Kaneland High School in round one of the postseason. Coming from a record of 1-8 last year, the Eagles were seen as the underdogs. But, they came out on top, placing 3rd in the Northern Lake County Conference. Mercure, as well as other teammates, has benefited the Eagles immensely in their successful season.
Coach Gialo, a mentor to Mercure, sees how his talent has contributed to the team this season. “Will is a really dynamic player that allows the coaching staff to use him in a variety of ways to allow both offense and defense to function at a high level,” he said. Mercure had 34 catches this season, going for 514 yards with an average of 15.12 yards per catch. His kick returns benefited the Eagles as well, averaging 23.21 yards per kick return. Mercure scored 5 touchdowns this season for the team. This earned him a selection as an All-Conference player for the NLCC. However, the numbers don’t just reflect the effect Mercure had on his team; his energy and his positive aura made an everlasting impact on the Eagles.
AJ Perna is a junior and a teammate of Mercure’s for football. Perna had known who Mercure was, but had not known what the severity his injury extended to, until the of end last year. Knowing this, he sees what being back means to Mercure. “When Will went out in the Antioch game the first thing he said to me was ‘I cant sit out again’ and that just really proved to me how great it was that he came back” Perna said. “hes a really good role model, and he’s a good person.”
Though his football career has concluded, the run of Mercure’s athletic career continues. Cheerleading will become a new beginning for him as he works at becoming a better athlete. “The schedule allows me to continue to pursue pole vault at a more intense level,” Mercure said. “I’ve always been interested in doing flips, and it has become one of my favorite aspects of cheer. I can do a lot more now than I would’ve thought myself to be capable of”. Whether it’s on the gridiron or the mats, his name will continue to be heard around Lakes.
