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Willie Deane is everybody's hero these days, especially to the students at his alma mater, St. John the Evangelist School in Schenectady.

The co-captain of the Schenectady High School boys' basketball team, which recently won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship, spoke to the kids during their monthly First Friday Mass on April 3, and then stayed afterward to meet them individually and sign autographs.

His visit came as a surprise to the students, who were clearly excited to see their hometown hero in person. They've been discussing in class what it means to be great for God, and Willie, who's also a St. John's parishioner, expressed his thanks to God for helping him and his teammates give Schenectady fans something to cheer about.

Blessings
"It feels great to know that I'm blessed by God, that we accomplished a lot, and that we gave something back to the city of Schenectady," the senior said.

Willie led the Patriots to 28 consecutive win this season, including Big 10, Section II Class A, and Region 2 titles, all capped off by the NYSPHSAA championship. Their season ended March 26 with a 66-56 loss to Rice, the state's top-ranked team, in the Federation tournament semifinals.

The team's success was even sweeter, considering how hard the players worked and how much they improved since freshman year, Willie pointed out: "In ninth grade, no one ever would have imagined us doing what we did and getting the record we did. We pretty much shocked the world."

CYO start
It wasn't long ago that Willie was flashing his hoop skills in the St. John's CYO league; now, he's getting opportunities to showcase his talent at the Division I collegiate level. He's been recruited by such schools as Michigan, Marquette, Akron, Boston College and Central Florida. Prep school is also an option. Willie plans to make his decision later this month.

Not only is he a local hero on the basketball court; he's also a loyal St. John's parishioner. He received his Confirmation at the parish last year, and he and his fellow candidates threw a party for the St. John's pastoral care staff, according to Sharran Coppola, religious education administrator. Willie also brought up the holy oil during the Confirmation ceremony.

Despite his celebrity status in the city and parish, Willie remains as modest as he was prior to the Patriots' remarkable basketball season, Ms. Coppola noted.

"He didn't have all this attention last year, and he was just as nice last year as he is this year. He's a genuine kid," she said.

Family style
Willie's not the only member of the Deane family with a connection to St. John's School; his younger brother, Weldin, attended the school from kindergarten through sixth grade, and his brother, Wynton, is currently in sixth grade.

In addition, Willie's teammate, Justin Hoffman, is a St. John's parishioner, and teammate Patrick O'Connor attended St. John's School.

Faith and religion are important to Willie, and he believes his relationship with God has helped him with his game and his daily life.

"We've always had a religious family since I was born," he said. "God's always there for you. He helps you make decisions."

Role model
He also realizes the responsibilities that come with being a role model in the parish and the community, particularly among kids.

"It's helped me make decisions, to know that the younger kids look up to me, and that I need to do the right thing," he said.

The city hosted a victory parade on April 3 for the basketball team and presented each player with a key to the city. Willie is glad that he and his teammates gave Schenectadians reason to cheer.

"We wanted to come out and show that there is something good happening in Schenectady and that it's not a ghost town," he said. "There are good people in Schenectady, and it's on the rise."

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