Featured Image Credit: WLKY News Louisville / YouTube
Topics: Sport, Basketball, US News
Joe Harker
An inspirational young student has made his school's basketball team despite not having legs.
Josiah Johnson has been playing basketball all his life and never let his lack of legs hold him back, and now he's part of his school's team after earning his place there.
WSFA reports that the young man from Louisville, Kentucky was born without legs but managed to earn his place in the school team.
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The middle school student explained that he was really excited to get the nod from the coach letting him know he'd made it into the team.
He said: "It's just something I had to do, you know I don't want you doubting me because I have no legs. I want to show you that I'm just as human as you and just as good as you.
"I was acting like I wasn't excited in front of the coach, I was like 'okay', but when I went into the gym I was excited, I was like 'I made the team, I made the team'."
Since making the team Josiah has become a starting member of the lineup.
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Josiah's coach Daquan Boyd said the young man 'shows up every day' and is so eager to be a part of the team that when the rest of the players are doing sprints he wants to 'run them too as well'.
Coach Boyd said that when it came to keeping up with his teammates the middle school student would always 'get out there and do everything they try to do as well'.
The young man is hugely appreciated by his fellow teammates as well, with one of his fellow students saying seeing Josiah had 'improved my confidence as a player and a person'.
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Another said his example could really help 'inspire other people', teaching them the lesson 'don't think just because you don't have something you can't do something'.
They said their teammate was living proof that 'you can always pursue what you want to in life'.
People watching Josiah in action cannot help but be impressed at his basketball skills and the 'phenomenal inspiration' he provided to others.
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One person said they could see his 'love for the game' coming through, while another said watching him play was 'amazing'.
Someone else said they loved to see his 'confidence' in going out and playing with everyone else as others said his performance out on the basketball court was 'all heart'.