Boy Born Without Hands Leads Soccer Team on Road to World Championships

Published January 07, 2015

An 11-year-old North Carolina boy isn't letting his disability get in the way of his dreams.

Elijah Clark was born without hands and has only one forearm bone and two fingers, but it hasn't stopped him from playing soccer, and helping the Lake Norman Soccer Club come a few games away from earning a trip to an international tournament in South Africa.

"I used to hide behind my mom because I didn't want people to look at me. But, I had to overcome that. I don't care what people say about me now,” Clark told FOXCharlotte.

And, if you go to a game, you don't find the Clark on the sidelines — he plays forward, defender and even goalie.

"The best way for him to be independent was for him to do things. (To) do everything else that a regular person can do," his mother Alisha Clark, told the station.

Clark's talents are not confined to the field -- he was placed in academically gifted classes and currently has, not only A's, but a perfect 100 grade average in all his courses, FOXCharlotte reported.

His teammates look to him for inspiration.

"Elijah shows us that just because you have a disability doesn't mean you can't play sports," Justin Meyer said.

Click here for a video report from FOXCharlotte.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/boy-born-without-hands-leads-soccer-team-on-road-to-world-championships