There’s a lot more to Isaac Lufkin than his onside kicks and winning field goals.
“I wanna play in the NFL. The Ravens,” Isaac says.
He’s still riding high from an undefeated season and the freshman football state title. He lead his division in onside kick recoveries this year.
This is all remarkable considering this is what Isaac has dealt with his entire life. He was born without arms.
“I don’t like pity. Pity just makes me weaker,” Issac says. “I don’t like people helping me because it makes me feel like I can’t do it. If I drop my backpack and somebody helps me pick it up, I drop it again and pick it back up. Because if I can’t do it, nobody else is going to be able to do it sooner or later.”
Isaac’s potential was immediately recognized by the athletic director at his high school.
“As soon as he walked in, I pointed and said ‘you’re our place kicker’. I would not want to be the guy that would want to tell him he could not do something, put it that way,” said Bob Palazzo.
Palazzo calls Isaac’s knack for accuracy is something that’s tough to teach. What does he do for his teammates?
“I think he gives them hope. You see a guy with no arms strap up and put a helmet on and launch himself into a violent pile, and get up and smile,” said Palazzo.
Isaac has learned to do remarkable things with his feet, including eating, playing the keyboard and playing video games.
Isaac will be eligible to kick for the varsity team next year.
