Even by the stringent standards of a Youngstown (Ohio) community that revers high school football, Damon Hodges is no ordinary football player.
In northern Ohio, every young boy dreams of the day they will play under Friday night lights. The culture has extremely deep roots. Massillon (Ohio) is the site of the first ever high school football game played in 1894. The region is also home to nine different high schools that boast football rivalries more than 100 years old.
Football is in the blood of young teenagers throughout the area. In this regard, Hodges is no different than his peers, but he is not your typical teenager.
Hodges had both legs amputated just below the knee when he was only two years old as a result of complications at birth. As a result, he has walked on his two prosthetic legs since he can remember.
The odds of having a normal life were stacked against him.
"Many told me that I would never walk or have a normal life, but things have really worked out for me,” Hodges told The Vindicator.
Even against the seemingly insurmountable odds, Hodges never gave up on his dream to play under the Friday night lights. This weekend, Hodges will defy those odds when he takes to the football field for the Liberty (Olentagy, Ohio) varsity team while wearing his two prosthetic legs.
His path has not been an easy one.
The young man draws faith from hardships he and his family endured.
“He lost his father [Damon Hodges Sr.] at age 12 and they were very, very close…His father would always encourage him and tell him that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve that goal,” Hodges mother, Shelika Wilder, told The Vindicator.
Hodges applied his father’s wisdom to ensure he could become eligible to play. During his sophomore year, when his academics fell below the threshold necessary to participate in extracurricular activities, Hodges immediately hit the books and applied for summer school.
Liberty head coach Chet Allen told the Vindicator, “He understood what he needed to do academically in order to realize his dream, then went out and made that dream come true.”
The lessons of a father seem to echo in his son’s words.
“Never believe anybody who wants to put you down…Do what you want to do…because anything you put your mind to, you can do it,” Hodges told KRON4 News.
Hodges already exemplifies everything a good football coach instills in his young players: discipline, dedication, perseverance and the idea that hard work can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
In case you have not seen this inspirational story on our own Damon Hodges, watch here on @Vimeo https://t.co/AOI1j5CUtO #LeopardPride
— Liberty Leopards FB (@LibertyLeops_FB) September 5, 2016
category:
Americas Game
Tags:
high school football
Liberty high school
Olentagy
Ohio
Damon Hodges
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Author:
Frank Bartscheck
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Post date:
Wednesday, September 7, 2016 - 17:10