By Staff
Writing a weekly column can sometimes be a little more hectic than it seems. “What do I write about this week? What have I already written about? What haven't I written about? Anything big in sports going on?”
These are the questions I ask myself when I sit down at the end of a work week to write my weekly column. A lot of times, I have no idea what to talk about and other times things just pop in my head for no reason at all like someone popped a quarter into my brain and said “Ah ha this will be you're column Erika.” It's very strange to say the least, how things just pop in our heads our of nowhere.
Well, this was case this week. Wasn't sure what to write, nothing is really going on in our town right now because the fall sports season is just about over. Shaq has a sprained ankle and won't be able to play for about 2-4 weeks (wiping my tears), but I really don't need to talk about him.
Then it hit me…sitting in the stands at local games, I hear every conversation imaginable, “How was work today? I won $20 on a lottery ticket! I got a C on my math test and my parents are going to be so mad.” Yeah, I hear them all. But I heard one that really upset me not too long ago.
A few kids were in the stands talking about what they wanted to do when they get older. One wanted to be a pro football player, one wanted to work at the South Bend Chocolate Factory because he loves their chocolate covered peanuts and the other one wanted to play basketball for the Lakers.
Another issue happened when I was shooting pictures. A young girl told me she was “weird” because she also had a problem with her arm. “Well that doesn't make you weird,” I said to her. And she just gave me this smile, while her teammates told her “we like your arm.” At least those friends understood.
So, I mentioned it's funny how things just come to you for no reason. Well, Friday afternoon I was searching the web to learn more about digital cameras when an article caught my eye. It was called “The Biggest Man on the Field.”
What's this and what does it have to do with cameras? Out of curiosity I opened it to find that it is a website of sports photography called SportsShooter.com and on this website there is a story and pictures of a young man named Bobby Martin from Dayton, Ohio.
Bobby tried out for the high school football team, which is perfectly natural to him. Like any man his age, he wants to be active and play sports. Football is one sport he plays, along with wrestling and he is a shot putter.
Bobby was recently disqualified in his fourth game of the football season (after playing in three without incident) by a Cincinnati game official for not wearing shoes, knee or thigh pads.
Yeah, most kids would be disqualified, but Bobby isn't like most kids. Bobby was born with no legs. He stands three feet tall and his body starts at his pelvis and that's it. Never knowing a life with legs, Bobby from an early age just adapted to using his arms and the pendulum motion of his body for movement.
After this official pretty much slapped this young 17-year-old man in the face and made him the center of attention, as if he already isn't enough, the assistant coach of the Colonel Whites High School team asked, “He needs feet before he can wear shoes. He needs legs before he can wear those other pads. What are you thinking?”
According to the official, Bobby needed a medical waiver to play and he just wanted to be on the safe side just in case he got hurt.
Ok, so if this official wanted to be fair, he should have disqualified every player if he wanted to be on the “safe side.” Football is not ballet and everyone knows what is at stake. But to single out a young man for being disabled is the lowest I think someone can go.
I was in tears after reading the actual article, which can be found on the middletownjournal.com website (there is a fee).
So, I really hope the young man is reading this and realizes that you can do anything you put your mind and heart to. Just because you are not like everyone else doesn't make you “weird.” In fact, I believe it is these things that make you appreciate life that much better. It is a challenge thrown at us and how we over come it is up to us. You can chose to pass the challenge or fail. It's up to you!
I feel really bad for not speaking up when I should have, so this column is for the young man at the game.